HC Deb 21 March 1995 vol 257 cc141-2W
Ms Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to conduct evaluative research into the fear of crime following the Home Office standing conference on crime prevention's report of the working group on the fear of crime, dated 11 December 1989. [14402]

Mr. Maclean

The research and planning unit, crime prevention unit and police research group of the Home Department conduct and sponsor a wide range of research into the problem of criminal behaviour, the effects of which will influence people's fear of crime. More specifically, the Department has conducted a number of pieces of evaluative work on fear of crime, which bear on the recommendations of the fear of crime working group report.

Details are as follows:

  1. (i) "Special constables: Issues for the management and organisation of volunteer police"—research and planning unit paper 88;
  2. (ii) "Lagerland Lost?" An experiment in keeping drinkers off the street in central Coventry and elsewhere—crime prevention unit paper 22;
  3. (iii) "The Influence of Street Lighting on Crime and Fear of Crime"—crime prevention unit paper 28;
  4. (iv) "Closed Circuit Television in Public Places"—crime prevention unit paper 35;
  5. (v) "Fear of Crime Findings" from the 1992 "British Crime Survey"—research findings No. 9;
  6. (vi) "Participation in Neighbourhood Watch": Findings from the 1992 "British Crime Survey"—research finding No. 11.

Further research on special constables, community policing and the safer cities programme is forthcoming.

Ms Janet Anderson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to combat the fear of crime following the recommendations of the standing conference on crime prevention contained in the report of the working group on the fear of crime, dated 11 December 1989. [14403]

Mr. Maclean

Home Office Ministers welcomed the report of the working group which provided a stimulating contribution to the debate on fear of crime. The Home Office attaches a high priority to tackling crime and the fear of crime, which we recognise can be just as disabling as crime itself.

The Home Office tackles this problem through a number of initiatives, most recently through the partnership campaign "Partners Against Crime" which was launched by my right hon. and learned Friend in September 1994. The campaign encourages individual members of the public to join the police as partners in the fight against crime. Through neighbourhood watch schemes, the special constabulary, neighbourhood constables, street watch, youth action groups and crime prevention panels, individuals can make a difference and gain a sense of empowerment, which in turn helps to reduce the fear of crime.

We also welcome the use of technology such as closed circuit television in the fight against fear of crime. Last October, my right hon. and learned Friend announced a competition to set up more schemes across the country and the winners will be announced shortly.

Partnership is the basis of Home Office crime prevention policy, and we continue to work closely with other organisations—such as the Department of the Environment on the single regeneration budget and the safer cities programme; and the Department of Transport who have commissioned a national review of transport-related crime and perceptions of safety.

The Home Office produces practical advice on the measures which people can take to help keep themselves, their families and their property safe. The advice is always carefully worded to ensure that it is not fear-inducing.

Following a specific recommendation made by the working group, crime statistics are now published half yearly, rather than quarterly.

Most recently, to help forces identify those areas which suffer most from fear of crime, we have circulated to every police force a handbook and computer software package which provides a guide to the process of conducting a fear of crime survey.