§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means he has achieved reductions in(a) burglary, (b) vehicle crime and (c) violent crime since 1997. [150127]
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§ Ms BlearsWe have instituted a large number of measures to reduce crime, many of which are listed in the Crime Reduction Strategy that we published in 1999. Some will have had an impact on a wide range of crimes, others are aimed specifically at burglary, vehicle crime and violent crime.
There are too many to list all in this reply, but examples include:
The activities of police forces and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership to tackle local crime problems—for instance through making homes more secure, using local authority warden to warn car owners who leave valuables in their vehicles of the risks involved and tackling city centre hooliganism.Working with all parts of the criminal justice systems to improve procedures and the effectiveness of sentencing.The work of the Youth Justice Board and Youth Offending Teams.Our anti-drug strategy including the work of the Drugs Actions Teams.Increasing police numbers to a record 136,386.Promoting partnership working—not just at a local level but also with a range of stakeholders such as other government departments, motor manufacturers and dealers, the insurance industry, local authorities, universities and student bodies and leading commercial brands.Requiring crime reduction targets to be set, and instituting new methods of monitoring, managing and improving performance at local and national levels. In addition to measures such as the Police Reform Act and the Police Standards Unit we have been promoting problem-oriented and intelligence-led policing which tackle the problems and their causes in a more pro-active way.Introducing new legislation and other powers such as minimum sentences for third time convictions for burglary; strengthening the law on rape; increasing the powers of courts to impose restraining orders in domestic violence cases; and regulation of the motor salvage industry.There is still more that we can do and, for example:
We are starting some new work on reducing the market for stolen goods—i.e. making the disposal of stolen property more difficult, riskier and less profitable.The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit will be publishing an alcohol harm reduction strategy for England which will set out how to address the problems associated with alcohol misuse.We are further improving vehicle registration procedures and working more closely with local authorities suffering the highest levels of crime and voluntary and community groups to get across vehicle crime prevention messages.The Crime Reduction Delivery Board is finalising its prolific offenders strategy.There are a number of other drivers of crime including social, economic and demographic factors and these will have contributed to the trends in crime in recent years.