What works to reduce crime? A Summary of the evidence

1. What works to reduce crime? A Summary of the evidence Building Safer Communities Seminar Ben Cavanagh – Justice Analytical Services Linzie Liddell – Justice Analytical Services

2. Background • 3 strategies to achieve crime reduction: We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger

3. The fall in recorded crime since 2006/07 Since 2006/7 crime has fallen by 35% to a 39 year low. Housebreaking -30% Homicide -48% Vandalism -55% Handling offensive weapon -60% Theft of motor vehicles -62%

4. Scottish Crime and Justice Survey change between 2008/9 and 2012/13

5. Effective parenting and quality of care Low self control is linked to offending Parenting programmes are effective in improving self-control Social skills training designed to improve emotional intelligence, may help reduce delinquent behaviour Offending is linked to abuse, neglect, exposure to domestic violence and parental substance misuse Quality of care of children and young people and protection from abuse and neglect are key Identification of abuse and neglect at the earliest stage

6. Role of the school and wider community Diversionary role Realising potential Setting behavioural boundaries School attachment is a key protective factor Interventions focussed on self-control and social competency

7. Societal Attachment • Key factors in adulthood: • Stable employment – programmes may need to provide other educational and social supports to be effective • Good family relationships – criminal justice sanctions should minimise negative impact where possible

8. Tackling Drug and Alcohol Abuse • 21% had committed a crime to fund their drug use • 44% under the influence of drugs when offence committed • 50% drunk at time of offence • 63% of perpetrators of violent crime under the influence of alcohol. (to amend – don’t use all prisoner survey as may be misleading) • Clear association between drugs and alcohol and offending • Underlying causes of offending and drug and alcohol and abuse may be the same • Improving self-control through effective parenting may provide a valuable contribution

9. 2. Deterring offending Informal (eg through social norms) Formal (eg through policing and punishing)

10. “People comply with the rules when they’re fair”

11. “People offend less when communities look after their area”

12. “People offend less when there is visible condemnation of crime”

13. “Awareness of impact of behaviour on others” – mixed evidence

14. Formal methods: “Certainty of punishment is better than the severity of punishment”

15. “Increase the likelihood of detection”

16. 3. Reducing opportunities for offending Opportunity Motivated offender Absence of a guardian

17. “Change the situation”

18. “Restrict access to weapons”

19. “Restrict access to alcohol”

20. “Diversion activities”

21. Root causes Deterrence Changing the situation LONG TERM MEDIUM & SHORT TERM SHORT TERM

22. What Works Scotland Keira Oliver Local Government & Reform Analysis: PSR Research

23. Aim of WWS • Within parameters of policy framework, independent advice to deepen impact of approach; • Spread and accelerate approaches which deliver improvement; • Building on existing evidence and encouraging innovation.

24. Principles • Defines itself as a partnership, owned by all those who have a stake in creating solutions, actively involving policymakers, practitioners and users; • Engages directly with communities and collaborates actively to make a difference in people’s lives; • Moves from defining the problem to shaping solutions; • Is seen as credible by, and builds the confidence and capability of, professionals and communities to take an active and continuing role in shaping solutions; • Is clear in identifying both what is working and what isn’t, and why, with independence to challenge received wisdom and assumptions,

25. Key questions • How can we take what we know from individual projects and interventions and translate this into system-wide change? • What is working (or not working), and why, at the different levels of delivery and reform and at the interface between those levels? And to identify actions which can be taken in communities; at CPP and the national levels to improve impact. • What does the evidence (including international) say about large-scale reform programmes that have succeeded or failed and the impact they had in a system-wide context? • Why do results vary geographically and between communities, and how can we balance local approaches with ensuring spread of what works?

26. What happens now? • Assessing four bidsfrom a consortia of universities and other organisations across Scotland • Decision by end of April for centre to launch in June 2014 • Developing an approach to how WWS and the SG will work together(likely to evolve) • e.g. WWS active involvement in SG policy making? Internal events/networks? Comms strategy? • Keen to hear your ideas

27. Reflections? • Were any of the key findings surprising/challenging? • Does the review suggest that we should we be focussing our policy/analytical efforts in any particular area? • How does your work fit with this?