Government unveils plan to “protect victims and make streets safer”

According to politicians and officials at Westminster, the plan will ensure the public is better protected across all parts of the country, with each neighbourhood having contactable, named police officers who know their area and are best placed to ensure that persistent crime and anti-social behaviour is tackled.

The Government’s promise to the public through this plan is that every crime matters, every victim matters and every neighbourhood matters. That’s why, alongside more police officers being out on the beat and making local forces more easily contactable, the public will be given more opportunity to scrutinise the end results, with league tables for 101 and 999 call answering times to be introduced for each police service.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “When I first stood on the steps of Downing Street as Prime Minister, I promised to back the police and make people safer. We cannot level up the country when crime hits the poorest the hardest and draws the most vulnerable into violence. That’s why my Government has remained unstinting in its efforts to protect the British public. This new plan delivers a fresh commitment as we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic in order to have less crime, fewer victims and a safer society.”

Beating Crime Plan

The Beating Crime Plan spans work across the police, the courts and the prison and probation service to drive down and prevent crime, improve confidence in the criminal justice system, rehabilitate offenders to ensure they do not go on to commit crimes again and create the safer streets and homes the public want for themselves and their neighbours.

A particular focus is given to early intervention, prevention and practical measures so as to deliver “real results” across communities and determinedly tackle serious violence and neighbourhood crimes.

The measures put in place are to include:

*expanding the use of electronic monitoring so that burglars and thieves will have their whereabouts monitored 24 hours per day upon release from prison

*permanently relaxing conditions on the use of Section 60 Stop and Search powers to empower police to take more knives off the streets

*trialling the use of alcohol tags – which detect alcohol in the sweat of offenders guilty of drink-fuelled crime – on prison leavers in Wales (this is to address the fact alcohol is a significant driver of crime, playing a part in 39% of all violent crime)

*making unpaid work more visible by making offenders clean up streets, alleys, estates and open spaces and ensuring that justice is seen to be done

*investing over £45 million in specialist support in both mainstream schools and Alternative Provision – including mental health professionals, family workers and speech and language therapists – in serious violence ‘hotspots’ to support young people at risk of involvement in violence such that they can re-engage in education

*a new £17 million package for Violence Reduction Units to provide high-intensity therapeutic and specialist support from trained youth workers, including at crisis points such as when a young person is being admitted to A&E with a knife injury or upon arrest, to divert them away from violence

*rolling out two further rounds of the Safer Streets Fund to increase the safety of public spaces through steps including targeted patrols, increased lighting and CCTV and working with councils to design out crime

*enhancing the role of Police and Crime Commissioners by launching the second part of the PCC Review to equip them with the tools they need to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour in their local areas

Delivering a safer society

Home Secretary Priti Patel observed: “I’m absolutely determined to cut crime and deliver a safer society for the public. The Beating Crime Plan shows how the Government is going to do just that.”

Patel added: “We’re putting 20,000 new police officers on the streets, equipping them with new powers to catch criminals and take away knives and shutting down drug gangs who exploit children and the vulnerable to make money.

This plan sets out a clear path for a better future for the British public. One with less crime, fewer victims and a safer society for all.”

The Beating Crime Plan recognises the need to address the underlying causes of crime, with new tactics and investment designed to deal with alcohol and the scourge of illegal drugs, both of which are major driver of burglary and violent criminality. Last year alone almost half of all homicides were drug-related.

To address this issue, alongside the Beating Crime Plan the Government will also respond to Parts 1 and 2 of Dame Carol Black’s review. This will specifically set out steps to expand Project ADDER (an innovative new approach which combines tough law enforcement with increased provision of treatment and recovery services) to eight more local authorities. Backed by an additional £31 million, this will allow the police to target local gang leaders driving the drugs trade, while in parallel better helping people to recover from addictions in more of the hardest-hit areas.

There’s a determination to increase the police’s use of drug testing on arrest to crack down on recreational drug use and ensure that those who break the law face consequences. The increase of testing upon arrest marks the first step in work orchestrated to challenge drug misuse, reduce demand and change the perceived acceptability of using illicit drugs which devastates communities and fuels serious violence.

To drive this work, the Government will convene a summit to bring together key partners including employers, educators, enforcement and health partners who’ll then work up a comprehensive package to drive down illicit drug demand and misuse and tackle these serious challenges across society.

Lord Chancellor Robert Buckland commented: “We’ve backed the probation service with an extra £310 million to boost recruitment to record levels and expanded the use of electronic tags to keep an even closer eye on offenders.

We’re also toughening sentences for the most dangerous individuals, delivering 18,000 more prison places and putting victims at the heart of all our reforms so that they and the wider public are better protected.”

*Read the Beating Crime Plan in full