What is Community Safety?
Community Safety is defined as preventing, reducing and containing the social, environmental and intimidatory factors, which affect people's right to live without fear of crime and which impact upon their quality of life. It includes preventative measures that contribute to crime reduction and tackle anti-social behaviour. Community Safety is about delivering local solutions to local problems that have been identified by local people.
Background to the establishment of Community Safety Partnerships
The Review of the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland (2000) recommended, 'the Development of a Northern Ireland Community Safety Strategy based on extensive consultation with relevant agencies, political structures and the voluntary, private and community sectors.' It saw the aim of such a strategy as being, 'to create the conditions which promote an inclusive partnership-based approach in developing community safety initiatives… with a view to reducing crime and enhancing community safety.'
The first step was the publication of a Community Safety Strategy, 'Creating a Safer Northern Ireland Through Partnership' in March 2003. This document set out a broad framework for the development of local strategies and Action Plans to deliver local solutions to local problems. Most importantly, it identified that reducing crime and the fear of crime is not solely a matter for criminal justice agencies. It demands the concerted efforts of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors.
The Establishment of Craigavon Community Safety Partnership
Craigavon Community Safety Partnership has representatives from the main statutory agencies of housing, health, education and safety and operates at a strategic and task group level.
As a multi-agency partnership, a local strategy was researched and developed to direct the work of the partnership from 2005-2008. The information for the strategy was gathered locally by means of an audit and consultation process which enabled a number of local priorities to be identified. These are:
- To reduce drug, substance and alcohol abuse
- To reduce anti-social behaviour and low-level neighbourhood disorder
- To reduce violent crime including domestic violence
- To increase neighbourhood safety
- To reduce the fear of crime amongst older people, vulnerable adults, victims and children
- To reduce offences motivated by prejudice and hatred
- To reduce domestic burglary
- To reduce car crime
Craigavon Community Safety Partnership Strategy
Since then an action plan was developed for 2006-2008 in order to address the priorities for Craigavon which contain a number of initiatives including Craigavon Secured, Neighbourhood Watches, an Underage Drinking campaign, a Drop-in Centre, Where is your child tonight? Campaign, Youth Shelters, making environmental and situational changes in areas to reduce crime, and Seasonal Campaigns. The Partnership also supports established projects which meet the priorities, including Midnight Soccer and Radiolink.
More recently, a new Action Plan has been developed for 2008 - 2011 which encompasses the following five plans:
1. Anti-social Behaviour
2. Violent Crime
3. Fear of Crime
4. Alcohol and Drugs
5. Commercial Crime
Outputs of each of the plans are included in the link below:
- Action Plan 2008-11 (.xls)
The first year 2008-09 has included the continuation of successful initiatives such as Graffiti Removal Scheme, Midnight Soccer, Get Home Safe Bus, Craigavon Secured Programme, Neighbourhood Watch and Seasonal Campaigns (Prosperous New Year, No Trick or Treat, No Flour or Eggs). New initiatives have included the extension of the 'Racism Ruins Lives' DVD into a short film displayed in health surgeries across the Borough and 'Try before you Buy' Radiolink scheme for retailers. CCSP in partnership with SELB's Youth Service carried out an Alcohol Survey with young people where they asked their peers various questions. Consequently, 50 young people attended a 'Booze Views' event.
2009-2011 has seen the implementation of more new initiatives which have included the 'Spray is Not the Way' campaign. This was an advertising campaign including billboards and posters at bus shelters which was followed by a 5 week programme for young people in Lurgan, Brownlow and Portadown to deter young people from participating in graffiti. Another anti-racism campaign, 'Spot the Difference', was developed in partnership with DPP and Good Relations and involved billboards and full page advertorials in local newspapers. In 2010-2011 this is being implemented again with the addition of postcards distributed to all CBC staff and banners installed in various locations throughout the Borough from November 2010 to February 2011 and an animated version will be seen in 11 health surgeries in January and February 2011.
The CCSP had the opportunity to work in partnership with Crimestoppers on two campaigns targeting drugs and drug dealing in areas of the Borough where this type of crime is perceived to be high. This included the distribution of postcards, 'Is Drug Dealing happening in your Neighbourhood?' to all households in these areas, posters and postcards to community and leisure centres and advertorials in local press. Due to the succes of these campaigns, there is currently a new campaign being developed in partnership with Crimestoppers and Craigavon DPP.
Seasonal campaigns continue to be implemented in partnership with DPP and local police and 2009-2011 saw the addition of 'Drinking Safety Tips'. During the festive period, postcards were delivered to local off-licences and supermarkets who sell alcohol to offer advice to their customers when they are out in the evening or at or having a party. This will be rolled out this Christmas in conjunction with letters to retailers offering advice on crime prevention and the home security checklist, 'Don't Let Burglars have a Prosperous New Year'.
Other Useful Information
Log on to www.howsecureismyhome.com to have a free assessment of your home
More crime reduction information can be found on www.crimereduction.gov.uk
For information leaflets and copies of Craigavon Community Safety Strategy, please contact the Community Safety Officer.
Community Safety Contacts
Sarah Wilson
Community Safety Officer
Community Safety Department
Craigavon Borough Council
Civic Centre
Lakeview Road
Craigavon BT64 1AL
(028) 3831 2484
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Lynette Burke
Crime Reduction Initiatives Project Co-ordinator
Community Safety Department
Craigavon Borough Council
Civic Centre
Lakeview Road
Craigavon BT64 1AL
(028) 3831 2529
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Rebecca Hyland
Design Against Crime Project Co-ordinator
Community Safety Department
Craigavon Borough Council
Civic Centre
Lakeview Road
Craigavon
BT64 1AL
(028) 3831 2491
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