Community safety

9.1 Key Facts

• The crime rate for all recorded crimes in Barnet for the year ending in June 2018, was 70.48 per 1,000 residents, which was the 8th lowest of all the 32 London boroughs and lower than the Metropolitan Police Force Area average (92.87 per 1,000 residents).
• The burglary rate in Barnet was 9.52 per 1,000 residents, which was the 12th highest among the London boroughs and higher than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (8.88 per 1,000), in the year ending June 2018.
• For the year ending June 2018, the rate of violence and sexual offences in Barnet was 18.15 per 1,000 residents, which was the 3rd lowest among the London boroughs and lower than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (25.33 per 1,000).
• The rate of drug offences in Barnet was 1.85 per 1,000 residents for the year ending June 2018, which was the 2nd lowest among the London boroughs and lower than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (4.02 per 1,000).
• In the year preceding September 2017, Barnet had the 4th lowest rate of domestic violence and abuse of the 32 London boroughs, with a rate of 13 per 1,000 population. However, during the 2017/18 financial year, there was a 12% increase in recorded domestic abuse (violence with injury) offences in Barnet, compared to the previous year.
• Between January 2017 and November 2018, there were a total of 1,250 recorded sexual offences in Barnet of which 40% were rape and 60% were other sexual offences.
• In the rolling year to December 2017, there were 24 gang flagged offences in Barnet, accounting for 2.2% of such offences in London over that period. During this period, there were 226 youth victims of serious violence (excluding actual bodily harm) in the borough, which represented 2.8% of these offences for London overall. Similarly, there were 51 youth victims (aged under 25) of knife crime with injury, accounting for 2.4% of such offences in London.

9.2 Strategic Needs

• Barnet remains a safe place to visit, live and work, however if it is to remain one of London’s safest boroughs against a background of reduced funding from central government, it is essential that the borough continues to work efficiently, effectively and imaginatively with its Safer Community partners and other organisations within the community and voluntary sector.
• The estimated cost of crime in Barnet for the 2017/18 financial year was almost £99.3m, which represented a rise of nearly £4.5m on the previous year.
• Violence and sexual offences accounted for the largest proportion of this total estimated cost (64%), followed by burglary (14%), vehicle crime (9%), robbery (6%) and “Other Theft” (3%).
• Whilst the cost of violent and sexual offences and “other theft” changed little in 2017/18, the cost of robbery, burglary and vehicle crime rose by around £2.1m, £1.1m and £1.1m respectively, compared to the previous financial year.
• Between January 2017 and November 2018, there was a 41% increase in the total number of recorded theft and handling offences in Barnet.
• Theft from motor vehicles and interference / tampering with motor vehicles increased by 76% and 74% respectively, whilst there was a 210% rise in recorded theft involving taking a motor vehicle, between January 2017 and November 2018. Over the same period, there was a 68% increase in recorded theft from the person in Barnet.
• When the 12 months to 0ctober 2018 is compared to the previous year, anti-Semitic hate crime in the borough rose by over a third (37%) and faith crime more generally by 7%.
• In October 2018, there were 795 reported offences of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in the Barnet, compared to 619 for the same month in 2017, which represents a 28% increase.
• Violence against women is a major public health concern. In the year to June 2018, there were a total of 343 referrals to the Domestic Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (DV MARAC) for Barnet, a rise of 11.4%, compared to the previous year.
• Local authorities play a vital role in preventing people from being drawn into terrorism and have responsibilities under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The Barnet Prevent Strategy 2017-2020, also has an important role in keeping the people of Barnet safe, through early intervention, to protect and divert people away from terrorism and/or violent extremism.

9.3 Overview

The statutory duty for Barnet Safer Communities Partnership[1] includes producing and considering the findings of an annual strategic crime needs assessment when developing a local community safety strategy. This section contains data from the Community Safety team at Barnet Council.

9.3.1 Crime in Barnet

Table 9.1 compares the percentage change in recorded crime for Barnet between November 2017 and November 2018 for various types of offence, based on data from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

Any analysis of the magnitude of an effect should take both the percentage change and the numbers involved, into consideration. From this perspective, burglary, drugs and sexual offences in Barnet decreased in November 2018 compared to the same period in the previous year. Similarly, the various types of violence against the person offences either decreased or showed no change, except for Wounding / GBH which had a marginal (1.8%) increase. Fraud and forgery, which involved small numbers, also showed no change, when November 2017 and November 2018 were compared.

Whilst there was no overall change in the number of criminal damage offences, there were increases in the “Criminal Damage to a Dwelling” and “Other Criminal Damage” categories. Similarly, whilst there was a 60% rise in the number of robbery offences (from “5” in November 2017 to “8” in November 2018), the numbers involved were small. When this is combined with a slight (1.5%) decrease in personal property robbery, the change in robbery of business property led to a marginal (2.9%) increase in robbery overall. In contrast, there was a 18% increase in theft and handling offences in November 2018, compared to the same month in the previous year, with the most substantial changes related to motor vehicles.

Overall, whilst changes in the number of offences committed in the borough over any period are influenced by many factors, there was a slight increase (3.3%) in the number of offences committed in Barnet during November 2018 (n = 2,547) compared with the same period in 2017 (n = 2,465).[2]  

Table 9.1: Comparison of recorded crime for Barnet, percentage change, November 2017 vs. November 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police Service

The estimated cost of crime for Barnet over the last three financial years is shown in Table 9.2. The actual cost of crime is never known, as many offences are not reported and crimes affect people in a multitude of different ways, having social and psychological costs, in addition to the financial losses.

However, the Home Office has produced an “estimated cost” for certain offences, which gives an indication of the financial impact of these crimes. Since some crimes (e.g. drugs, fraud and harassment) are not included in the figures shown in Table 9.2 and there is under reporting of crime in general, the true cost of crime in the borough may be significantly higher.

The estimated cost of crime in Barnet for the 12 months up to March 2018 was almost £99.3m, which represented a rise of nearly £4.5m on the previous financial year.

For 2017/18:

• Violence and sexual offences accounted for the largest proportion of the total estimated cost (64%), followed by burglary (14%), vehicle crime (9%), robbery (6%) and “Other Theft” (3%).
• Whilst the cost of violent and sexual offences and “other theft” changed little in 2017/18, the cost of robbery, burglary and vehicle crime rose by around £2.1m, £1.1m and £1.1m respectively.
• Theft from the person represented only 0.6% of the total estimated cost of crime in Barnet for 2017/18, however burglary and robbery combined accounted for around a fifth of the total cost of crime in the borough for that year.[3]

Table 9.2: Estimated costs of crime in Barnet, 2015/16 – 2017/18

Source: Home Office and the Barnet Community Safety Team (LBB).

 

[2] Greater London Authority (2018). London Datastore. Recorded Crime: Geographic Breakdown. MPS Borough Level Crime (most recent 24 months). Available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/recorded_crime_summary

[3] Home Office. Revisions made to the multipliers and unit costs of crime used in the Integrated Offender Management Value for Money Toolkit. Available at:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/118042/IOM-phase2-costs-multipliers.pdf

 

9.3.2 All Recorded Crime

For the year ending in March 2019, the crime rate for all recorded crimes in Barnet was 74.39 per 1,000 residents, which was the 9th lowest of all the 32 London boroughs (see Figure 9.1) and lower than the Metropolitan Police Force Area average (96.41 per 1,000 residents).[4]

Figure 9.1: All recorded crimes, rate per 1,000 residents for London boroughs, year ending March 2019

 

Source: POLICE.UK (2019). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area.

When compared with similar areas, the rate of all recorded crimes per 1,000 residents for Barnet (74.39 per 1,000 residents) was similar to the average for these areas (77.76 per 1,000 residents) in the year ending March 2019. Over this period, Barnet was ranked 7th lowest out of 15, when compared to its most similar areas (Figure 9.2).[5]

Figure 9.2: All recorded crimes rate per 1,000 residents for Barnet and similar areas, year ending March 2019

 

Source: POLICE.UK (2019). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas.

 

[4] POLICE.UK (2019). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/?section=timeline#timeline

[5] POLICE.UK (2019). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/?section=timeline#timeline

 

9.3.3 Burglary

According to the Metropolitan Police; “Burglary is the theft, or attempted theft, from a premises where access is not authorised. Damage to a premises that appears to have been caused by a person attempting to enter to commit a burglary, is also counted as burglary.”[6]

As can be seen from Figure 9.3, in the year ending June 2018, the burglary rate in Barnet was 9.52 per 1,000 residents, which was the 12th highest among the London boroughs and higher than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (8.88 per 1,000).[7]

Figure 9.3: Burglary rate per 1,000 residents for London boroughs, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area.

When compared to similar areas, the burglary rate in Barnet for the year ending June 2018 was the highest of all the areas involved in the comparison (see Figure 9.4). The burglary rate for Barnet (9.52 per 1,000) was higher than the average for similar areas (6.82 per 1,000 residents).[8]

Figure 9.4: Burglary rate per 1,000 residents for Barnet and similar areas, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas.

 

[6] Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime type definitions. Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/crime-type-definitions/

[7] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/burglary/?section=msg_comparison#msg_comparison

[8] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/?section=force_comparison#force_comparison

 

9.3.4 Violence and sexual offences

For the year ending June 2018, the rate of violence and sexual offences in Barnet was 18.15 per 1,000 residents, which was the 3rd lowest among the London boroughs and lower than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (25.33 per 1,000).[9]

Figure 9.5: Violence and sexual crimes offences rate per 1,000 residents for London boroughs, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area.

Compared to similar areas, the violence and sexual offences rate in Barnet for the year ending June 2018 was the 2nd lowest of all the areas involved in the comparison (see Figure 9.6). The rate of violence and sexual offences for Barnet (18.15 per 1,000) over this period was lower than the average for similar areas (22.80 per 1,000 residents).[10]

Figure 9.6: Violence and sexual crimes offences rate per 1,000 residents for Barnet and similar areas, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas.

 

 

[9] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/violent-crime/?section=force_comparison#force_comparison

[10] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/violent-crime/?section=force_comparison#force_comparison

 

9.3.5 Drugs

The rate of drug offences in Barnet was 1.85 per 1,000 residents for the year ending June 2018, which was the 2nd lowest among the London boroughs (refer to Figure 9.7) and lower than the force average for the Metropolitan Police (4.02 per 1,000).[11]

Figure 9.7: Drug offences rate per 1,000 residents for London boroughs, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area.

When compared to similar areas, the drug offences rate in Barnet for the year ending June 2018 was the 2nd lowest of all the areas involved in the comparison (see Figure 9.8). The rate of drug offences for Barnet (1.85 per 1,000) over this period was also lower than the average for similar areas (2.94 per 1,000 residents).[12]

Figure 9.8: Drugs offences rate per 1,000 residents for Barnet and similar areas, year ending June 2018

Source: POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas

 

[11] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in the Metropolitan Police force area. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/drugs/?section=force_comparison#force_comparison 

[12] POLICE.UK (2018). Compare your area. Crime in Barnet compared with crime in other similar areas. Available at: https://www.police.uk/metropolitan/E05000043/performance/compare-your-area/drugs/?section=force_comparison#force_comparison

 

9.3.6 Theft and Handling

According to the Metropolitan Police, “theft and handling” is defined as; “Theft from a person, motor vehicle, bikes, residential or non-residential property and more. Plus the storage, transport or attempted resale of property after a theft has occurred.”[13]

Between January 2017 and November 2018, there was a 41% increase in the total number of recorded theft and handling offences in Barnet rising from 791 to 1112 (see Figure 9.9).[14] This equates to a crime rate of 53.96 per 1,000 population for theft and handling over this period. In contrast, there were 6,949 burglary offences between January 2017 and November 2018 representing a rate of 17.52 per 1,000 population and 1,333 robbery offences (3.36 per 1,000 population). Of the 52,804 recorded offences in Barnet over this period, Theft and Handling, Burglary and Robbery accounted for 41%, 13% and 3% of the total respectively.[15]

Figure 9.9: Total number of recorded offences for theft and handling, Barnet, January 2017 – November 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police Service (2018).

Figure 9.10 shows the trends in various forms of theft in Barnet between January 2017 and November 2018. Over this period, theft from motor vehicles and interference / tampering with motor vehicles increased by a similar amount, 76% and 74% respectively. Similarly, there was a 68% increase in recorded theft from the person in Barnet, rising from 44 in January 2017 to 74 in November 2018. However, there was a 210% rise in recorded theft involving taking a motor vehicle over the period in question.[16]

The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) has also recently found evidence for a rise in overall theft and although there was no statistically significant increase in any specific type of theft, there was believed to be a genuine increase in vehicle theft.[17]

Figure 9.10: Trends in the number of recorded offences for types of theft, Barnet, January 2017 – November 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police Service (2018).

 

[13] Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime type definitions. Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/crime-type-definitions/

[14] Greater London Authority (2018). London Datastore. Recorded Crime: Geographic Breakdown. MPS Borough Level Crime (most recent 24 months). Available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/recorded_crime_summary

[15] Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime Data Dashboard. Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/crime-data-dashboard/

[16] Greater London Authority (2018). London Datastore. Recorded Crime: Geographic Breakdown. MPS Borough Level Crime (most recent 24 months). Available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/recorded_crime_summary

[17] Office for National Statistics (ONS, 2018). Crime in England and Wales: year ending June 2018. Crime against households and adults, also including data on crime experienced by children, and crimes against businesses and society. Available at:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2018#a-rise-in-overall-theft-driven-by-small-changes-in-all-subcategories

9.4 Hate crime

According to the Metropolitan Police a hate crime is defined as; “Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's race or perceived race; religion or perceived religion; sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation; disability or perceived disability and any crime motivated by hostility or prejudice against a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender.”

There are three main types of hate crime;

• physical assault,
• verbal abuse and
• incitement to hatred (where someone behaves in a way that is intended to stir up hatred or which is threatening).[18]

London Borough of Barnet, through the Barnet Safer Communities Partnership (BSCP) is committed to tackling hate crime and addressing the high level of under-reporting that often accompanies it.[19]

Table 9.3 shows the numbers of recorded hate crimes for Barnet between November 2017 and October 2018. The counts of recorded offences should not be summed as there are considerable overlaps between the categories, e.g. “Faith hate crimes” overlaps with both Islamophobic and Anti-Semitic hate crimes and “Fascist & Religious Hate crime” includes Faith hate crimes, Islamophobic and Anti-Semitic hate crimes. When the 12 months to October 2018 are compared to the previous 12 months, there is a decreasing trend for Islamophobic, Homophobic and Disability hate crimes and an increasing trend for all other types of hate crime under consideration for Barnet. However, in this context, when assessing the magnitude of any change, the size of the trend (%) should be considered in conjunction with the number of offences. For example, a 46% decrease in disability hate crimes, where there were 13 offences recorded for the year reflects considerably fewer offences than a 4% increase in domestic abuse hate crimes where there were 2,680 recorded offences between November 2017 and October 2018.[20]

Table 9.3: Recorded hate crimes and percentage change for Barnet, November 2017 – October 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police (2018). Hate crime or special crime dashboard.

 

[18] Metropolitan Police (2018). What is hate crime? Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/hco/hate-crime/what-is-hate-crime/

[19] London Borough of Barnet (2015). Community safety. Barnet Community Safety Strategy 2015/2020. Available at: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/housing-and-community/community-safety.html  

[20] Metropolitan Police (2018). Hate crime or special crime dashboard. Available at:https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/hate-crime-dashboard

9.5 Anti-social behaviour (ASB)

Dealing with anti-social behaviour (ASB) is the responsibility of local authorities, police and other community safety agencies (e.g. Fire & Rescue) and reducing ASB remains a priority for Barnet Council. ASB covers a wide variety of unacceptable activities (such as vandalism, prostitution related activity, nuisance neighbours, vagrancy, begging, and fireworks misuse), which cause harm to the individual, community or environment.[21]

In October 2018, there were 795 reported offences of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) in the Barnet, compared to 619 for the same month in 2017, which represents a 28% increase.[22]

In Barnet, the greatest ASB concern is rubbish and having litter lying around (44%) followed by the dealing and use of drugs (31%). In the year ending March 2018, a total of 8,268 ASB related calls were made by Barnet residents to the Metropolitan Police, which was a 11% reduction on the previous year. Of these calls, 196 were repeat callers, which was a 13% reduction on the previous 12 months.[23]

 

[21] POLICE.UK (2018). Anti-social behaviour. Available at: https://www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/anti-social-behaviour/

[22] DATA.POLICE.UK (2018). Data downloads. Available at: https://data.police.uk/data/ 

[23] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team.

9.6 Domestic violence abuse (DVA) and violence against women and girls (VAWG)

Violence against women is a major public health concern, as well as a violation of women’s human rights. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises that violence can negatively impact a woman’s mental, physical, reproductive and sexual health and in some settings, increase her risk of acquiring HIV (see Figure 9.11).[24] It is estimated that globally, 35% of women have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence from either an intimate partner or a non-partner, whilst around 38% of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner.[25]

 

Figure 9.11: How violence affects women’s health and wellbeing

Source: World Health Organization (WHO, 2018).

The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1993 and provides a widely used definition of violence against women. Within this UN Declaration, the term "violence against women" is defined as; “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.”[26]

Locally, in the year preceding September 2017, Barnet had the 4th lowest rate of domestic violence and abuse of the 32 London boroughs, with a rate of 13 per 1,000 population. However, during the 2017/18 financial year, there was a 12% increase in recorded domestic abuse (violence with injury) offences in Barnet, compared to the previous year, whilst the sanction detection rate for these offences decreased from 32% in 2017 to 23% in 2018. In the year to June 2018, there were a total of 343 referrals to the Domestic Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (DV MARAC) for Barnet, a rise of 11.4%, compared to the previous year. Similarly, the percentage of repeat cases at MARAC rose from 10.4% in 2017 to 11.1% in 2018.

Of these 343 MARAC referrals, the victims had the following characteristics:

Of the 350 perpetrators involved in these MARAC referrals (in the year to June 2018):

• 97% female
• 84% aged between 19-50 years old
• 17% had a mental health issues and
• 11% had a substance misuse issue.

Of the 350 perpetrators involved in these MARAC referrals (in the year to June 2018):

• 95% were male
• 87% aged between 19-50 years old
• 18% had a mental health issue and
• 35% had a substance misuse issue.[27]

[24] World Health Organization (WHO, 2018). Sexual and reproductive health. Violence against women publications. Violence impacts women's health infographic. Available at:https://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/violence/VAW_infographics/en/

[25] World Health Organization (WHO, 2017). Violence against women factsheet. Available at:https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women

[26] United Nations (1993). Resolution adopted by the General Assembly 48/104. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, Article 1. Available at: http://www.un-documents.net/a48r104.htm

[27] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team

9.7 Rape, Sexual Violence and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

Figure 9.12 shows the numbers of rape and other sexual offences (including indecent assault and unlawful under age sex)[28] in Barnet, between January 2017 and November 2018. Generally, rapes were a clear minority of sexual offences in the borough, except in April and May 2018. In May 2018, there was a spike in the number of rapes and sexual offences overall with a total of 91 recorded offences, compared to a monthly average of 54 within the borough. Between January 2017 and November 2018, there were a total of 1,250 recorded sexual offences in Barnet of which 40% were rape (n = 503) and 60% were other sexual offences (n = 747).[29]

Figure 9.12: Numbers of rape and other sexual offences in Barnet, January 2017 – November 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police Service (2018).

Legally there is no specific crime of “child sexual exploitation” and it is not a separate category of abuse in child protection procedures, so data is often incomplete and/or missing and there are no police statistics on child sexual exploitation (CSE) offences. Usually, offenders are convicted of related offences, such as sexual activity with a child.[30]

According to the charitable organisation, NSW (a network of over 14,500 professionals who disseminate information about CSE and trafficking within the UK)[31]; “Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator…The victim may have been sexually exploited even if sexual activity appears consensual…Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can occur through the use of technology.”[32]

[28] Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime type definitions. Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/crime-type-definitions/

[29] Greater London Authority (2018). London Datastore. Recorded Crime: Geographic Breakdown. MPS Borough Level Crime (most recent 24 months). Available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/recorded_crime_summary

[30] NSPCC (2018). Child sexual exploitation: What is child sexual exploitation? Available at:https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-sexual-exploitation/

[31] NSW (2018). Who we are. Available at: https://www.nwgnetwork.org/the-work-we-do/

[32] NSW (2018). Definition and types of CSE. How it is defined. Available at:https://www.nwgnetwork.org/definition-types-of-cse/#

 

9.8 Gang Activity and Youth Crime

To promote a common understanding and facilitate the gathering of evidence within the borough, the Barnet Safer Communities Partnership has recognised the importance of having a shared frame of reference concerning gangs and based on Home Office guidance, has adopted the following definition; “A street gang is a relatively durable, predominantly street-based group of young people who:

• See themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group;
• Engage in a range of criminal activity and violence
• Identify with or lay claim over territory (this is not necessarily geographical territory but can include an illegal economy territory);
• Have some form of identifying structure feature and
• Are in conflict with other, similar gangs.”[34]

Based on this definition, gang members in Barnet are predominantly male (95.2%), aged between 16-17 years (76%) and Black or Black British (42.9%) or Black / Black British including “mixed white and black” (54.8%). Two-thirds (66.7%) are from a single parent family and over three-quarters (76.2%) have been, or are currently a Looked After Child (LAC). More than six out of ten (61.9%) of street gang members in Barnet have has at least one missing from home episode.[35]

According to the Gang Crime and Serious Youth Violence Dashboard from The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC), in the rolling year to December 2017, there were 24 gang flagged offences in Barnet, accounting for 2.2% of such offences in London (n = 1,069) over that period. These offences represent any crime-related incident or crime, where it is believed there is a link to gang activity. During this period, there were 226 youth victims of serious violence (excluding actual bodily harm) in the borough, which represented 2.8% of these offences for London overall (n = 8,151). Similarly, there were 51 youth victims (aged under 25) of knife crime with injury, accounting for 2.4% of such offences in London (n = 2,132). However, over the same period, there were fewer than 10 gun discharges (involving lethal barrelled weapons only) in Barnet.[36]

 

[34] Barnet Safer Communities Partnership and Community Safety Team of London Borough of Barnet (2018).

[35] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team. [Based on the Community Safety Gangs Profile 2017].

[36] The Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC, 2018). Gang Crime and Serious Youth Violence Dashboard. Available at: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-statistics/crime%20/gangs-dashboard 

9.9 Preventing terrorism and extremism

Updated in June 2018, “CONTEST” is the United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism and is based around; “the tried and tested strategic framework of four ‘P’ work strands…

• prevent: to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
• pursue: to stop terrorist attacks
• protect: to strengthen our protection against a terrorist attack
• prepare: to mitigate the impact of a terrorist attack.”[37]

Prevent is one of the four key workstreams of the CONTEST strategy and requires the Home Office to work with local authorities, the NHS, other government departments and a wide variety of organisations in the community, to reduce the causes of radicalisation and safeguard and support vulnerable people at risk of becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist organisations (see Figure 9.13). In doing this, “Prevent works in a similar way to programmes designed to safeguard people from gangs, drug abuse, and physical and sexual abuse. Success means an enhanced response to tackle the causes of radicalisation, in communities and online; continued effective support to those who are vulnerable to radicalisation; and disengagement from terrorist activities by those already engaged in or supporters of terrorism.”[38]

Local authorities play a vital role in preventing people from being drawn into terrorism and they have responsibilities under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which are specified by their “Prevent duty.”[39]

Figure 9.13: Prevent Delivery Model

Source: Home Office (2018). Policy paper. Counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST) 2018.

The main objective of the Barnet Prevent Strategy 2017-2020 is; “To keep the people of Barnet safe by accurately identifying people vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism and/or violent extremism and to safeguarding children and adults by providing early intervention to protect and divert people away from being drawn into terrorist activity.”[40] To deliver this Prevent Strategy locally, the London Borough of Barnet (LBB) has a full time Prevent co-ordinator, as well as a Prevent Education Officer, who engages with schools and other educational establishments to provide guidance and ensure that all relevant staff receive Prevent training.[41]

Published in October 2015, the government’s Counter-Extremism Strategy provides an overarching approach to tackling extremism in the UK. This document defines extremism as; “… the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.” The Counter-Extremism Strategy identifies the global rise of Islamic extremism (in the form of Al Qa’ida (AQ) and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)) as the greatest threat, but also recognises the danger posed by neo-Nazi and extreme right-wing groups. The strategy sees local authorities as having; “a powerful role to play in combating extremism,” and commits the government to ensuring that they have clear guidance on the full range of tools available to them to combat extremism.[42]

 

[37] Home Office (2018). Policy paper. Counter-terrorism strategy (CONTEST) 2018. Available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counter-terrorism-strategy-contest-2018

[38] HM Government (2018). CONTEST: The United Kingdom’s Strategy for Countering Terrorism, June 2018 (p.31-32). Available at:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/716907/140618_CCS207_CCS0218929798-1_CONTEST_3.0_WEB.pdf

[39] HM Government (2016). Statutory guidance; Prevent duty guidance. Revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

[40] London Borough of Barnet (2017). Radicalisation and Prevent. Prevent: Barnet Council Prevent Strategy (PDF). Available at: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/housing-and-community/community-safety/radicalisation.html

[41] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team.

[42] HM Government (2015). Counter-Extremism Strategy (p.9-10, 27). Available at:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/470088/51859_Cm9148_Accessible.pdf

9.10 Perspectives on crime in Barnet

According to the Crime Survey of England and Wales (CSEW) for the year ending in June 2018, there was no change in the total level of crime and only 20% of adults experienced crime during this period.[43] Nationally, many more people worry about crime than experience it,[44] and at a local level, crime has been rated as the top overall concern by Barnet residents (39%), closely followed by the lack of affordable housing. Linked to this, the recent Public Attitude Survey covering the 12 months up to September 2018, found that only 41% of residents felt well informed about police activities, 3% lower than the London average. However, 70% of residents surveyed agreed that the police were doing a good job and 73% agreed that they listened to the concerns of local people.[45]

However, the risk of crime in Barnet varies according to location. In the year ending November 2018, the highest crime volumes were found in West Hendon (7.8% of recorded crime), Child’s Hill (7.8%) and Colindale (6.6%), whereas the wards with the lowest levels of recorded crime were Finchley Church End (3.3%), Oakleigh (3.0%) and Totteridge (2.6%).[46]

A sanctioned detection is a resolved case through police generated detection and “occurs when a suspect has been identified and charged, reported for summons, cautioned, issued with a penalty notice or the offence has been taken into consideration when the offender is sentenced.” [47] During the 2017/18 financial year, sanction detection rates (i.e. the proportion of offences that led to a sanctioned detection) fell slightly in Barnet compared to the previous year, although this is in line with the London average, which fell by 3%. However, drugs offences continue to have a high sanction detection rate in Barnet, and handling stolen goods and going equipped had sanction detection rates of 90% and 80% respectively.[48]

The proportion of sanctioned detections, by crime type, between December 2017 and November 2018, is depicted for Barnet by Figure 9.14. During this period, there were 2,465 sanctioned detections in Barnet, with over three-quarters of these (76%) accounted for by violence against the person (n = 957), drugs (n = 496) and theft and handling (n = 416). In contrast, just 11% of sanctioned detections over that period were for other notifiable offences (n = 131), robbery (n= 72), sexual offences (n = 53) and fraud and forgery (n = 14). Only 7% of sanctioned detections in Barnet during this period were for criminal damage (n = 167) and 6% were for burglary (n = 159).[49]

Figure 9.14: Sanctioned detections in Barnet by type of crime, percentage, December 2017 – November 2018

Source: Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime Data Dashboard.

Barnet remains a safe place to visit, live and work,[50] however if it is to remain one of London’s safest boroughs against a background of reduced funding from central government, it is essential that the borough continues to work efficiently, effectively and imaginatively with its Safer Community partners and other organisations within the community and voluntary sector.[51]

 

[43] Office for National Statistics (ONS, 2018). Crime in England and Wales: year ending June 2018. Crime against households and adults, also including data on crime experienced by children, and crimes against businesses and society. Available at:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2018#overview-of-crime

[44] Office for National Statistics (ONS, 2017). Article: People greatly overestimate their likelihood of being robbed. Available at:https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/peoplegreatlyoverestimatetheirlikelihoodofbeingrobbed/2017-09-07 

[45] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team.

[46] Greater London Authority (2018). London Datastore. Recorded Crime: Geographic Breakdown. MPS Ward Level Crime (most recent 24 months). Available at:https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/recorded_crime_summary 

[47] London Borough of Barnet (2015). Community safety. Barnet Community Safety Strategy 2015/2020 (p. 31). Available at: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/housing-and-community/community-safety.html 

[48] London Borough of Barnet (LBB, 2018). Community Support Team.

[49] Metropolitan Police (2018). Crime Data Dashboard. Available at: https://www.met.police.uk/sd/stats-and-data/met/crime-data-dashboard/

[50] London Borough of Barnet (2018). Community Safety Team.

[51] London Borough of Barnet (2015). Community safety. Barnet Community Safety Strategy 2015/2020 (p. 6). Available at: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/housing-and-community/community-safety.html