Drugs and reducing crime further

I’m looking at a radical shake up of the way the region deals with drug offenders to reduce crime, break the cycle of crime, improve the quality of life for residents and save taxpayers money.

At present we are not catching people with a drug addiction early, enough which means that their lives are spiralling out of control, and their habit is driving them to commit further crime without having any rational ability to stop or control it. 

I’ve spent the last two months speaking to people who work with drug offenders at every level, on the streets, management and right up to Chief Executive and they all say the same thing, we need to break the cycle of drugs and crime and have an integrated regional approach.  This means that everyone from Local Authorities, the police, probation and drug treatment agencies need to make radical changes to work more effectively together to catch drug offenders at an early stage.

According to the Home Office, national, research shows that offenders identified through a drug test on arrest (a mouth swab) already had an average of 8.8 convictions which means we are not catching drug offenders early enough. It also revealed that the overall volume of offending was lower (26 per cent) following identification through a positive Drugs Intervention Program drug test. Around half the offenders showed a decline in offending of around 79 per cent in the following six months.  These results show what a powerful impact early intervention can have on offenders addicted to drugs. The research shows that for ‘every £1 spent on treatment we can not only reduce crime but we can make £9.50 savings.

We are wasting valuable taxpayers money on a disparate, fragmented, approach, which is not structured or coordinated across the region.  We have the opportunity with the advent of the Police and Crime Commissioners to drive down crime even further by getting the key agencies to change the system ensuring that we offer a better drug intervention programme in a more organised and structured way.

At present we have essentially 6 different ways based on the work coordinated via our 6 Local Authorities and a patchwork quilt funding approach.  There are isolated examples of good practice largely in the urban areas but it’s not working effectively across the region and it’s not having a big as an impact as it could have.  I want to see radical changes in working practices to break the cycle of drugs and crime and offer one cohesive system across the region from Berwick to Houghton le Spring and Alston to Blyth.

This will allow us to, save many lives, make greater efficiency savings and drive down crime even further.  As PCC my mandate will be to work alongside the Chief Constable to improve the quality of life for residents, reduce crime even further and this is just one example of how we can do it.  We need in every neigbourhood, town and country, new multi agency teams of Neighbourhood Police Officers working alongside drug workers, probation, and the voluntary and charitable sectors.  We need to catch drug offenders on their first offence so that we can break the cycle of drugs and crime and divert them at that early stage away from, drug dependency and despair. “

No P45's for police officers on my watch I want more!

Everybody is talking about cuts to the police front line but the truth is that not one officer has had a P45 issued to them and in my own home force Northumbria the Chief Constable is recruiting 40 more Constables this year as well as cutting crime.  40 more is great but it's not enough I want more and you might say how many more?  Well enough to ensure that the public gets the service it deserves and expects.  I've now driven over 1000 miles across the region and it's true to say that in some villages in Northumberland they very rarely see a police officer and would dearly love to do so.  So that's the challenge for me as a prospective PCC how do I deliver what the public expects.  Well it's about looking at the extended family of policing, PC's, Special Constables and of course CSO's as well as looking at the interoperability of emergency services especially in more rural locations.  So that's what I'm working on, fighting to protect the front line of policing, slashing bureaucracy and investing in reinfiorcements. 

Young person's Police and Crime Commissioner

Following the results of the Sub 21 Wallsend youth project announced at Newcastle University on Tuesday 10^th July 2012.  I'm announcing that if I'm elected I will be appointing a ‘Young Person’s Police and Crime Commissioner’ to coordinate youth based community safety initiatives across the Northumbria area.

The Sub 21 project was a young person’s based scheme in the Wallsend area of North Tyneside following concerns about ‘kerbside drinking’ by young people in the area. A range of diversionary activities such as, Body fit, Cookery classes, football, Radio workshops and others were planned , organised at weekends and advertised through local schools and social media sites.

The results of the project saw dramatic reductions in anti social youth disorder down 30% in 2009/10 and a 49% reduction in alcohol related disorder.  These were followed in 2010/11 by a further 9% reduction in anti social youth disorder and in 2011/12 a further reduction of 22% in anti social youth disorder.

Some of the quotes from young people who took part included:

“Cos it’s like keeping us fit and getting us off the drink”

“ I did drink but then since I had more stuff to do on Fridays I don’t drink any more.”

“It’s a good thing for us to do.  It keeps us off the streets and out of trouble.”

I personally believe that The Sub 21 project results are truly enlightening and shows that if activities are organised and advertised successfully the reductions in anti social youth disorder and teenage drinking can be dramatic.  The beauty of this scheme was that once young people got involved they ran things for themselves.  That’s why I want to see a young person take charge of coordinating such schemes across the whole of Northumbria.

Let’s get kids off the streets, stop them drinking and get them involved in some healthy exercise and meaningful activities.  I want to point them in the right direction and then let them get on with it and organise themselves.  That’s why I think a ‘Young Person’s Police and Crime Commissioner’ would be a good idea.

Andrew Brown, Director of Programmes for Mentor UK said:

“Sub 21 is a proven programme that supports the positive aspirations of young people in so doing plays a major part in preventing drug and alcohol misuse.

It’s great to see that Phil wants to adopt this agenda, should he be elected in November.  We urge all Police and Crime Commissioners to invest in evidence based approaches and programmes that reduce the likelihood of young people developing problems with drugs and alcohol or entering the criminal justice system.”

Note:  Sub 21 was supported by the National Social Marketing Centre and funded by North Tyneside PCT and assisted by North Tyneside Council.  The results were commissioned by Mentor UK.

Domestic violence victims set on fire in the North East

 According to Newcastle City Council In the Northumbria Police area there were 4.94 incidents of domestic violence per 1,000 residents in the first three months of 2011/12 – slightly higher than the ‘Most Similar Force’ average of 4.13.But in the same period 50.6 per cent on domestic violence incidents in Northumbria involved a repeat victim – compared to an MSF average of 27.9 per cent – placing Northumbria in the highest group.

Trials of Clare's law will take place in 3 separate police forces in September 2013.  Under the law any person will be able to check whether or not their partner has an abusive past and if they are at threat.  This will be no doubt carried out on a risk-based approach by the police but is an important safeguard.  The trials will take place in Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and Wiltshire.Victims of domestic violence may suffer from injury, sexually transmitted infections, anxiety, depression, substance misuse, eating disorders, self harm and suicide. Nationally, two women are murdered every week by their partner or former partner.

In Newcastle victims have been: set on fire, burnt with cigarettes, tied up, starved and beaten, forced to have sex with their partners’ associates, forced to marry men who have raped them and repeatedly kicked until they miscarried.  More than half of all reported incidents of domestic violence in Newcastle involve children who will witness abuse or directly abused themselves.

The peak age group for domestic violence is 20-24 which accounts for 21 per cent of victims in Newcastle in the last three years – the group also most likely to have small children.

In Newcastle 43 per cent of initial child protection conferences had domestic violence as a factor, in 44 per cent of these alcohol misuse was an issue, in 38 per cent drugs misuse and in 27 per cent both drugs and alcohol. See http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/news-story/tackling-domestic-violence-newcastle for more details

According to a recent NSPCC study, 12% of under 11s, 18% of 11-17s and 24% of 18-24s had been exposed to domestic abuse between adults in their homes during childhood. Adult males were the perpetrators in 94% of cases where one parent had physically abused another.

In a study of 268 serious case reviews, 34% of cases were found to have domestic abuse as a risk factor.
Brandon, M., Bailey, S. and Belderson, P. (2010) Building on the learning from serious case reviews: a two-year analysis of child protection database notifications 2007-2009. London: Department for Education

Domestic abuse accounts for 18% of all violent crime.
Home Office (2011) Crime in England and Wales 2010/11. London: Home Office

 I know from my own experience how brutal these attacks upon women can be having seen some shocking injuries inflicted by abusive partners.  That's why I'm advocating a change in the law to ensure criminals who commit serious violence or sexual attacks against women, children or the elderly receive 2 strikes and then out, i.e. life imprisonment on second offence. 

Two strikes and out for violent offenders

We had a dreadful case which came to court this week.  The conviction of Graham Jarman for the murder of Mrs Richardson in Hexham illustrates how on occasions the criminal justice system fails us all leading to tragic consequences.  Mrs Richardson an elderly lady, was sitting down to lunch in the quiet rural town of Hexham when Jarman knocked on her door and brutally attacked her with a hammer leaving her for dead.  This was not the first time he had done such a thing and the homicide investigation involved all of the regions police forces trying to track him down.  As is usual his arrest was due to a quick witted member of the public, a Librarian who had saved a photo of him after the police had circulated an appeal for information about his location  His arrest and conviction is a fine example of the region’s police forces and Crown Prosecution Service working together to detain a very dangerous individual.  The ‘manhunt;’ was an excellent piece of detective work by all those involved.  However the fact of the matter is that Jarman should never have been set free to strike in the first place.  He had a string of convictions for robbery, rape and kidnap all of which were of a horrific nature.   On each occasion he was released early from prison allowing him to stalk and prey upon vulnerable women.  His is a case, which is no different to Donald Neilson, ‘the Black Panther’ or Peter Sutcliffe, the ‘Yorkshire Ripper’.  He should never be released from prison ever again.  That’s why I’m advocating that we should have a ‘two strikes and out’ system for violent offenders who attack women, children or the vulnerable.  Once again our region is left with a family grieving for a loved one and I’m sure the impact of this brutal and callous crime will never ever leave them.  We all have a duty to rectify this situation and I believe that we must aim to put victims first and offenders second to redress the present imbalance in our criminal justice system. 

Good policing is not a political numbers game

The HMIC report ‘Policing in Austerity, One Year On’ published yesterday rightly commends Northumbria Police, its officers and staff for the sacrifices that have been made due to the austerity measures required.  Despite facing significant cuts in funding, Northumbria has still managed to reduce crime by 8.2% and anti social behaviour by 3%. 

80% of the police budget is spent on salaries and understandably Northumbria is looking to make savings through natural wastage in police officer and police staff numbers over the next 3 years.  However it is important to stress that due to greater efficiency the proportion of frontline officers will not decrease as dramatically as HMIC predicted nor as the press speculated yesterday.  Due to sound management and greater efficencies Northumbria will actually increase its proportion of front line officers over the next 3 years from 84% to 91%, which will mean Northumbria having a greater percentage of officers in front, line roles more than many other police forces.  In fact Northumbria will soon be recruiting another 40 police officers paid for directly by savings that have already been made.

This is really not a political issue.  No matter who was in government, the Coalition or Labour cuts would have to be made. As Ministers from both parties have identified in the past, it’s not the numbers of police officers you have, it’s what you do with them that counts. 

The key is cutting down costs and scrapping bureaucracy saving thousands of pounds and saving valuable police officer hours.

We currently have about 3900 police officers, which is about 900 more than we had in 2008, plus over 400 Community Support Officers and over 1500 support staff.  Year on year reductions in crime proves that Northumbria is still punching above its weight. 

The challenge for Police and Crime Commissioners will be one of listening to the needs of the community, identifying priorities and sustaining performance whilst increasing efficiency.   PCC’s need to do be able to do this whilst ensuring that Chief Constables continue to get the resources and the tools they need to do the job.

Putting victim's first

The government news today that offenders will be forced to pay £50 million each year to help victims of crime is hugely important.  This is on top of the £66 million the government already shares in providing services for victims and witnesses.  Not only will this allow Police and Crime Commissioner's more flexibility in commissioning victim based services it also sends out an important message that puts victims first.  I personally think this is the right step to make and I have pledged that if successful at the election I will ensure that groups such as Victim Support will have a greater say in the local criminal justice system by having a place on Local Criminal Justice Boards and a full time role within the Commissioner's office.  Too often victims and their families are marginalized and are limited to receiving a 15 second TV soundbite on the steps of Crown Court and then forgotten about.  I also want to see a victim's drop in centre located within the Commissioner's office so that victim's of crime and their families can have direct access to the Commissioner.  Too often I believe we concentrate on the needs of offenders at the expense of victim's and their families.  It's not just the impact crime has on an individual at the time of the offence that's important, it's the impact it has on them in the future.  The consequences of such crimes can also have a significant impact on our local economy by reducing peoples confidence in the neighborhoods where they live and work.  So that's why I'm putting the needs of victims and their families at the top of my manifesto.