A new book examined the extent to which crime in residential environments could be controlled through design and planning.
Source: Barry Poyner, Crime-free Housing in the 21st Century, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Dec
A review of literature on community engagement in policing found that very few relevant initiatives had been evaluated to see how the community could be involved in solving crime and disorder problems.
Source: Sarah Forrest, Andy Myhill and Nick Tilley, Practical Lessons for Involving the Community in Crime and Disorder Problem-solving, Development and Practice Report 43, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Nov
The second progress report was published on the work to implement the 31 recommendations made by Sir Michael Bichard, following the independent public inquiry into the events surrounding the murders in 2002 of schoolchildren Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
Source: Bichard Inquiry Recommendations: Second Progress Report, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report | Home Office press release
Date: 2005-Nov
The Violent Crime Reduction Bill was given a third reading. The Bill included new powers to ban the manufacture and sale of imitation firearms, and toughen sentences for carrying them; increase the age limit for purchasing a knife to 18; and ban individuals responsible for alcohol-related violence from specific areas for up to two years.
Source: Violent Crime Reduction Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 14 November 2005, columns 694-795, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2005-Nov
A report by a committee of peers said that the Identity Cards Bill should be amended to secure that the extension of the scheme to the entire population would require further primary legislation.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Third Report (Session 2005-06), HL 44, House of Lords Constitution Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
Source: The Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board: Responses by the Government and the Northern Ireland Policing Board to the Committee's Seventh Report of Session 2004-05, Seventh Special Report (Session 2005-06), HC 531, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2005-Oct
The government announced that a 30 stand-alone identity card would be introduced (separate from a passport).
Source: Press release 11 October 2005, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release
Date: 2005-Oct
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on policing, crime and anti-social behaviour in Wales.
Source: Police Service, Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour in Wales: Government Responses to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2004-05, Second Special Report (Session 2005-06), HC 514, House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2005-Oct
An article said that many community safety initiatives were founded on relationships of suspicion between citizens. This generated a dynamic of exclusion that was likely to undermine attempts at civil renewal.
Source: David Prior, 'Civil renewal and community safety: virtuous policy spiral or dynamic of exclusion?', Social Policy and Society, Volume 4 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Oct
A think-tank report (by authors including former senior police officers and government inspectors) said that poor leadership, under-qualified recruits and haphazard training had left police forces incapable of fulfilling their core role of fighting crime.
Source: Anthony Bolton et al., Policing Matters: Recruitment, training and motivation, Politeia (020 7240 5070)
Links: Summary | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Oct
Research found that an emphasis on national performance measures for crime and detection rates caused police resources to be diverted from dealing with anti-social behaviour.
Source: Paul Collier, Managing Police Performance: Accountabilities, performance measurement and control, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: ESRC press release
Date: 2005-Oct
The Identity Cards Bill was given a third reading. The Bill proposed a compulsory national identity cards scheme, to be introduced in phases.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 18 October 2005, columns 717-813, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
An inspectorate report assessed the ability of the structure of policing in England and Wales to provide effective and sustainable protective services to a common standard. It proposed the merger of some smaller forces.
Source: Closing the Gap: A review of the fitness for purpose of the current structure of policing in England and Wales, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (01527 882000)
Links: Report (pdf) | ACPO press release | Police Federation press release (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Sep
An inspectorate report said that much had been achieved to develop performance management across Scotland's police forces: but further progress was required.
Source: HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland, Managing Improvement: A thematic inspection of performance management in the Scottish police service, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SE press release
Date: 2005-Sep
The government began consultation on proposals to introduce a standard set of powers for community support officers employed by local police authorities.
Source: Consultation Paper on Standard Powers for Community Support Officers and a Framework for the Future Development of Powers, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Consultation document (pdf)
Date: 2005-Aug
A new book on policing in Scotland aimed to provide an up-to-date and authoritative account of recent developments, taking full account of the impact of devolution and the work of the Scottish Parliament.
Source: Daniel Donnelly and Kenneth Scott (eds.), Policing Scotland, Willan Publishing (01884 840337)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Jul
An independent review into policing and race relations in Scotland found that there was ambivalence among minority ethnic communities about actively encouraging their members of to join the police.
Source: An Independent Review into Policing and Race Relations in Scotland, Commission for Racial Equality Scotland (0131 524 2000)
Links: Report (Word file) | Summary | CRE press release | SE press release
Date: 2005-Jul
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.
Source: The Functions of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland: Responses by the Government and the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland to the Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2004-05, Second Special Report (Session 2005-06), HC 394, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response | MPs report
Date: 2005-Jul
The independent information commissioner described the proposed identity cards scheme as "excessive and disproportionate". He claimed that "function creep" would see demands grow for access to a person's data trail, and increasing demands for an individual to reveal their identity.
Source: Statement June 2005, Information Commissioner (01625 545 700)
Links: Text of statement (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on police reform.
Source: Police Reform: The Government Reply to the Fourth Report from the Home Affairs Committee Session 2004-05, Cm 6600, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs report
Date: 2005-Jun
The Identity Cards Bill was given a second reading, on a reduced government majority (down from 67 to 31).
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 28 June 2005, columns 1151-1256, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | JUSTICE briefing (pdf) | HOC Library research paper (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
The Violent Crime Reduction Bill was published, and given a second reading. The Bill included new powers to ban the manufacture and sale of imitation firearms, and toughen sentences for carrying them; increase the age limit for purchasing a knife to 18; and ban individuals responsible for alcohol-related violence from specific areas for up to two years.
Source: Violent Crime Reduction Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 20 June 2005, columns 541-626, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | ACPO press release | LGA press release | HOC Library research paper (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
A report said that if all the costs associated with the proposed identity cards scheme were borne by citizens, the cost per card (plus passport) would be around 170 on the lowest cost basis, and 230 on the median estimate. It set out an alternative scheme that would still incorporate biometrics, but would be simpler to implement and radically cheaper; it would also give citizens far more control over who could access data about them, and hence would be more likely to win positive public and industry support.
Source: The Identity Project: An assessment of the UK Identity Cards Bill and its implications, Department of Information Systems/London School of Economics and Political Science (020 7955 7655)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | LSE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs said that fewer than half of the crime and disorder reduction partnerships considered that their work had contributed to a measurable reduction in crime, despite spending of nearly ?1 billion over five years. Local crime reduction targets were not clearly aligned with national crime reduction targets.
Source: Reducing Crime: The Home Office working with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, Twenty-third Report (Session 2005-06), HC 147, House of Commons Public Accounts Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Jun
A report presented the findings from the 2003-04 British Crime Survey on public confidence and perceptions of policing and the wider criminal justice system. Confidence in the criminal justice system was slightly higher than it had been the previous year. But only 48 per cent of people felt the police in general were doing an excellent or good job.
Source: Jonathan Allen, May El Komy, Jorgen Lovbakke and Hannah Roy, Policing and the Criminal Justice System: Public Confidence and Perceptions - Findings from the 2003/04 British Crime Survey, Online Report 31/05, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jun
A report said that the National Health Service had a key role to play in cutting local crime rates and boosting community social networks.
Source: Healthy Sustainable Neighbourhoods, NHS Confederation (020 7959 7272)
Links: NHS Confederation press release
Date: 2005-Jun
The government reintroduced an Identity Cards Bill (previously lost due to the general election). The Bill proposed a compulsory national identity cards scheme, to be introduced in phases. From 2008, applicants for a new passport would also receive an identity card.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Law Society press release | Liberty press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-May
The government announced plans (in the Queen's speech) for a Violent Crime Reduction Bill. The Bill would seek to address the problem of violent crime by tackling the 'gun culture', and targeting alcohol-related disorder. It would also tackle the misuse of firearms and the carrying of knives.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Debate 17 May 2005, columns 29-31, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard | LGA press release
Date: 2005-May
The government published a Bill to clarify existing statutory offences of fraud. The Bill also proposed the new offences of: obtaining services dishonestly, possessing articles for use in frauds, and participating in fraudulent business.
Source: Fraud Bill [HL], Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes
Date: 2005-May
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act was given Royal assent. It established a Serious Organised Crime Agency to tackle serious crime, and gave the police and community support officers new powers. Proposals to outlaw incitement to religious hatred were dropped due to opposition from the Liberal Democrat and Conservative parties.
Source: Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | MCB press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A Bill to introduce identity cards was dropped due to lack of parliamentary time before the general election.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A government report set out a national digital strategy. It included a scheme to give more secondary school pupils the opportunity to access computers at home, and new ways to fight against internet crime - including a new multi-agency child internet safety centre to protect children.
Source: Connecting the UK: The digital strategy, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881) and Department of Trade and Industry
Links: Report (pdf) | DTI press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Apr
A paper said that increased police resources did lead to lower crime, based on a study of the 'street crime initiative' introduced in England and Wales in 2002.
Source: Stephen Machin and Olivier Marie, Crime and Police Resources: The Street Crime Initiative, DP680, Centre for Economic Performance/London School of Economics (020 7955 7673)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2005-Mar
An inspectorate report examined the effectiveness of child protection arrangements within the police service in England and Wales. All forces had an identified senior officer with specific strategic responsibility for child protection issues: but 41 per cent said that child protection was not included in their most recent policing plan.
Source: Keeping Safe, Staying Safe: Thematic inspection of the investigation and prevention of child abuse, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (01527 882000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Children Now report
Date: 2005-Mar
The government published a plan designed to provide every community with a neighbourhood policing team. 340 million would be made available by 2007-08 to fund 24,000 police community support officers.
Source: Neighbourhood Policing: Your Police; Your Community; Our Commitment, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Plan (pdf) | Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A think-tank report said that 'penalty notices for disorder' (on-the-spot fines issued by the police for a range of perceived petty misdemeanours) were more about extending the reach of the police and the criminal justice system than delivering genuine justice or promoting greater safety.
Source: Rebecca Roberts and Richard Garside, Understanding Penalty Notices for Disorder, Crime and Society Foundation (020 7848 1685)
Links: Report (pdf) | CSF press release
Date: 2005-Mar
The Commission for Racial Equality published the final findings and recommendations of its formal investigation into the Police Service of England and Wales. It said that the Service had made significant progress in the area of race equality in recent years. But willingness to change at the top was not translating into action lower down, particularly in middle management.
Source: The Police Service in England and Wales: Final report of a formal investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality, Commission for Racial Equality (020 7939 0000)
Links: Report (pdf)|Recommendations (pdf) | CRE press release | ACPO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report summarized the findings of a two-year study of 'visible policing' in England and Wales. It considered the role of community support officers, neighbourhood wardens, and private security guards; and it outlined the policy implications of the findings, particularly for the government's police reform agenda.
Source: Adam Crawford, Stuart Lister, Sarah Blackburn and Jonathan Burnett, 'Plural Policing': The mixed economy of visible patrols in England and Wales, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2005-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that the Northern Ireland Policing Board had made 'solid progress' in establishing and developing its role. Its achievements since 2001 in establishing a framework of accountability for policing in Northern Ireland had been 'significant'.
Source: The Functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Seventh Report (Session 2004-05), HC 108, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Mar
A report reviewed progress in implementing the Bichard Inquiry recommendations. There had generally been good progress across government, in social services and in school recruitment procedures, since the first report in June 2004. But sustained action was needed to deliver a national IT intelligence system. (The original inquiry followed the conviction of Ian Huntley for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.)
Source: The Bichard Inquiry: Final Report, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report (pdf) | Cabinet Office press release | NSPCC press release
Date: 2005-Mar
A report by a committee of MPs said that a 'performance culture' had begun to embed itself in the police service, and that this was widely regarded as a valuable development. However, there was still scope for 'considerable improvement'.
Source: Police Reform, Fourth Report (Session 2004-05), HC 370, House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | ACPO press release | Police Fed press release (pdf)
Date: 2005-Mar
A report by a committee of peers expressed concern that the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was being used as the vehicle for legislating on more contentious matters than its primary purposes, that should be the subject of separate legislation.
Source: Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, Third Report (Session 2004-05), HL 65, House of Lords Constitution Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Mar
A Bill to introduce identity cards was given a third reading.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 10 February 2005, columns 1677-1756, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC Library research paper (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
A think-tank pamphlet argued against identity cards. It said that they would not address the real problem in tackling organized crime, terrorism and illegal immigration - which was not identifying suspects, but proving them guilty or removing them. Identity cards simply diverted resources away from this area.
Source: Peter Lilley MP, Identity Crisis: The case against ID cards, Bow Group (020 7431 6400)
Links: Pamphlet (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was given a third reading. The Bill contained proposals to establish a Serious Organised Crime Agency, and further measures to tackle crime - including dealing with child vandals, underage drinking and uninsured drivers.
Source: Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 7 February 2005, columns 1201-1318, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard | HOC Library research paper 1 (pdf) | HOC Library research paper 2 (pdf)
Date: 2005-Feb
The Scottish Executive began consultation on proposals to strengthen police powers.
Source: Supporting Police, Protecting Communities, Scottish Executive, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | SE press release
Date: 2005-Feb
A report by a committee of MPs said that the Office of the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland had made significant progress in consolidating its role, and its contribution to developing policing policy and practice had been 'positive'.
Source: The Functions of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Fifth Report (Session 2004-05), HC 344, House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Feb
A report by a joint committee of MPs and peers expressed concern about the compatibility of provisions of the Identity Cards Bill with the right to respect for private life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and with the right to non-discrimination in the protection of the Convention rights under Article 14.
Source: Identity Cards Bill, Fifth Report (Session 2004-05), HL 35 and HC 283, Joint Committee on Human Rights (House of Lords and House of Commons), TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2005-Feb
A think-tank report said that Britain had one of the most ineffective police forces in the developed world. It said that influential 'public intellectuals' continued to claim that the 'crime problem' was mainly a figment of the imagination of the old and the ignorant. Senior police officers criticized 'simplistic conclusions' in the report
Source: Norman Dennis and George Erdos, Cultures and Crimes: Policing in four nations, Civitas (020 7401 5470) | Press release 2 January 2005, Association of Chief Police Officers (020 7227 3434)
Links: Civitas press release | ACPO press release | Guardian report
Date: 2005-Jan
A new strategy for policing the roads was announced. It set out a police commitment to deal with all forms of illegal and anti-social use of the roads - including drink driving, speeding, dangerous or careless driving, and behaviour which was threatening to road users (pedestrians as well as drivers).
Source: Roads Policing Strategy, Department of Trade and Industry (0870 150 2500), Association of Chief Police Officers, and Home Office
Links: Strategy (pdf) | DT press release | Transport 2000 press release
Date: 2005-Jan
A report said that the experience of implementing the government's Crime Reduction Programme had shown that, in order to achieve effective local crime reduction, programme delivery at all levels of the delivery stream needed to be treated as a single integrated system. Even where regional management was employed, the central agency must be an active part of a delivery process.
Source: Peter Homel, Sandra Nutley, Barry Webb and Nick Tilley, Making it Happen from the Centre: Managing for the regional delivery of local crime reduction outcomes, Online Report 54/04, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
The government announced funding for police forces in England and Wales totalling 4.6 billion in 2005-06, a rise of 750 million.
Source: The Police Grant Report (England and Wales) 2005/06, HC 246, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | Home Office press release
Date: 2005-Jan
Researchers reviewed the implementation of the Crime Reduction Programme (a three-year 400 million cross-government commitment, launched in 1999, to achieve a sustained reduction in crime). They found 'many significant achievements': new knowledge had been generated, some major crime problems had been reduced, and there was some evidence of improved cost-effectiveness. The embedding of detailed ongoing review and assessment activity into the design of the programme had led to a greater understanding of how to manage major programme implementation and policy development.
Source: Peter Homel, Sandra Nutley, Barry Webb and Nick Tilley, Investing to Deliver: Reviewing the implementation of the UK Crime Reduction Programme, Research Study 281, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2005-Jan
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the enforcement of traffic law.
Source: The Government s Response to the Transport Committee s Report on Traffic Law and its Enforcement, Cm 6442, Department of Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs report
Date: 2005-Jan