Agenda item

The Sub-Committee received a presentation on the Strategic Assessment of Crime and Disorder in Havering for 2017, which was carried out using data for October 2016 to September 2017; prepared between October 2017 and December 2017, then presented at the January meeting of the Havering Community Safety Partnership.

The presentation looked at performance; the harm caused by crime; problems identified; and the priorities which have led to the refresh of the Havering Community Safety Plan.

Work had been undertaken to raise awareness with professionals of Child Sexual Exploitation. The London Borough of Havering had appointed an analyst to review police and social-services data, in order to gain an understanding of the data and to make recommendations internally and to partners on how identification and recording could be improved.

With regards to performance and recent trends, there had been an increase in robbery, sexual offences, weapon enabled crime, motor vehicle crime, and serious youth violence.  There had also been an increase in burglary non-dwelling; violence without injury; and damage to dwellings.

Data highlighted that those in their mid-teens to mid-thirties were at greatest risk of victimisation from harmful and high risk problems, with the greatest increase in the 14-17 age group; domestic abuse and sexual offences were more likely to be reported by females, whereas serious wounding and robbery were more likely to be reported by males.  The overall breakdown of all violence was 35% female and 65% male.

Statistics showed that cash, phones, credit cards and jewellery continued to be the most stolen items, with iPhones accounting for 60% of the phones stolen in all crime types.  Ford continued to be the most stolen, and stolen-from, vehicles in the borough.

The data showed that concern about most issues had increased during the Strategic Assessment period; however concern about general crime was lower, and drug concerns remained the same.

Crime offence rates were above average for those aged 14-39, with peak offending age being 16-24; for more serious violence and sexual offences the predominant age range was 16-30, but for domestic abuse the age range extended into the forties.

Overall, crime levels were mainly clustered around the Romford and Harold Hill town centres.  Beyond the town centres, which experienced crime throughout day and night there might be issues with repeat-callers, or businesses which experienced higher levels of crime.  Hotspots for burglaries, household criminal damages, and vehicle crimes, were spread across the wider residential parts of the borough.  Assaults and robberies remained in the town centres as hot spots. This information would be looked into further in any subsequent problem profiles.

The highest concentration of accused for all Total Notifiable Offences was in Gooshays Ward, which also featured the highest rate of accused for all domestic offences, and domestic violence with injury, and featured the highest number of Domestic Abuse incidents out of all wards.

Top categories impacting across Havering were domestic abuse, violent crime and youth violence, burglary, sexual offences and anti-social behaviour.  The main contributory factors in commission of crime were alcohol harm drug, use / misuse and domestic abuse perpetration.

The recommendations which arose from the Strategic Assessment in reaction to the developments seen locally were:

•      To retain the strategic priorities agreed for Havering last year.

•      Maintain a strong focus on reducing reoffending, especially for adults and those involved in gangs.

•      Reducing repeat victimisation, especially violence against women and girls, child sexual exploitation and anti-social behaviour.

•      Reducing substance misuse and the harm it causes.

•      Reducing problems in communities experiencing disproportionate levels of crime.

•      Improving feelings of safety through communications.

RESOLVED:

That the Strategic Assessment 2017, which was approved by Havering Community Safety Partnership on the 16^th January 2018, be noted.