Plans
On this page we set out our initial thoughts on how best to approach community work. These have been developed as we plan our local work in the London boroughs of Hackney & Islington. We hope this gives ideas to others who are addressing this issue and we will equally welcome yours suggestions ourselves. By the way, the reason we chose two neighbouring councils, communities and police commands is so that we can compare how each does and as this will help encourage them to learn from and do better than one another.
Through this work, we want to
- Identify the factors affecting people’s engagement - as witnesses to violent crime – across and in the various sections of these communities (e.g. geographical, faith, wealth) . On the basis that (a) anyone can be a victim of a random street crime and anyone can see such a crime being committed, and (b) such witnesses are the voice and eyes of the community, we think a lot can be learned by engaging with people at the local level.
- Motivate people in and across the local community to engage – explaining the need for people to bear witness to realise the sense of community, discussing the roles we have as individuals in deterring and detecting violent crime
What we learn here and also about what 'community' is and means to people is something that we will put on this site.
Different parts of the community may have their own perspective on the relationship between street crime and the part that they, as witnesses, might play in combating it. It may well be that certain groups - be they by age, faith, gender, race or sexuality - are more afraid of crime, or feel that no-one will help them or that they want little or nothing to do with the police.
We think we can helpfully explore:
- Attitudes and experience. Would they hope a stranger would assist if they were randomly attacked? Would they themselves engage if they witnessed such an attack? How would they engage? What experiences have they had?
- Specific concerns. Tease out why people won’t engage. Use the information on this website to try and separate myth from reality.
- Making progress. What might motivate them to engage more as witnesses to crimes that they see in their neighbourhood?
- Participation and support. What activities might they – as a group or individually - help with to raise the level of awareness and sense of engagement? They’ll likely have good suggestions themselves. Find out how far they can be counted on for support.