Targeted policing in high-crime areas reduces youth violence, research finds
Targeting police resources and high-visibility patrols on high-crime areas can help prevent children from becoming involved in violence, according to a new analysis of UK and international evidence.
In the latest update to its flagship toolkit, which summarises the best available research evidence on what works – and what does not – to reduce youth violence, the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) revealed that hot spots policing on average reduces violent crime by 14 per cent and overall offending by 17 per cent. It said the findings are backed by the results from recent police trials, with one force seeing violent crime drop by as much as 74 per cent.
The charity also found that policing in this way on average reduced drug offences by 30 per cent and property crime by 16 per cent. Studies suggest hot spots policing can also make a difference in the surrounding areas.
Hot spots policing is a new strand that the YEF has added to its free online toolkit from today (July 14).
It identifies locations where crime is most concentrated and focuses policing resources and activities on them. For example, by increasing uniformed police presence and high-visibility patrols, actively monitoring CCTV and targeting known, repeat offenders.
The YEF said this approach has already been used to make a real difference across England. In Southend-on-Sea, when Essex Police undertook foot patrols for 15 minutes in ‘hot spots’ areas, violent crime dropped by 74 per cent in these locations. In Peterborough, targeted patrols by police community support officers to ‘hot spots’ led to 39 per cent less crime and a 20 per cent reduction in calls to emergency services. And when West Midlands Police increased patrols in high-crime areas of Birmingham, locations saw a 14 per cent reduction in street crimes and anti-social behaviour.
“The YEF Toolkit’s new research builds on what we already know,” said the charity. “It uses 44 high-quality studies from the UK and internationally to show that we’re right to be optimistic about hot spots policing as a promising way to keep vulnerable children and young people safe from harm.”
The toolkit provides insight on different approaches to preventing serious youth violence. Each approach is ranked according to its impact on preventing serious violence (from ‘high’ to ‘harmful’ or ‘unknown’) and is given a score to indicate the quality of the associated research.
The YEF toolkit ranks hot spots policing as having a ‘moderate’ impact on violent crime. Among the approaches used by the police to prevent young people becoming involved in violence, the most impactful is focused deterrence, which is estimated to have a ‘high’ impact, reducing crime by 33 per cent. Other approaches include pre-court diversion (estimated to have a ‘moderate’ impact, reducing reoffending by 13 per cent) and police in schools, although there is currently insufficient evidence to estimate its impact.
Jon Yates, executive director at the YEF, said: “To help every child live a life free from violence, the police, local authorities and other service commissioners need to invest in activities that are backed by evidence and shown to make a difference.
“Our toolkit shows hot spots policing works. When used alongside other evidence-based approaches that protect vulnerable children from harm and exploitation, we can begin to shift the focus from reducing violence in high-crime areas to preventing it.”
In September 2021 the Home Office committed £4.12 million to 18 police forces across England and Wales to increase hot spots policing in towns and cities blighted by violent crime.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Targeted hot-spot policing continues to pay dividends in helping us to keep people safe, prevent crime and drive down violence.
“As the latest official data has shown, crime has reduced in Nottinghamshire far more than other areas, falling three times below the national average. Regular hot-spot patrols remain a key part of our success in reducing offending as well as improving our engagement with communities and young people.
“Our dedicated teams including Operation Reacher, burglary, knife crime, robbery and neighbourhood policing teams are now out and about every day in hot-spot locations across Nottinghamshire protecting the public and preventing crime as well as relentlessly pursuing offenders who break the law.”
To access the YEF’s Toolkit, visit www.youthendowmentfund.org.uk/toolkit