Analysis

Analysis: The grooming of children is on the rise across England and Wales. Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth discusses this disturbing trend and considers how artificial intelligence is leading the fight against online grooming.

Analysis: The election is over, but aside from the promised 20,000 additional officers, what else can we expect from the new Government? Former Assistant Chief Constable and now CoPaCC Director Ian Wiggett examines what the next five years may hold for the police service.

Analysis: Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal areas of the North are becoming violent crime hot spots. Policing Insight Contributor Andrew Staniforth argues the rise cannot be entirely attributed to 'county lines' and a major rethink is needed on how forces tackle violent crime locally.

analysis: With ransomware attacks on the rise, Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth examines how the cyber threat is expected to evolve in 2020 and how police and partner agencies face increasing challenges in protecting their data from both cyber criminals and their own staff.

INSIGHT: NPCC Drug Threat Lead Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Lay is also President of the Drug Expert Witness & Valuation Association (DEWVA). The following is adapted from Det Ch Supt Lay’s opening address at last year’s DEWVA conference where he outlined the current drug threat and the role expert witnesses play in tackling it.

insight: With all the results of all 45 fire and rescue services inspections now in, Catherine Levin considers how those services under Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners (PFCCs) have done and if those aspiring to become PFCCs may get a boost from the findings. It’s a mixed picture to say the least.

Interview: As cybercrime continues to rise, patterns of repeat victimisation are being investigated by new collaborative research between Southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit and the Cyber Threats Research Centre at Swansea University. Ph.D. Researcher Sara Correia shares with Policing Insight the preliminary findings of this ground-breaking research.

Analysis: New Research - Do drug diversion schemes work? Thames Valley Police Policing Strategy Unit's DS Wojciech Spyt and DI Lee Barnham and T/DCI Jason Kew examine the UK's drug policy, how it has evolved and whether drug diversion schemes used by some forces including Thames Valley Police are an effective way to tackle drug possession.

GENERAL ELECTION 2019: With the General Election fast approaching, Professor Peter Joyce and Dr Wendy Laverick analyse the main political parties' view on crime and its causes, and how this has shaped the pledges they have made in their election manifestos.

General Election 2019: With less than two weeks to go to the General Election, CoPaCC Director and former Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Ian Wiggett finds the party manifestos promise much for policing and justice, but are short on detail.

Analysis: Professor Peter Joyce and Dr Wendy Laverick explore how hate crime has evolved since the Second World War, the impact of the more recent rise of far right extremism and the challenges facing policing in the current political climate.

ANALYSIS : Vigilante paedophile hunters are playing an increasingly mainstream role in the prosecution of perpetrators of child sexual exploitation. But how should the police deal with them? Dr Katerina Hadjimatheou of the University of Essex explores the benefits and the dangers of working with these controversial groups.

Analysis: The Security Service faced considerable criticism for its prioritising of intelligence operations prior to the London Bridge attack in 2017. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth examines the challenges around gathering and interpreting intelligence relating to terror plots.

Analysis: New research on peoples' experiences of policing at anti-fracking protests has pointed to an increasing criminalisation of non-violent protest. One of the researchers, Dr Will Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Liverpool John Moores University, explores the police's approach to protesters and the implications it has for police legitimacy.

Analysis: Last month's publication of the Government's Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Strategy is a welcome step towards tackling the increasing menace of rogue drones, but is the police service in a position to deliver its objectives? Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth takes a closer look.

Analysis: As the Hong Kong demonstrations continue unabated, Military Historian and independent consultant Dr Jill Russell examines the historical context for the current disorder and the wider challenges of policing political protests.

Analysis: Police officers carrying firearms is an area that has undergone considerable legislative changes in Australia. Professor Rick Sarre, Dean of Law at the University of South Australia, examines what effect these changes have had on officer safety and public protection.

Analysis: The influx of thousands of new police recruits in the next three years will transform Human Resources in policing. Head of Policing for KPMG in the UK Andrew Lea explores the challenges ahead and offers ways in which HR can rise to them.

Analysis: Following research commissioned by the National Police Chiefs Council into diversity in policing, Research Director for Crime and Justice at the National Centre for Social Research Dr Jeffrey DeMarco examines the issues impacting diversity and how they can be overcome.

Analysis: Statistics can help improve the public's understanding of the demands on policing, but how do the media use statistics and how does this influence the public debate? Statistics Regulator for the Office for Statistics Regulation Lewis Jack discusses the findings of the OSR's Policing Review Phase Two Media Analysis.

analysis: The final paper in our series on Police and Crime Panels by Dr Roy Bailey explores the governance role of Police and Crime Panels and whether they are effective in holding Police and Crime Commissioners to account.

Opinion: Forensic evidence can make or break a criminal case, so what happens when bias is involved? Dr Lee Curley and Dr James Munro examine the impact of bias and the role psychology can play in understanding it.

INSIGHT: Staffordshire is one of the few forces that has successfully pressed ahead with merging police and fire governance. With Phase 1 now complete, Senior Project Manager Richard Battams and Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis offer a unique insight into the process and what has been achieved so far.

ANALYSIS : Despite public concern, sex offenders cannot remain imprisoned indefinitely; but many schemes do little to rehabilitate such offenders. Jamie Walvisch, Monash University; Kelly Richards, Queensland University of Technology, and Lorana Bartels, Australian National University look at what works to protect the community.