Features

Analysis: Decision Scientist Lee Curley shares his latest research on how the processes involved in making a decision can lead to juror bias. So, how do we ensure defendants receive a fair trial?

ANALYSIS: Recent events have highlighted the need to approach radicalisation not just as a security issue but also as a social and psychological one. Professor Babak Akhgar FBCS, Director of CENTRIC (Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research) at Sheffield Hallam University, explains how the MINDb4ACT project is addressing these concerns.

INSIGHT: The latest in our SPOTLIGHT ON series focuses on the barriers to chief constable recruitment. Following the issuing of a statement by the National Police Chiefs Council, the College of Policing and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners on the challenge of chief officer recruitment, we revisit a range of expert articles that explore the subject in more depth.

INSIGHT: The Dutch National Police issued its officers and staff with 63,000 smartphones. The move opened up opportunities to complete tasks more quickly, but also to do things differently. Commissaris van politie and Mobile Programme Manager Edwin Delwel says mobile technology can be a game-changer for policing, if implemented well.

INSIGHT: At this year's Police Superintendents Association annual conference, Association President Gavin Thomas painted a picture of a service struggling to stay afloat where even neighbourhood policing, the bedrock of policing, is 'largely broken'. Former GMP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett attended this year's conference where the view was too much has been asked of too little.

ANALYSIS: Yesterday's National Audit Office report on policing was damning on the Home Office's failure to understand the impact of budget cuts on the financial sustainability of police forces. Rick Muir of The Police Foundation examines the report's findings and the need for a clear national strategy on policing.

OPINION: The latest National Audit Office report released this week adds to the evidence that policing is in crisis. Former Chief Superintendent John Sutherland warns that the lack of a national vision for policing is punishing the very people holding policing together.

INSIGHT: Dr Cody Telep is assistant professor at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University. During an International Symposium on Policing and Evidence-based Practice at Birkbeck, University of London in July, Dr Telep was interviewed about his research and the challenges facing policing the US and UK. The following is a summary of that interview.

analysis: A few years ago, the use of stop and search in the West Midlands threatened to undermine confidence in local policing. West Midlands PCC David Jamieson and Policy Officer Ben Twomey explain the measures that were implemented to reassure communities stop and search is used fairly and effectively.

Innovation Summit: Are you risk averse or risk tolerant?  Innovation Consultant at Idea Drop and former Head of Innovation for Kent and Essex Police Martin Wilson argues that to be successful the police service must strike a balance between the two.

OPINION: Rich Honess is a former frontline officer now teaching on the in-service degree at Canterbury Christ Church University. As such, he gets asked questions, particularly about degree-level entry to the police service. Here, Rich tries to summarise some of the answers to the questions he's been asked.

ANALYSIS: With the use of automated facial recognition technology under challenge, video surveillance specialist Cloudview asked leading cyberlaw academic Professor Andrew Charlesworth to assess the regulatory position. His report concludes that an independent review is the only way forward if the technology is to be used without alienating the public.

ANALYSIS: Our latest Report Watch takes a look at the charity Transform Justice's report 'Love, fear and control — does the criminal justice system reduce domestic abuse?' which examines and evaluates the criminal justice system's current approach to tackling domestic abuse.

Opinion: Naloxone is increasingly used by US law enforcement to prevent loss of life from opoids. With more than half of overdoses in England and Wales in 2017 involving opiates, APCC Lead for Alcohol and Substance Misuse and Derbyshire PCC Hardyal Dhindsa says that, as first responders, it's time to consider equipping UK police with the drug.

OPINION: Tri-service safety officers in Cornwall are already attracting national interest. Evan Morris MBE, former Head of Community Safety for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Chief Fire Officers' Association lead on Ageing Safely Strategy first proposed the idea in 2000 and believes the national implementation of such a policy would make a significant difference to rural communities.

ANALYSIS: The way ambulance services use social media has lessons for police - particularly in their focus on the humanity of paramedics. Dan Slee of comms2point0 looks at the best of ambulance service communications and what other blue light services can learn.

Analysis: With an online crime reported to police every ten minutes, forces are investing in cyber security training. In the final of our three part series focusing on cyber-crime, CEO and co-founder of Cyber Security Intelligence Alfred Rolington says whilst forces are making progress, there's a long way to go.

OPINION: In a report out today, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) argues that - through an approach called Group Violence Intervention (GVI) - it is possible to change the dynamics in gangs and drive down violence. Rory Geoghegan, Head of Criminal Justice at the CSJ, sets out the background to the CSJ's latest report, and argues that failing to implement GVI will consign more young people to a lawless existence.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Policing Insight has over a thousand in depth articles on a wide range of policing issues. In our SPOTLIGHT ON series we group articles under one subject heading allowing you quick and easy reference when you need it. Here, we tackle spit guards or hoods which have recently returned to the spotlight following the MPS' decision not to issue them to frontline officers.

Opinion: In October 2017, Sherry Ralph, COO for the Independent Custody Visiting Association highlighted the problem of custody suites routinely failing women experiencing their period. Fast forward ten months and the Home Office has just released consultation on revising PACE Codes C and H to ensure women are treated with dignity. IVCA Chief Executive Katie Kempen explains why the changes are vital.

ANALYSIS: The latest in our Report Watch series, which summarises the findings of reports that impact policing and includes responses from the main stakeholders as well as media reaction, takes a look at HMICFRS's Understanding the difference - The initial response to hate crime, published in July.

OPINION: After two and a half years as a Chief Inspector overseeing Paisley, serving officer Martin Gallagher is moving on. Here, he describes the lessons he's learned about leading police officers in one of the busiest Sub-Divisions in the country.

ANALYSIS: Knife crime is rising, and many have speculated about the causes of the rise - but what do we actually know about the reasons young people carry weapons? Dr Iain Brennan, Reader in Criminology at the University of Hull, explains his important new research.

OPINION: Following the publication of the UNISON survey that revealed widespread sexual harassment of civilian staff, Head of Development at CMP Solutions Richard Peachey offers a way forward for senior managers.