Topical issues

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

NEWS BRIEF: Bernard Rix, Chief Executive of CoPaCC, announces a lunchtime workshop on 14th September in London. This event, hosted by leading lawyers Field Fisher, will explore the likely local impact of Brexit on policing and security stakeholders. Save the date!

ANALYSIS: Controversial predictive tools for offender management are increasingly being used in the US to determine sentencing. Marion Oswald (Winchester University) and Jamie Grace (Sheffield Hallam University) examine the use of algorithmic risk assessment tools, and call for an open debate in the UK about where the red lines should be.

OPINION: Ian Blackhurst, Executive Director for Solutions, Northgate Public Services argues that criminals don’t respect force borders or system silos, and neither should digital evidence.

EXCLUSIVE: Lord Willy Bach, the first serving parliamentarian to be elected as a Police and Crime Commissioner, talks about the learning curve for PCCs, appointing a deputy, and why 'blue light' mergers could leave the Fire Service as the poor relation.

OPINION: Iain Britton, Head of the Centre for Citizens in Policing at the Institute for Public Safety Crime and Justice, reflects on the national Citizens in Policing Summit at the Palace Hotel, Manchester on Thursday 21 July.

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

OPINION: Arfon Jones, newly elected PCC for North Wales and one of the first two Plaid Cymru PCCs, talks about his background as a police officer, the Home Office's obsession with crime statistics, and his focus on domestic violence and youth justice.

OPINION: Photos of a gay Metropolitan Police officer proposing to his partner at London Pride last month were shared nationally and internationally, and highlighted the changes that have taken place in police culture and attitudes over the last several decades. Steve Bax of the Police Federation of England and Wales explores how these changes have affected officers on the ground, and what still needs to be done.

OPINION: Dealing with the most vulnerable is a priority for the police. On 22 July, @WeCops held an online debate on early intervention, with CI Justin Srivastava (@CiSrivastava) as the guest host. Eric Halford (@DSEricHalford) summarises the debate and why early intervention matters - and how it can be done better.

OPINION: Ch Supt Gavin Thomas, President of the Police Superintendents' Association of England and Wales, explains why he is "pleased to see today's crime figures show a massive amount of online and cyber fraud offences".

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

ANALYSIS: Gavin Hales, Deputy Director of the Police Foundation, introduces the Foundation's latest report which draws on a five-year research project. Gavin will be leading a Twitter discussion of this at 1100hrs on Wednesday 20 July.

OPINION: Jon Collins, CEO of the Restorative Justice Council, argues in favour of using restorative justice principles to help heal the Brexit rifts now evident in society

ANALYSIS: David Northfield, of leading law firm Fieldfisher, takes a first look at the Brexit vote's constitutional implications for policing and security

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

ANALYSIS: What works in protecting homes against burglary? Dr Rebecca Thompson and Professor Andromachi Tseloni examine the evidence as to which security devices are actually effective in lessening household burglaries.

ANALYSIS: How do diversity targets affect recruitment and promotion in policing? Gareth Stubbs argues that targets have damaging unintended consequences, and are standing in for far more difficult conversations about broken relationships and a lack of community trust.

OPINION: How could the Brexit vote affect the UK's ability to deal with organised crime? Dr Anna Sergi of the University of Essex argues that the UK's isolation could be game changing for criminal gangs – and in the worst way.

IN THE NEWS: Our new-look Weekly Review, drawing on our popular Media Monitor database, picks up the key news stories and reports of the week, and explains why they matter to you.

ANALYSIS: As the full ramifications of the recent Brexit vote become clear, Chief Inspector Lee Gosling explores the potential impact of a complete withdrawal from the EU on UK pan-European policing functions, outlining how each aspect of co-operation with Europe currently works, and how it will need to be unravelled or replaced.

OPINION: New PCC for Derbyshire Hardyal Dhindsa talks to Policing Insight about diversity, mental health, fire mergers, and his pledge to visit all 383 towns and villages in Derbyshire to reach out to the county's different communities.

OPINION: Much of the UK's security is dependent upon its ability to work in co-operation with partners. The recent referendum and the potential departure of the UK from the EU poses a danger to that work. Former Greater Manchester ACC Ian Wiggett unpicks the ramifications of Brexit, and warns that it will take a lot of effort by political leaders to ensure that co-operation is not damaged.

NEWS BRIEF: Bernard Rix, CoPaCC Chief Executive, announces CoPaCC's review of Brexit's implications for policing and security, to be supported by three former PCCs