Topical issues

FEATURE: A new report from the Youth Endowment Fund has highlighted worrying levels of knife crime and violence involving children, despite overall falls in other areas of crime; the organisation is now calling on the Government and others in the criminal justice system to prioritise support and diversionary approaches for arrested children, which are proven to have more effective outcomes than going to court, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INNOVATION: While artificial intelligence (AI) clearly offers significant opportunities for policing, it also comes with inherent risks and concerns; Dr Fatema Zaghloul, Lecturer in Business Analytics at the University of Bristol, and Justin Partridge, Postgraduate Researcher at Leeds University Business School, explore the benefits and challenges of AI in policing, and why it’s essential for policing to shape policies that promote transparency and responsible use of the new technology.

FEATURE: A recent conference focusing on sexual offending, vulnerability and policing saw calls for senior police and academics to take a “pracademic” approach to child sexual exploitation, described as a “public health crisis” for the current generation of children and young people, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of the Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this second of two features, he explores the future of EBP over the coming decade, and how to increase understanding among the public as well as convincing the sceptics.

FEATURE: The widespread UK public disorder fuelled by online hate and misinformation in the wake of the murder of three young girls led to the jailing of a number of people for stirring up racial hatred in online messages; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the HATEDEMICS initiative which uses artificial intelligence to hamper the spread of hate speech, disinformation and conspiracy theories.

ANALYSIS: Trust in politics and public bodies has decreased in many countries over recent years, and the UK is no exception; but new research has highlighted that trust in British institutions – particularly policing – among ‘Generation Z’ (those born between 1997 and 2012) is significantly lower in the UK than in other countries studied, as Dr Paolo Morini, Research Fellow at the King’s College London Policy Institute, explains.

FEATURE: As the latest New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey reveals strong levels of trust and confidence in New Zealand Police, Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to Assistant Commissioner Bruce O’Brien, the force’s Senior Liaison Officer for the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the importance of delivering on core aims, the need to “get the basics right”, and how social media and crime trends can impact on public perception.

ANALYSIS: Fraud makes up nearly 40% of all crime in England and Wales, but fewer than 1% of cases result in a conviction. With the National Fraud Strategy more than a year old and a new government in place at Westminster, Ian Weinfass spoke to experts to find out whether it is time for action against fraudsters to be stepped up.

ANALYSIS: The changing nature of the modern terrorist threat has meant that the UK government’s response has also had to evolve; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the background to the UK’s CONTEST strategy, it’s political and policing inputs and implications, and how the strategy has evolved to meet that changing threat.

ANALYSIS: Following a series of highly critical reports, Canada’s Public Safety Minister recently announced the separation of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) federal policing portfolio from its contract policing responsibilities; Policing Insight’s Matthew Wood looks at the country’s complex policing structure, challenges currently facing the force, and what the changes could mean for the RCMP.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of September’s Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this first of two features, he looks at advice for agencies embarking on EBP, and where should efforts be focused – leaders, front-line officers, or both?

INNOVATION: A successful pilot project using artificial intelligence to support call handlers answering domestic abuse calls in Humberside Police – which increased both officer and public safety, improved evidence and reduced staff stress – could now be applied to other crime types within the force as well as being scaled up nationally, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: Large-scale events such as the annual Eurovision Song Contest are a key part of the modern cultural fabric, and require complex co-ordination to overcome traditional and emerging threats; Dr Rebecca Phythian and Dr Michael Smith of Edge Hill University researched the multi-agency approaches to the Eurovision events in Liverpool and Malmö, interviewing partners including police, local authorities and event organisers to identify key learning for future events.

ANALYSIS: The public disorder that took place across cities and towns in the UK at the start of August was the worst seen for several years, and prompted concerns over the police ability to respond, and the tactics employed; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a former police officer and a subject matter expert on public order and protest groups, looks at the events of the past month, the evolution of public order policing, and what other options may be available to forces.

ANALYSIS: Although police departments across the United States have taken steps in recent years to improve relations with the LGBTQ community, new research suggests that LGBTQ people experience more mistreatment by police, have lower levels of trust in law enforcement, and are less likely to call for help, than their non-LGBTQ counterparts, says Stefan Vogler, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

FEATURE: Against the backdrop of the recent foiled terror plot to attack the Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth looks at the latest EU counter-terrorism project designed to strengthen the protection of public spaces from attacks and major violent incidents, and mitigate their impact.

INTERVIEW: Following the publication of the recent UK violence against women and girls (VAWG) National Policing Statement, ACC Sam Millar, Strategic Programme Director of the VAWG Taskforce, spoke to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons about re-shaping the service to victims, the need for greater collaboration and a whole system approach, and the importance of supporting front-line staff investigating often high-harm offences.  

OPINION: The recent HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services report into the Metropolitan Police Service made difficult reading, with the force graded as less than adequate in seven out of eight performance areas; author and former Met Chief Superintendent John Sutherland believes that for the force to recover, there needs to be greater understanding and acknowledgement of the reasons behind the current crisis.

INTERVIEW: After the launch of the first Police Race Action Plan Progress Report, Policing Insight’s Ian Weinfass spoke to Programme Director, Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dr Alison Heydari, about losing the support of a key staff association, institutional racism, and the future of the race action plan in the face of funding uncertainties.

OPINION: Amid concerns that the recent riots in the UK were fuelled by misinformation spread on social media, some have questioned whether the Online Safety Act passed last year needs to be revisited; however, Associate Professor Dr Olivia Brown and Postdoctoral Researcher Dr Alicia Cork of the University of Bath argue that with parts of the Act not due to come into effect until late 2024, the effectiveness of the legislation won’t be fully understood until it has been tested in another situation like the recent riots.

ANALYSIS: Faced with austerity cuts, the Metropolitan Police opted for a programme of station closures rather than reducing officer numbers; recent research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies suggest the approach has led to more violent crime and lower rates of solved cases and crime reporting, as report author Professor Elisa Facchetti explained to Policing Insight’s James Sweetland.

INNOVATION: Advances in the application of artificial intelligence and other new technology have huge potential for transforming the criminal justice system in areas such as video redaction, risk assessment and forensic biotechnology; Simon Randall, CEO of privacy and security specialists Pimloc, explores some of those opportunities to increase effectiveness, as well as the challenges the new tech presents.

OPINION: While attempts to tackle the issue of illegal drugs through decriminalisation in the US and Canada have been less than successful, former Police Scotland Superintendent Martin Gallagher argues that as traditional enforcement measures have failed, it’s time for a bolder approach to drug use and consumption, with regulating, legitimising and taxing supply a crucial step towards true change and rehabilitation.

INTERVIEW: Dr Ruth Parkes, senior lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire and expert on workplace trauma exposure and sexual offending, believes all police officers working with sexual offence material should receive stress inoculation training to be able to deal with the feelings of horror and revulsion they experience, as she explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.