Crime

FEATURE: Despite several examples of terrorist attacks being livestreamed and online games being used to spread extreme propaganda and groom young fanatics, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth warns that the full extent of the terrorist use of the internet remains poorly understood by many frontline practitioners, and a multi-faceted, holistic approach is essential to tackle the threat.

OPINION: New research by Dr Kate Puddister, an associate professor at the University of Guelph, and Queen’s University doctoral candidate Danielle McNabb, suggest that not only is sexual violence by police officers in Canada more common than expected, but that allegations of sexual assault against officers are less likely to be fully investigated, or lead to charges or convictions, than other such assaults reported to police.

INTERVIEW: Policing Insight’s Chris Allen regularly speaks to leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, as part of our ‘Spotlight on Organised Crime’ series; this week the spotlight turns on Chris, who answers the same questions he poses to others, this time in his role as Senior Police Practice Tutor at Bucks New University and Director of Criminis Training and Consultancy Services.

OPINION: The UK Government’s first year report into Operation Soteria highlights victim blaming and a lack of specialist knowledge among officers investigating rape, many of whom are over-worked, traumatised and inexperienced; Chief Constable Sarah Crew, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Adult Sexual Offences, believes that while the report makes difficult reading, it also offers the ‘best opportunity in a generation’ to improve the investigation and prosecution of rape.

FEATURE: ‘Hybrid’ threats, which aim to exploit a country’s vulnerability by undermining fundamental democratic values and liberties, look set to pose a growing challenge to both society and law enforcement, yet rarely receive a policing focus; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at EU collaborative attempts to address those threats.

FEATURE: With county lines drug trafficking increasingly recognised and understood across the UK, police still face the conundrum of whether children and young people involved in these crimes should be treated as offenders, victims, or both; Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports on a session from the recent 24hr Conference on Global Organized Crime in which Trilateral Research’s Jana-Isabelle Dilger presented guidance for frontline officers making these tough calls.

ANALYSIS: This week saw the tragic killing of two Queensland Police officers during a shooting incident that left six people dead; Dr Terry Goldsworthy, Associate Professor of Criminology at Bond University, believes that while such events are rare in Australia compared to other countries, this latest loss of life will highlight once again the inherent dangers of policing, and what more can be done to reduce such risks.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to organised crime consultant Sasha Jesperson about researching criminal networks in the ‘Eastern Neighbourhoods’, the inevitability of organised crime, and the importance of closer co-operation between government and law enforcement on strategic approaches.

OPINION: As the World Cup heads towards its climax in Qatar, former public order specialist Owen West, now a Senior Policing Lecturer, believes some law enforcement attitudes and approaches to football fans suggest an unjustified level of prejudice not witnessed in any other sporting or social arena – one which needs to be re-thought to address legitimacy and confidence in policing.

ANALYSIS: A 2019 criminal victimisation survey in Canada found that a quarter of victims of violence failed to report incidents to the police for fear of not being taken seriously and even being re-traumatised by the legal process. Jeffrey Bradley, PhD Candidate, Carleton University, examines what needs to change to ensure victims have the confidence to come forward.

LONG READ: With just one per cent of cases making it to court and convictions at a historic low, some believe the crime of rape has effectively been decriminalised. Dr John Fox, a lecturer in Police Studies at the University of Portsmouth, analyses the reasons why so few cases result in a conviction.

ANALYSIS: An inquiry into the strip search of a 15-year-old Black girl by police officers at her school concluded it should never had happened. Four officers found themselves facing an investigation for gross misconduct, but National Appropriate Adult Network Chief Executive Chris Bath argues the labyrinth of legislation and Codes of Practice covering strip searches lies at the heart of the problem.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Dr Nicholas Gilmour, Financial Crime Advisor, about the changing nature of organised crime, the fact that it is a fluid, global organised phenomenon that is neither static nor predictable, and how the growth of organised crime is out of control.

FEATURE: Environmental crime – which in some cases exploits the impact of climate change – is increasingly recognised as one of the key threats posed by organised crime groups; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports on a new EU collaborative project which will use the latest technology to target illicit activities such as intentional dumping, waste trafficking, and the illegal trade in environmentally damaging substances.

FEATURE: This week the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation announced that the country’s terror threat level was to be reduced; Dr John Coyne, head of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre, warns that while the move should be welcomed, extremist ideologies still exist in Australia and will need continued careful and close monitoring to prevent any further acts of violence.

OPINION: A recent incident in which a car was driven into a crowded UK Christmas market has highlighted once again the vulnerabilities of such public festive events; while there were no injuries and the incident was not terror related, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth argues that, given the sustained terror threat to crowded places, a review of protective security measures at Christmas markets is urgently needed.

INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Dr Christopher Dowling, Research Manager at the Australian Institute of Criminology, about measures to block organised crime offenders from the legitimate economy, holistic efforts to tackle organised crime, and the latest research on tackling outlaw motorcycle gangs.

FEATURE: Today marks the launch of the UN-led 16 days of activity to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls (VAWG) around the world; but Dr Sarah Jane Fox of the University of Leicester warns that while some progress has been made in tackling VAWG, latest figures show the levels of violence remain horrifically high, with the World Cup and approaching Christmas Holidays likely to lead to another surge in abuse across the UK in the coming weeks.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: In August 2021 HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the College of Policing and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) published a report in response to the super-complaint submitted by the Centre for Women’s Justice on the police use of protective measures in cases involving violence against women and girls (VAWG). Razi Hassan of the Domestic Abuse Alliance reviews the recommendations set out in the report and explains how the WEPROTECT instant victim referral service accelerates access to legal assistance and intervention.

ANALYSIS: With the ever-increasing volume of online child sexual abuse material, identifying and removing these harmful and often horrific images will require the use of new digital tools; at the recent 24-hour Conference on Global Organized Crime, Jacques Marcoux, Director of Research and Analytics for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, outlined how Project Arachnid is delivering on this task, as Policing Insight’s James Sweetland reports.

FEATURE: Australia’s Queensland Police, like many other forces around the world, deal with worrying levels of domestic violence on a daily basis, with many incidents carried out by repeat offenders; but the introduction of a simple text messaging initiative to remind those subject to protection orders about the behaviour conditions they are required to follow has seen a significant drop in repeat offences and an associated reduction in costs, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

ANALYSIS: The issue of environmental crime is complex and frequently misunderstood by wider society, with wildlife trafficking often the focus of attention, at the expense of activities such as the illegal exploitation of minerals and other natural resources; Policing Insight’s Chris Allen looks at the latest report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime on the impacts of environmental crime today, and what we may face in the future.

FEATURE: The challenges around tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) have been the subject of intense public, political and policing debate in recent months, following a number of high-profile incidents and alarming statistics; Policing Lecturer Dr Anna Hopkins reports on a recent Open University conference which drew together police, politicians, practitioners and academics to address some of the key issues and consider ways forward.

ANALYSIS: New research from the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) has found that children are being seriously affected not only by violence itself, but also the fear of violence, with almost two thirds of young people changing their behaviour to protect themselves; YEF Executive Director Jon Yates believes that evidence-based approaches and partnership working can significantly improve the safety and prospects of young people.