Community Support for Situational Crime Prevention: Insights from South Wales

As the drive for more and more crime prevention initiatives is urged by Police and Crime Commissioners and official bodies such as the HMIC in England and Wales, the question regarding their effectiveness is one that police and other agencies will need to address. This is more so given the current vogue in the United Kingdom for evidence based policy decision making, Whilst reductions
in recorded crimes and disorder will no doubt be a main priority, questions regarding on-going community support for such schemes, appear to remain unanswered. This presentation considers a current longitudinal research programme being conducted in an urban community in the town of Barry in South Wales. Situational crime prevention initiatives involving the
erection of steel gates known as Alley Gates took place here during 2004/5. The aims were to reduce instances of domestic burglary and anti-social behaviour which was seen as prevalent at this time, and much previously open and public space became ‘privatised’ quickly, with blocked access being enforced in may areas. This research, however, concentrates upon community member’s perceptions of the utility of such a scheme, its impact upon everyday life and whether or not the scheme is perceived to have contributed to solving what are considered to be community problems. Based upon data accumulated over the
past seven years by annual surveys and interviews, this longitudinal study provides invaluable insights into the perceived effectiveness of such schemes from within communities over time, rather than reliance upon official crime figures. It further considers what the policy implications are for agencies involved in the introduction, maintenance and furtherance of this and similar situational crime prevention initiatives, and will have resonance for other countries who are engaging in situational crime prevention initiatives.