IN FOCUS: Innovative and Effective Approaches to Tackling Serious Violence

Overview

This document highlights the innovative and collaborative approaches being implemented across England and Wales to tackle serious violence. Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) play a crucial role in driving these strategies, working with multiple agencies to prevent and reduce violent crime. The report includes case studies of evidence-based initiatives, emphasizing early intervention, multi-agency collaboration, and long-term solutions.

Key Themes

• Violence Reduction Units (VRUs): Established in 20 regions to address the root causes of serious violence through partnership working, prevention, and intervention strategies.
• Serious Violence Duty: Introduced in January 2023, requiring public authorities to collaborate in tackling violence. PCCs are leading efforts to implement this duty effectively.
• Hotspot Policing: A data-driven approach targeting high-crime areas to prevent violent incidents.
• Community-Led Approaches: Engagement with faith groups, youth organizations, and local initiatives to create sustainable solutions.
• Government Investment: Over £130 million allocated to combating violent crime, including funding for VRUs and enforcement programs.

Initiatives

• Operation Deter (Thames Valley): Combines strict enforcement for adults carrying weapons with early intervention programs for young offenders.
• Faith Alliance Project (West Midlands): A multi-faith partnership engaging communities to reduce youth violence.
• Habitual Knife Carriers Project (Sussex): Uses risk assessments to identify and support individuals at risk of knife crime involvement.
• A&E Navigator Programme (West Yorkshire): Embeds youth workers in hospitals to engage with victims of violence at critical moments.
• INTACT Programme (Dyfed-Powys): A public health approach to crime prevention through education, sport, and community outreach.
• Youth Work Charter (Nottinghamshire): A framework for quality youth services to prevent young people from engaging in violence.
• Violent Crime Taskforce (Hampshire & Isle of Wight): A specialist police unit tackling high-risk offenders and crime hotspots.
• Greater Manchester VRU: A community-led approach investing in local projects and youth mentoring to address violence at the grassroots level.

Impact and outcomes

• VRUs and hotspot policing have prevented 136,000 violent crimes since 2019.
• Knife-enabled homicides have decreased in regions implementing focused interventions.
• Community-led initiatives have successfully engaged thousands of young people, steering them away from crime.