1. Building Safer Communities Violence reduction
Tom Hardy Head of Violence Reduction and Public Protection, Community Safety Unit Scottish Government
Thank you for inviting me here today. It was a privilege to attend the National Youth worker of the year awards a few weeks back and see and celebrate all the selfless contributions that people have made.
I’ve been asked to talk about the Scottish Government position and how this links with NKBL, Building Safer Communities and the wider policy.
Building Safer Communities Programme aims to reduce crime and unintentional injury and make Scotland a safer and stronger place.
BSC is one of four justice change programmes which comprise the Justice Strategy for Scotland, alongside Reducing Reoffending, Making Justice Work and Reassuring the Public.
Programme has 2 phases running concurrently – phase 1 on reducing number of victims of crime and phase 2 on reducing victims of unintentional injury. I’ll focus on phase 1 as this relates more closely to the work of NKBL.
When programme originally established, it’s focus was on building the evidence base around what works to reduce crime, developing practitioner guidance and influencing national policy. Now we’re very much in the delivery phase, looking much more practically at how we can support communities, families and individuals to improve their wellbeing and share good practice across Scotland.
Some of you may know about BSC but others may be new to it so I’ll provide broad overview.
@theBSCprogramme

2. Programme for Government
More resilient, confident and connected people are better able to secure employment
Safer communities are more attractive places for businesses to invest in
Co-produced services deliver the best outcomes and are more sustainable
A more equal society is one where everyone enjoys low crime rates
Programme for Government published 26 November and sets out SG’s current policy and legislative plans.
Building Safer Communities is already well placed to help deliver the 3 priorities of PfG.
Boosting the economy: Safer communities are more attractive to business and more resilient, confident and connected people are better able to secure employment and contribute to society;
Tackling inequalities: We know that crime and unintentional harm disproportionately affects our most deprived communities and our most vulnerable people so this is where BSC is focusing its efforts.
Protecting & Reforming Public Services: We are all grappling with budget cuts and how to deliver better outcomes in a more efficient and effective way. As you will know, public service reform is about partners working together, focusing holistically on place, sharing resources and empowering communities – this is exactly what BSC is all about.

3. Our vision
“A flourishing, optimistic Scotland in which resilient individuals, families and communities live safe from crime, disorder and harm”
Our vision supports National Outcomes and Purpose of Government.
We’re seeking to be transformative and we’re following improvement methodology, which provides those delivering public services with a way to move from thinking about policies and strategies (the what) to implementation (the how) – it’s about doing by implementing the improvements that will deliver transformational change. Testing approaches, adapting them, testing them again, and then when we’re confident they’re having a positive impact, spreading them to other areas.

4. Our 2020 vision for all Scottish neighbourhoods
My community is defined by its strengths
My community has lots of groups, support networks and social clubs
for all Scottish neighbourhoods
People in my community look after each other
People are tolerant and different groups interact positively
I feel part of and proud of my neighbourhood
I know who to contact if I have a problem or want to help out
But what do the positive words of our vision mean in practice? We developed a 2020 vision to help us set out our view of what improved communities would look like.
It’s about communities being defined by their strengths, about people helping each other out and about people feeling safe.
But every community will have their own vision. That’s why we are pleased some local practitioners have adopted this approach and have used it as an engagement tool to help communities identify what’s important to them.
The full 2020 vision is available on our website.
In my area children play outside in well-kept green spaces
I feel safe to walk around my neighbourhood after dark
I think my area is a great place to live with lots of facilities available
My areas has new local businesses and community-led enterprises
Full 2020 Vision available at

5. Scotland is a safe place
Recorded crime at lowest level in 40 years
Violent crime down 52% since
Homicide down 49% since
Offensive weapon crimes at lowest level since 1986
Fewer people at risk of being victim of crime (16.9% in compared with 20.4% in )
72% of adults felt very or fairly safe (in ) walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (compared with 66% in )
We shouldn’t forget Scotland is a very safe country in which to live. Quote some of stats from slide.
Crime rates have fallen dramatically in recent years and this is not something that has been experienced across all parts of Europe.
So it’s clear we’re very much moving in the right direction.

6. But benefits not being felt equally
Crime (SIMD definition) in 2009 and 2012: split by 15% most deprived and other 85%
44% of recorded crime occurs in the 15% most deprived communities in Scotland
(Source: SMID 2012)
But that’s not to say there aren’t still significant challenges:
This slide shows that while there have been big reductions in crime, these improvements have not been enjoyed equally across Scotland.
The blue bars are the 15% most deprived areas and between 2009 and 2012 the reduction in recorded crime was much less than in the rest of Scotland, which is represented by the red bars. This means that crime is becoming more concentrated in our most deprived communities and, in line with the aspirations of the Programme for Government, this inequality is something we need to address if we are to make communities safer and stronger.
We also haven’t seen a downward trend in some crime types, notably sexual crimes and domestic abuse. Some of this can be explained by changes in how some crimes are recorded (such as widening of definition of rape) and by increased reporting in the light of high profile cases, which is to be welcomed. But we shouldn’t be complacent about some of the big challenges Scotland still faces.

7. 250k fewer victims of crime
Our Phase 1 aim
Crime reduction
Asset growth
250k fewer victims of crime
Our aim for phase 1 of the programme is to reduce the number of victims of crime in Scotland by 250,000 over the 5 years to This is a stretching aim – about double what we might expect to happen if current trends continue.
[Background on aim for information only –
it is a cumulative reduction from to
250,000 reduction amounts to 13,600 fewer victims in each of the 5 years to , a total number of 68,000 fewer victims if expressed as a point to point, rather than a cumulative, reduction. It amounts to about 5,000 fewer crimes per year (because some crimes, like property crime, have multiple victims).]
While our aim is to reduce the number of victims of crime, we don’t want to do this by focusing on the problems in communities but by fostering the assets – the skills, strengths and potential – that exists there. Will say more about our approach later.
Resilience
Confidence
Networks
Skills
Hope

8. What works to reduce crime
1. Address the underlying causes of crime
2. Deter offending
3. Reduce the opportunities for offending
4. Intervene with those who have already offended to reduce the risk of them reoffending
e.g. early years, parenting, societal attachments, tackling alcohol and drug misuse
e.g. payback orders, police patrols, trust in justice system, cohesive communities
e.g. environmental changes, urban planning, restrict access to weapons, diversion
e.g. redesigning community justice system, mentoring, offender mgt and services
In October last year (2014) we published a comprehensive review of What Works to Reduce Crime. It’s available on our website and I’d commend it to you – it has a very accessible 4-page Executive Summary.
It identifies 4 key strategies that the evidence shows work to reduce crime. The first 3 (addressing the underlying causes, deterring offending and reducing opportunities for offending) encompass the remit of the Building Safer Communities Programme. The fourth – intervening with those who have already offended – is being addressed specifically through the Reducing Reoffending Programme but will clearly also help contribute to our aim to reduce the number of victims of crime.
Our programme narrative, available on the home page of our website, provides some suggestions for the sorts of activities encouraged by this evidence base.
Clearly this links to the work and approach of NKBL too.
Access our evidence review of what works to reduce crime at

9. About wellbeing not just justice
UK alcohol sales and Scottish crimes and offences
School Exclusions and Court Convictions of Under 17s
Litres or pure alcohol per capita p.a.
Crimes and offences
This is not just a justice matter – it’s about wellbeing in its broadest sense. A multi-agency response is required as is an holistic focus on people and place, not just on crime.
This is clear when you think about the underlying causes of crime. The first graph here shows the correlation between UK alcohol sales and Scottish crimes and offences. It is clear that there is a very strong correlation, with the drop in alcohol sales in the last few years (perhaps influenced by the economic downturn) correlating with a drop in crime.
This shouldn’t be a surprise when in 59% of violent crime in Scotland, the victim said the offender was under the influence of alcohol and in 29% under the influence of drugs. So it’s vital that we work closely with our public health and education colleagues to tackle addiction and the underlying issues that lead to it – for example, low self-control resulting from ineffective and inconsistent parenting in the early years.
The second graph shows how the school environment has an important role in ensuring a range of positive outcomes for young people, with a strong correlation between reduced exclusions and court convictions for under 16s.
School exclusions was one of two issues that came up when the BSC Board met in Polmont the other month, the other being bereavement. Incredibly, the average number of bereavements suffered by the year olds in Polmont is 5 and the trauma caused by such loss is seen by staff there as a key trigger for offending behaviour.
In 59% of violent crime in Scotland the victim said the offender was under the influence of alcohol
Increasing staying on rates at school also influential in reducing offending

10. Assets – Co-production - Improvement
The Scottish Approach
Assets – Co-production - Improvement
So what are we going to do differently to double the reduction in victims of crime from what we expect will happen if we carry on as we are?
Scottish approach to government – assets, co-production, improvement
Taking an asset based approach involved mobilising the skills and knowledge of individuals and the connections and resources within communities and organisations, rather than focusing on problems and deficits. The approach aims to empower people to improve their own lives by supporting them to deal positively with the issues they face.
I’d like to hear about any asset based approaches you are taking so we can share the good practice and encourage more of it.
“Co-production means delivering public services in an equal and reciprocal relationship between professional, people using services, their families and their neighbours. Where activities are co-produced in this way, both services and neighbourhoods become far more effective agents of change.”
Defining characteristics of co-production – recognising people as assets, building on people’s existing capabilities, offering incentives to engage - mutual responsibilities and expectations, using peer support, blurring the distinctions between professionals and recipients and produces and consumers of services, facilitating rather than delivering
In many ways its about us helping people to help each other. To help them deliver the improvements they want to see in their community rather than us telling them what they need. It avoids the risk of jumping to solutions that don’t work.
Finally improvement. A framework taken from the world of healthcare improvement that has seen dramatic improvements in patient safety.
6 Questions –
Aim – have we agreed a stretching aim? We have our 250,000 aim.
What are the correct changes? We have the evidence from our review of what works to reduce crime – drugs, alcohol, schooling but crucially also strong and well connected communities.
What method will we adopt to bring about change? – About creating an environment where we can try new things – small tests of change. We are working with a small number of areas to do this.
How will we measure progress? This is the hard one. Some of this is about measuring the impact of our small changes and sharing the learning with others and part of it is about monitoring our high level aim. But it’s not just about statistics, personal stories will form part of the evidence and how people feel about changes in their area.
Are we developing our people and resources to fulfil the aim? This is not just about the leaders in organisations, it’s about changing the culture across the public sector to empower people working at the local level.
And how will we share and spread? This is where national partners can help – Police Scotland and SFRS for example are great at rolling good practice out nationally – we just need to ensure we’re spreading the right things and that we understand what made them successful.

11. NKBL is an example of the Scottish Approach.
Reference the NKBL approach on the left of the slide:
Supporting the development of a co-ordinated approach to the delivery of the NKBL education, youth engagement and social marketing programmes
Supporting the capacity of services and practitioners to work innovatively with young people to develop and deliver knife crime prevention messages and activity
Supporting the involvement of young people in the development and delivery of local approaches to knife crime and prevention
Supporting Scottish Government Marketing in communicating information about risks, consequences and promoting positive life choices through advertising, events and social media.

12. Partners involved in BSC Programme

13. Places we’re working with
David Hume
Scottish Police Authority
Jackie Brock
Children in Scotland
Rose Fitzpatrick,
Police Scotland
Craigmillar, Edinburgh
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire
Ferguslie Park, Renfrewshire
The BSC programme is working with 7 places across Scotland, 6 neighbourhoods and Polmont YOI.
Places selected through multi-agency data analysis (police, fire, SOA, SIMD). Also consulted CPPs and identified those already planning a place based approach. 3 of the areas were selected because they are Link UP areas where there is strong community-led activity.
We want to work with the areas to learn from the good practice and we’ve invited them to be involved in testing new improvement approaches.
Each place has a Board member who will champion the work in that area and we are also inviting key members of the community to act as community champions, to be mentors and ambassadors for the area and our programme.
Clearly we’re not going to reach our 250,000 aim by working with just 7 areas. These areas are the first wave of places we’re working with and are places where we hope to support local partners and communities to test new approaches before they are shared more widely.
We want everyone to participate and no approval is needed to get involved – it’s not that sort of a programme.
Lesley Fraser
Scottish Government
Karyn McCluskey
Violence Reduction Unit
Paul Johnston
Scottish Government
The Gorbals, Glasgow
Hawkhill, Alloa
Possilpark, Glasgow
+ HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont (Grant Manders, Police Scotland)

14. Our themes Prevention Lead: Partnership Lead: Graham Hope, SOLACE
Wendy Wilkinson, Scottish Government
Partnership Lead: Graham Hope, SOLACE
People Lead:
Martin Johnston, Poverty Truth Commission
Performance Lead:
Susan McVie, Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research
The programme has four workstreams and these are focused on the 4Ps of public service reform in response to Christie.
Our strategy is to:
generate more and better community-led approaches that develop and promote the strengths of people and communities to be part of identifying and solving their local issues;
support community planning partnerships and communities in places (locations) where the potential for transformation change is greatest;
ensure approaches to prevention are focused on issues and places where they will have the greatest impact and are based on evidence of what works to reduce crime, victimisation and unintentional harm; and
focus on performance through continuous improvement of the national outcomes by applying reliable methods to ensure that services are consistently well designed, based on the best evidence, and are delivered by the right people to the right people at the right time.

15. Everyone welcome to participate
What we can offer…
Facilitation
Learning network & events
Coordination across govt. policy areas
Support
Evaluation support contract
National advisors
Guidance & toolkits
Resources
Empowering Communities Fund
Small grants
Influence
Influential Board
Promotion online
Ministerial visits
How you can get involved…
Share
Tell us about your good practice
Write up case studies or blogs
Join in
Learning Network
Advisory Group
Test
Trial new initiatives
Ask for evaluation support
Partner
Become a formal partner if community and agencies keen to be involved
This slide sets out some of the support on offer:
We can help local areas with support to evaluate their activities,
We facilitate a learning network where people can share good practice and we’re planning some regional events on place-based working later this year
Like most of you we are not awash with cash but we may be able to support small pieces of work that will be of benefit to the wider community safety sector
If you want to get involved there are many things you can do, from joining our network or advisory group to becoming a formal partner – please get in touch with the team if you want to discuss this.

16. Lots going on Next steps
Lots going on just now but our next steps are to begin delivery work with the 7 BSC places. This is likely to involve us supporting the local areas to profile the issues and assets within their areas (if this is something they want help with).
We will then seek to help them identify and pursue the small tests of change that they want to try out. What we do to support them really depends on what is wanted locally. We are not going to be telling people what to do, but will look to offer support, help make connections and facilitate the sharing of lessons and good practice.
Engagement with partners and communities in the 7 BSC areas
Support local partners and communities with neighbourhood profiling, asset mapping and local perceptions surveys to help set baseline
Support testing of new community-led asset-based approaches
Evaluate impact of activity and facilitate sharing of lessons & good practice
Support other areas across Scotland to adopt successful practice
Monitor progress towards our stretch aim

17. Follow on Twitter: @theBSCprogramme
Stay in touch
Please keep in touch with the programme
Easiest way to find out more is through our website, which is updated regularly (note new .scot domain address) and you can sign up for our monthly e-bulletin
Contact details can be found on website if people want to get in touch with the team
Welcome content for the site including guest blogs – so tell us about the good things you are doing.
People can also follow on Twitter for regular updates
Visit our website:
Follow on
Sign up for our monthly e-bulletin and access contact details and much more on our website