Update report from Bexley borough

Report: 3
Date: 6 October 2009
By: behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

Bexley Borough has maintained very high rape and domestic violence sanction detection rates for the third year running.

Domestic Violence offences have increased by 24%, partly due to the recession, but mostly due to better delivery and marketing of services. There has been a large increase in demand for all victim support services.

Community engagement now integrates the work of Bexley Police, Council and Community Police Engagement Group (BCPEG).

A. Recommendations

That

1. the Domestic & Sexual Violence Board note the progress made by the Bexley Community Safety Partnership since the meeting of the Board on 3 April 2009.

B. Supporting information

1. The Board noted the improvements in Bexley’s performance in recent years. We are proud that in 2008/09 we achieved sanction detection rates of 81% for rape, 41% for serious sexual violence and 60% for domestic violence. As we noted at the Board, these figures are an indication of the high quality victim care and professional investigation that we expect to provide in every case.

2. We were honoured to be awarded the Assistant Commissioner’s Commendation for “the best serious sexual offences sanction detection rate for 2008/09”.

3. In the Territorial Policing variable target setting process for 2009/10, Bexley requested to have sanction detection targets of 50% for both rape and domestic violence. These were considerably more than the MPS average, and demonstrate our continued commitment. Indeed, we expect to achieve more than these stretch targets, and at least to maintain the performance of previous years.

4. In the first half of 2009/10, domestic violence offences have increased by 23%. Our analysis indicates that part of this increase is due to the impact of the recession on families and relationships. However, we believe most of the increase is due to better delivery of services by police, council and other partners, along with the marketing of these services.

5. Bexley Council has experienced a steady increase in demand for its services for domestic violence victims from about 200 a month to about 300 a month. Many of these victims have not wished these crimes or incidents to be recorded or investigated by police. The Bexley Community Safety Partnership Board has recently commissioned analysis of these increases, how they relate to crime reporting, and how the victims may be supported.

6. Despite the rise in domestic violence, Bexley Police have increased the arrest rate for domestic violence offences to 83%, and have maintained the sanction detection rate well above our 50% target.

7. The Chair of the Board wrote asking for further information on various issues. To assist Members, the Board’s questions are included below in quotes and in italics.

8. Virtual Courts - “The development and implementation of Virtual Courts; how is the project progressing? What have been the successes and barriers to its implementation?” The Virtual Court project has been implemented at Bexley and other South London Boroughs. The project is working well technically, but there are issues in getting charged persons to agree to take part in the process. So far, no-one charged with domestic violence at Bexley has gone through the Virtual Court, though we have decided that domestic violence would take priority over other offences. One of the major factors is the advice provided to detainees by their solicitors. It is envisaged that the Virtual Court will be effective when the requirement for consent is removed by new legislation.

9. Specialist Domestic Violence Court - “The establishment of a Specialist Domestic Violence Court; has there been any movement in this area and is there anything the Board can do to assist your efforts to bring this into existence?” This issue is regularly considered by the Bexley Criminal Justice Group, and it is acknowledged that the service to victims would improve with a specialist court. Unfortunately, other agencies do not currently have sufficient resources to staff a dedicated court. By increasing the use of the Virtual Court, we hope to free up staff and time to implement a specialist domestic violence court.

10. Community engagement - “How does the borough specifically target its engagement to ensure it interacts with those most vulnerable and in need of its service? Are the right community leaders being engaged and, in particular, how are the views of women’s groups being sought? It may be beneficial to the borough, and reassuring to the Board, to conduct an audit of community engagement activity.” We have audited our community engagement in order to improve confidence in police, council and partners. We now integrate our community engagement with the Bexley Community Police Engagement Group (BCPEG), which is dedicating its next meeting to the theme of domestic violence. The Sikh community is our largest minority ethnic community, and the last BCPEG meeting was held in the local Sikh temple and was translated at the time into Punjabi, which has encouraged further involvement with the Sikh community in relation to hate crime. Safer Neighbourhoods Teams regularly engage with all faith premises, including our new mosque, and aim to support women’s and young people’s groups which are not always represented in the formal management structures. A hate crime conference in early 2009 improved engagement with women’s groups, including those from minority ethnic communities, and has led to a series of specialist seminars. Other recent initiatives that will improve community engagement are the establishment of our Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) panel, the partnership’s mapping of communities, and strategic analysis of the factors impacting on confidence and satisfaction.

11. Advertising of services - “How can the borough’s services be more effectively advertised? While some methods may be prohibitively expensive (e.g. wholesale translation) there may be more creative methods the borough can explore through its partnerships.” In addition to the focused engagement outlined in the last paragraph, we advertise services to all the community. We are about to distribute a practical guide to 80,000 households, linking hate crime and community safety. This strategy should minimise costs, increase readership and demonstrate that the partnership sees domestic violence and other hate crime as key elements in its community safety strategy. A very effective advertising method is word of mouth, and the increase in crime reporting and demand for services appears to be largely due to the improved service to victims. We also advertise services for victims of hate crime at all partnership meetings and ‘Have a Say Days’.

12. Independent murder review - “The Board will raise the possibility of independent murder reviews with the MPS centrally. However it would be helpful for Bexley to consider how this potential change would impact on the borough’s work. “ This issue is being considered at MPS level. If implemented, we would value the learning from any independent review, and would ensure that we addressed it in our operational and partnership initiatives.

13. Succession planning - “The Board would like to see the good work and improvement continuing in Bexley and would ask that a close watch is kept on ensuring that succession planning is in place and robust.” Bexley Police have maintained strong performance, whilst changing the Superintendent, DCI and public protection DI, all within four months. Within the Bexley Community Safety Partnership, domestic and sexual violence are elements of our Assaults priority, which is managed by a thematic action group, reporting to the Steering Group and Board. We consider that this rigorous action planning and accountability will assist succession planning and sustainability.

C. Race and equality impact

1. We are concerned to increase the voice and influence of women and women’s groups, and are working closely with the BCPEG. We also need to ensure our services are fully available to women from our Sikh, Muslim and Tamil communities, who are less likely to be fluent in English.
2. We seek to understand the needs of individual victims and to identify when those needs require a change in our service to particular communities. For instance, we have identified a recent increase in reported ‘honour-based violence’ in some communities.
3. The majority of domestic violence victims are female, but we encourage reporting by make victims. We are sensitive to the needs of gay and lesbian, and are pleased at an increased willingness to report crimes and incidents.

D. Financial implications

1. The performance and service improvements outlined above have been achieved without extra police or partnership resources, through robust performance management and prioritisation of activity.
2. If the current increase in domestic violence continues, there will soon be significant resourcing issues for police, council, CPS, courts, probation and the voluntary sector.

Contact details

Report author(s): Chief Superintendent Tony Dawson, Bexley Borough Commander, MPS

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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