Informed by the evidence base of the causes and impact of violence, the development of a Violent Crime Strategy was seen as an important framework for partners to agree and set out their joint ambitions, objectives and how they would jointly prevent and reduce serious violence.
The Client
I worked with one of the eighteen Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) established under the Home Office’s Serious Violence Fund. A regional VRU was created to develop and deliver a serious violence reduction strategy for its area.
The Problem
The new unit needed a strategy to reduce serious violent crime. A partnership approach was essential so that early intervention and prevention was considered alongside responsive policing. Partners also wanted to ensure the future sustainability of the unit once government funding ended.
The Solution
I provided expertise and capacity for:
- identification, collection and analysis of crucial data such as robbery, domestic abuse and alcohol-related crime.
- research of existing effective practice in the local area and elsewhere—for example, targeted family-focused interventions to prevent young people from becoming involved in local drug markets and violence.
- review of national and local policy, including horizon scanning to future-proof delivery
- development of a partnership consensus on the fundamental problems, their causes and potential solutions.
- drafting, consultation, finalisation, and sign-off of the strategy.
The Outcome
Partners received a clear strategy that provides the framework for investment and action to drive down serious violent crime. The strategy gives a focus for spending the programme funding and includes how to make the Violence Reduction Unit sustainable through cultural change.
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy and Board, which enabled the county to apply to the Violence Against Women and Girls Fund from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This successful application enabled further joint investment and delivery to tackle domestic abuse.
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