Neighbourhood Sentinels,
Signal Crimes &
Community Intelligence
Professor Martin Innes
Director, Universities Police Science Institute
Cardiff University
The Backdrop
• ‘Full
spectrum policing’ and increasing
demands
• National security - counter-terrorism and
transnational crime
• ‘Protective services’ - major and volume crime
• Neighbourhood security - disorder, crime,
insecurity
Neighbourhood Security
• What are the drivers of insecurity in
neighbourhoods?
• How can community intelligence help us to
understand these?
• Who are the best sources for this community
intelligence?
Community Intelligence
• Contested concept - widely used no agreed definition
• Intelligence provides insight into future situations
• Information that when analysed provides insight into
risks posed by or to a group with a collective identity
• Crime / criminal / community / contextual
• New methodologies including systematic engagement
• ‘Hearts and minds’ and ‘eyes and ears’
NRPP
• April 2002 - 2005
• 2 pilot + 16 research
sites
• Included deprived /
high crime & more
affluent
• 333 in-depth
interviews (2 waves)
• Telephone survey
n=300 3 waves
Evaluation
Indicator
Confidence in police
Difference between
NRPP and control sites
12%
Self-report victimisation
5%
Perceptions of crime
11%
Safe in area after dark
4%
Know local police
10%
Signals
• A sign that has an effect, otherwise noise
• Change how think, feel or act about
security
• Signal crimes; signal disorders; control
signals
• Target signals for disproportionate impact
Signal Pathways
EXPRESSION
CONTENT
(Risk to)
• Self
• Crime
• Social Disorder
• Physical Disorder
• Significant other
• Personal
property
• Significant other
property
• Neighbourhood
safety
• Neighbourhood
property
• Social order
EFFECT
• Fear
• Worry/ Anxiety
• Anger
• Diffuse concern
• Think area degenerating
• Think about own behaviour
• Labelling groups of people
• Heightened awareness
• Change behaviour
• Direct action
• Joint community control
group
• Moral entrepreneurship
• Try and move out of area
Expression, Content, Effect
There had been a burglary [X] either it was that night or
the night before…I was very anxious [E] then…and it was
the first time in eight years I actually did not feel one
hundred per cent safe [C] (ash214)
The phone box on the corner being vandalised [X] yes, it’s
always getting vandalised that phone box on the corner ,
always…I suppose annoyed really very annoyed [E]. It
brings the area down [E] the community you’re living in
[C] really (F&W84)
Signal Variation
FalconUpper
wood &
Edmonton
welling
St Marys
North
Walton
St Helens
Town
Centre
Aston
New
Parks
Brunswick
Ingol
Youths
Drugs
Youths
Drugs
Drugs
Youths
Drugs
Drugs
Youths
Burglary
Damage
Youths
Litter
Youths
Guns
Drugs
Youths
Youths
Mugging
Mugging
Violence
Damage
Damage
Burglary
Litter
Damage
Assault
Damage
Robbery
Theft
Burglary
Litter
Drinking
Drinking
Youths
Burglary
Mugging
Theft
Assault
Verbal
Mugging
Violence
Violence
Mugging
Violence
Murder
Youths
Assault
Assault
Speeding
Mugging
Drugs
Violence
Begging
Speeding
Drinking
Verbal
Burglary
Guns
Litter
Theft
Rape
Murder
Litter
Damage
Rape
Burglary
Credit
card theft
Assault
Murder
St Helier
Colville
Youths
Drugs
Drugs
Graffiti
Youths
Litter
West
Park
Ash
Failsworth
Youths
Youths
Youths
Youths
Drugs
Drugs
Drinking
Damage
Drugs
Drinking
Damage
Assault
Assault
Drugs
Mugging
Burglary
Antisocial
neighbour
Graffiti
Damage
Graffiti
Verbal
Violence
Verbal
Mugging
Damage
Arson
Speeding
Violence
Speeding
Damage
Speeding
Litter
Drinking
Violence
Theft
Theft
Rape
Burglary
Drinking
Damage
Murder
Violence
Arson
Gangs
Violence
Violence
Verbal
Violence
Burglary
Arson
Arson
Parking
Parking
Verbal
Verbal
Homeless
Drinking
Alleys
Drinking
Litter
Skateboards
Litter
Burglary
Speeding
Urination
Assault
Rape
Litter
Drugs
Rape
SusPersons
Mugging
Lighting
at night
Damage
Arson
Noise
Dark
areas
Dark
Dark
areas
areas
Assault
Verbal
Greenham Burgfield
Neighbourhood Sentinels
• Some respondents gave ‘richer’ more
textured accounts;
• Neighbourhood sentinels;
• Routine activities and social
connectedness;
• Precedents - Gresham Sykes and
Donald Campbell;
• Compare interviews with survey data
Finding Signals
Drivers of Insecurity
Youths
Drug house
C/M Racing Noise
Abuse
Graffiti
X
X
X
X
X
Youths
Drug house
Speeding
Prostitution
X
Intimidation
Drug DP
Signs OA
Fireworks
Youths
Youths
C/M Racing
Vandalised
Bus stops
Drug dealing
Youths
Fireworks Youths
Drug house Speeding
Youths
Robbery
Youths
Youths
Damage
Drug house Youths
X
Fireworks
Noise
Speeding Fireworks Drugs
Youths
X
Vandalised
Bus stops
Youths
X
Youths
Fireworks
Fireworks
Youths
Youths
Arson
C/M Racing
Robbery
Speeding
Drug Use P
X
Summary
• Signal events are the drivers of insecurity
• Community intelligence used to
systematically identify signals
• Engage with neighbourhood sentinels
End
ANY QUESTIONS?
InnesM@cardiff.ac.uk