Hate Crime Symposium
Hate Crime: Policy & Practice
11th September
Hendon Campus, Middlesex University
Theo Gavrielides, CEO
Anthony Salla, Hate Crime Policy Officer
Race on the Agenda
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Social policy think-tank set up in April 1984 which works with London’s
Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and others
interested in race equality, towards achieving social justice by the
elimination of discrimination and promotion of human rights, diversity and
equality of opportunity.
We achieve these aims by informing London’s strategic decision-makers
about the issues affecting the BAME third sector and the communities it
serves and by making government policy more accessible to London’s
BAME organisations
Current policy priorities: Crime & Anti-social behaviour, Equalities &
Human Rights, Community Cohesion, Health & Social Services and
Regional Government.
Restoring Relations Project (RRP)
A London-wide cooperative initiative, which aims to help reduce hate crime and its
impact through the use of restorative justice and the encouragement of multi-agency
partnerships between the Third Sector and crime reduction agencies.
Aims
Reduce hate crime in London boroughs by encouraging stakeholders to concentrate
resources on types of crime, types of victims and perpetrators and geographical
areas
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Produce models for short-term conflict resolution and long-term prevention
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Forge and maintain multi-agency partnerships between Third Sector
organisations and statutory bodies
Methodology
Phase 1: Desk Research (June 2006 – June 2007)
Phase 2: Fieldwork (June 2007- 2008(
Phase 3: Dissemination and implementation (2008 – ongoing)
Youth Advisory Group – acting as a scrutiny panel
Funders since 2006
KEY FINDINGS: Gaps & Challenges
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Definitional ambiguity: research/policy/legislation/implementation.
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Reporting of hate crime
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Nature of hate crime in London
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Hate crime as a multi-dimensional issue
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Working in Silos
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An effective response from the CJS for lesser incidents is currently absent.
MAIN FINDINGS: Recommendations
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Prevention – the key to combating hate crime
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Supporting community based Restorative Justice programmes
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Building, maintaining and sourcing cross-sector multi-agency partnerships
ROTA: Moving forward together
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Transformative Justice Forum (Increase collaboration between the Third
sector & statutory bodies and formulate strategies to share best practice).
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Develop and inform policy about the needs of groups that suffer high
victimisation levels
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Increase awareness of CJS and support services available to victims
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Training and networking
Topics for discussion:
• Best practice examples: multi-agency work
• RJ, prevention and young people
• Policy and legislative improvements for moving forward
Contact Details
Race on the Agenda
Unit 101, Cremer Business Centre,
37 Cremer Street
London E2 8HD
020 77291310
CEO: theo@rota.org.uk
Policy Officer: anthony@rota.org.uk