NORTHUMBRIA POLICE

Problem Title: Area Command Violent Crime

Plan Owner:	Chief Superintendent Allan Curry
Criminal Intelligence Analyst:	Stephen Dargavel
Department/Area:	Gateshead Intelligence Unit
Date Initiated:	17/09/2006
Date of Last Review and Version:	Version 1

This report contains sensitive information and is intended for intelligence purposes only. Before any material contained within the report may be used in evidence, prior consultation with the owner is essential. No part of this report may be reproduced in any form or disseminated in whole or in part beyond the authorised recipient/s without the author’s prior consent.

Problem Background

Force performance figures have been showing an increase in violent crime forcewide of 12.6%, while Gateshead Area Command is seeing an increase of 8.6%, with a target to reduce violent crime by 3%.

Detection rates are currently on par with our target of 53.1%, with sanction detections currently showing as 53.0%.

Cumulative Summary; 01/04/06 – 15/10/06

Is the problem in line with the control strategy?			Yes
Do the problem issues constitute serious arrestable offences?	Yes	If yes, please specify	Violent Crime
What level of risk does the problem pose?		Medium
Is the problem concerning a crime series?				No
Is the problem current ?				Yes

Due to the logistics of data collection the data used in this report may not accord exactly with performance data.

Operational Objectives

Identify cause of increased levels of violent crime within the Gateshead Area Command over the financial year.

Identify problem locations / factors with regard to violent crime to address policing protocols with a view to reduce levels of violent crime.

Record of Authorisations and Actions

Authorisations

Type of Authorisation/Ratification	Signature	Date	Review Date
Initial Development	Ch. Sup. A Curry	17/09/2006

BACKGROUND

Section 47 assaults make up nearly half (46%) of all violent crime. Public order offences (section 4 & 5) account for the next largest proportion (18%) followed by common assault (9%). The other sub-category of violent crime having a significant proportion is robbery accounting for 5%.

Figure 1: Count of violent crime sub-categories

The above named crimes have seen an increase during this financial year. Due to these crimes making up the largest proportion of crime their increases affect our performance more significantly than the decreases of the lower proportion sub-categories of violent crime.

The chart below shows how all violent crime is spread throughout the Sectors, with the Central Sector having the noticeable largest proportion of violent crime. This sector comprises of Gateshead Town Centre as well as the nightclubs of the area command which are associated to the Newcastle night-time economics by the low level bridge.

Figure 2: Violent crime by sector

The table gives a break down of pertinent sub-categories within violent crime, comparing current figures with the same period last year.

Figure 3: Violent Crime sub-categories comparison

HO Code	Description	2005-06	2006-07	Increase / decrease
001/01	Murder / Manslaughter	0	3	+300%
005/01	Sec. 18	37	32	-13.5%
008/01	Sec. 20	35	34	-2.8%
008/06	Sec. 47	660	728	+10.3%
008/11	Offensive weapon	23	47	+104.3%
008/36, 008/37, 008/38, 066/09, 125/58	Racial Offence	36	43	+19.4%
034/01, 034/02, 034/03	Robbery	73	80	+9.5
104/23, 105/03, 105/08	Assault PC / Designated Person	44	33	-25%
105/01	Common Assault	126	143	+13.4%
125/09, 125/11, 125/12	Public Order	236	288	+22%

The table shows how the Area Command got off to a bad start due to the low numbers recorded in April 2005. July also saw an increase during the whole of the month compared to the previous year.

Figure 4: Comparison of section 47 assaults within the Area Command by week

SECTION 47 ASSAULTS

Figure 5: Section 47 assaults by Sector

The majority of section 47 assaults occur within the Gateshead Central sector. The two hotspots for the Area Command are Bensham (C1B1) and the Town Centre / Quays (C1A2). Both areas record similar numbers of offences.

The chart below shows current weekly figures compared to last years figures. From this it can be seen that there have been several weeks which have constantly shown figures higher than last year. This occurred from 2^nd July till 12^th August and equated to an increase of 52%, with the worst week recording an increase of 110%.

Figure 6: Comparison of section 47 assaults within the Area Command by week

2^nd July – 12^th Aug

The two main hotspot areas with regard to Section 47 assaults are shown on the maps below. These are located at Bensham and the Town Centre / Quays. Both areas are approximately the same size (¼ mile²), with each area accounting for 9% of section 47 assaults.

Figure 7: Section 47 assaults hotspot map

Figure 8: Bensham hotspot locations

The map opposite gives a breakdown into the section 47 assaults that have occurred in the Bensham hotspot since the beginning of the financial year. The red squares relate to domestics, neighbours and other known associates of the victim, the yellow squares relate to stranger/street offences. From this it can be seen that the majority of offences in this area are where the victim knows the offender(s).

50% of the ‘known offender’ assaults have involved the victim or offender consuming alcohol.

Temporal analysis of the Bensham hotspot reveals that offences occur from 4pm till 2am, with the majority of offences occurring on Friday. It can be seen from the graphs below that offences are greater during the weekends, increasing as the night draws to an end.

Figure 9: Day of week and hour of day charts regarding the Bensham Hotspot

Above analysis shows how offences are alcohol related, although not occurring at licensed premises (3 at licensed premises). Offenders are drinking at or obtaining alcohol from a licensed premise and will return home and become involved in a dispute with a family member, associate or neighbour.

Figure 10: Town Centre hotspot locations

The map opposite gives a breakdown into S.47 assaults that have occurred in the hotspot since the beginning of the financial year. It shows locations of alcohol related offences (green squares) and non alcohol related assaults (yellow squares). Within this hotspot there are clear separate areas with regard to alcohol and non-alcohol related assaults.

The alcohol related assaults in this hotspot are down at the quayside with a small number of offences along the High Street, behind the Police station at the bars and take-away premises.

A cluster of non-alcohol related offences occur at Gateshead Metro Interchange, while the rest of these types of assaults are spread from the Town Centre across to Trinity Court / Monk Court / Abbot Court.

Since the majority of offences in the above hotspot are drink related (57%) the core periods are over the weekend. All the offences at the Quays are between 11.40pm and 3.50am with the main days being Friday night/Saturday morning and Saturday night/Sunday morning. The times of the offences around the bars on the High Street (behind police station) are again over the weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) from 7pm till 10.30pm.

There is no peak period apparent in relation to the non alcoholic offences which occur on every day of the week between the hours of 10am and midnight. The majority of offences (6) have occurred on a Monday, there is no geographic link to these offences and the types of assault are also varied.

PUBLIC ORDER

The majority of public order offences are committed around the Gateshead Central Sector, accounting for 38%. Offences occur over the weekend – Friday and Saturday night/morning from 9pm till 3am. These occur on the Quay, Gateshead High Street and the Metro/Bus Interchange.

Figure 11: Day of week and hour of day charts regarding Public Order in the Area Command

The probable cause of these times and hotspots are due to the policing methods used, with high visible patrols being placed in hotspot areas at the relevant times which will inevitably increase the number of arrests, due to the nature of the offence.

COMMON ASSAULT Figure 12: Common Assaults by Sector

Although the Gateshead Central area has the majority of common assaults (28%) the gap between this sector and the others is not as great as that of section 47 assaults or public order, with the South and Inner Sectors almost taking up a quarter of all offences also.

This slight concentration of offences around Gateshead Central is depicted in the map below. The map shows the number of individual offences that are clustered together. The count of offences is shown within the yellow rectangle.

Figure 13: Cluster map of Common Assaults

Temporal analysis of offences throughout the Area Command does not reveal any pattern, with crimes occurring throughout the week from 10am till 2am with a peak period between 3pm and midnight.

Figure 14: Day of week and hour of day charts regarding Common Assault

Figure 15: Comparison of common assaults within the Area Command by week

ROBBERY Figure 16: Robberies by Sector

The Central Sector sees the largest proportion of robberies, recording more than twice as many as any other sector. This sector accounts for nearly half of all robberies in the Area Command. 86% of offences within the Central Sector have been ‘street’ robberies, with only 3% (one crime) to a commercial premise. The other 11% are comprised of offences occurring at a college, hallway, public house toilet and Metro Station.

There is no hotspot with regard to robberies but there are repeat locations. These are Sunderland Road along the C2 Hotel beats (5 offences); Coatsworth Road, C1A1 & C1B1 (4 offences); Carr Hill Road, C1G2 (3 offences); Hexham Road, C5N1 (3 offences); Split Crow Road, C5M4 and Team Street C5M1 (2 offences each).