Section 17
Within the Crime & Disorder Act 1998, Section 17 requires local authorities, police authorities and other agencies to consider crime and disorder reduction and community safety in the exercise of all their duties and activities.
Potentially this is a powerful tool, requiring authorities to look at the crime reduction potential of all their policy, budgetary and other decisions and service provision. The recent introduction of a more performance driven regime for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, supported by reporting structures introduced in the Police Reform Act 2002, is likely to further highlight the variation in responses to Section 17.
Section 17 states:
‘Without prejudice to any other obligation imposed upon it, it shall be the duty of each authority… to exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of these functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area’
Community Safety impacts on the work of most departments and service areas. Through Section 17, officers and elected members have an opportunity to consider how each service area can contribute to reducing crime and disorder, addressing the social, community and physical ‘drivers’ of crime and so enhancing quality of life for local communities.
Taking this approach will also help achieve ‘Best Value’ in the delivery of local services. Recognising these links, many local authorities are using their best value review process to help drive continuous improvement.
Section 17 states:
‘Without prejudice to any other obligation imposed upon it, it shall be the duty of each authority… to exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of these functions on, and the need to do all that it reasonably can to prevent crime and disorder in its area’
Community Safety impacts on the work of most departments and service areas. Through Section 17, officers and elected members have an opportunity to consider how each service area can contribute to reducing crime and disorder, addressing the social, community and physical ‘drivers’ of crime and so enhancing quality of life for local communities.
Taking this approach will also help achieve ‘Best Value’ in the delivery of local services. Recognising these links, many local authorities are using their best value review process to help drive continuous improvement.
Partnership Approach
The Crime and Disorder Act Review which extends Section 17 (under mainstreaming crime reduction) of the 1998 Act to cover anti-social behaviour, environmental crime, alcohol and substance abuse extends the number of ‘responsible authorities’ under the Act, a ‘duty to co-operate’ to be placed on partners, along with other potential legislative levers to strengthen partnership working.