Community Safety Law
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The crime prevention and community safety legislation on this page provides the foundation to the development of the formal crime and disorder partnerships. This area provides direct links to current UK community safety and related legislation. During 2007 a series of 'national standards' are being developed which will enable CDRPs to have a core range of clearly described ways of working.
Crime and Disorder Act 1998
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 gave local authorities and police services duties to work together to develop crime and disorder audits crime and disorder audits and implement reduction strategies and to work in partnership with other agencies - Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership's (CDRP's) - to tackle the identified problems. Over the years this has evolved through legislation and practice.
Police and Justice Act 2006
The Police and Justice Act 2006 has comprehensively revised the CDA 1998. The new Act places a duty on responsible authorities to share evidenced-based data to support CDRPs. This now also includes the Fire Service, Probation Service, Health Service, local Police Authority and a representative of Registered Social Landlords (Housing Associations).
The legislation also places a new duty on CDRPs to join together in a formal strategic group to undertake frequent strategic assessments of levels and patterns of crime and drug misuse in their area and to produce annual rolling three year community safety plans (details of which are contained in Statutory Instrument 1830 SI 2007/1830 and SI 2007/1830 (Explanatory Memorandum) which came into force on 1 August 2007.
The provision of information to undertake the strategic assessments are covered in Statutory Instrument 1831 SI 2007/1831 - Print version and SI 2007/1831 - Explanatory Memorandum.
The Act also provides for the local authority scrutiny of the CDRPs activities (but the implementation of these may be delayed subject to the current Policing Review's development and findings.
Statutory Public Accountability for CDRPs
The provisions contained within section 19-21 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 which extend the remit of local authorities to scrutinise the functioning of the local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and Community Safety Partnership in Wales, will be commenced on 30 April 2009 in England and in Wales from October in 2009.
It will put in place arrangements that ensure that every local authority has in place a committee with power to review and scrutinise, and make reports or recommendations, about the functioning of the CDRP/CSP responsible authorities (local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, police authorities, the police, primary care trusts in England and local health boards in Wales).
The draft provisions are accesible via this link, Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Regulations 2009.
In addition Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) will commence for crime and disorder matters, alongside other local government matters.
Key Legislation Links
Statutory duties to develop Crime and Disorder Partnerships, auditst and strategies : ASBO's; YJB; Youth Offending Teams.
Development of crime and disorder strategic assessments, minimum standards for community safety, overview and scrutiny; amendments to CDA 1998; Parenting Orders; ASB injunctions; fixed penalty notices etc.
Community Safety Accreditation; anti social behaviour; CDRP's and drugs misuse duties.
Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005
The CN&E Act joins together environmental enforcement duties with community safety strategic work.
Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003
This Act developed the initial ASB introductory legilsation within the CDA 1998; it includes closure notices, parenting orders, dispersal notices and fixed penalty notices.
Other Relevant Legislation Links*
Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 | |
* See Counter Terrorism page for anti terror legislation
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