Partnerships
Better health, lower crime: briefing for NHS and partner agencies
Crime is a health issue. It affects the health of our communities and individuals within them directly and indirectly. Crime against health service staff, patients and property diverts resources away from health service provision. Reducing crime benefits health services.
This 35 page briefing from NACRO is an initial guide for health agencies which aims to explain why they should become involved in crime reduction.
It outlines the effects of crime on the health service in terms of:
direct effects of crime on individual and public health
indirect effects of crime and health inequalities on individual and public health
as a determinant of illness along with other inequalities
reducing the effectiveness of the health care system
preventable health burdens such as drug dependency.
It explains the crime reduction context, partnership working, sets out the NHS Performance Assessment Framework, and gives guidance on information sharing and suggested strategies. Health action on crime and disorder will not only bring benefits to the health services but also contribute to success in other areas of public life that are closely bound up with crime: poverty, and social and health exclusion.
Download the full document Better health, lower crime 
PDF (167 KB)
Last update: Monday, August 04, 2008