Publications
Evaluating the impact of Crimestoppers
Crimestoppers has been in operation on a national scale since 1988 and now covers every part of the United Kingdom, operating across 29 regions. The main function of the service is to provide free, anonymous telephone access to one of 29 Crimestoppers units based in police services throughout the country, using one national freephone telephone number (0800 555 111). Callers are guaranteed anonymity and offered cash rewards of between £50 and £500 for information which helps the police to detect or prevent a crime. The Crimestoppers model has generally been regarded as a successful means of assisting police forces to respond to crime. Crimestoppers schemes have now been established in more than 20 countries around the world.
Title: Evaluating the impact of Crimestoppers
Authors: Peter Gresham, Janet Stockdale, Ivon
Bartholomew
Series: Home Office On-line reports 22/03
Number of pages: 56
Date published: April 2003
The report
This report describes research undertaken for an evaluation of Crimestoppers in the UK. The main objectives of the study were:
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to identify the types of information gained and assess Crimestoppers contribution to the detection, investigation and prosecution of specific crimes
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to quantify the inputs, outputs and outcomes of Crimestoppers, if possible, in comparison to alternative methods of information collection
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to assess Crimestoppers ability to access and generate information from communities that might be considered 'hard to reach'
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to examine the wider role that Crimestoppers plays in the generation of police intelligence generally
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to identify potential areas where the performance of Crimestoppers might be improved.
Main findings
National call patterns
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There are variations among the regional units regarding numbers of effective calls. This is partly explained by the wide definition of the word 'effective'.
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According to figures received from British Telecom, nationally Crimestoppers received almost half a million calls in 2000. Eleven per cent of these resulted in actionable intelligence.
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The number of calls to Crimestoppers rises during the day, usually peaking between 4.00pm-5.00pm and tailing off into the evening.
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Nationally, 44 per cent of calls in 2000 were made between 5.00pm-9.00am, when most of the Crimestoppers units were closed.
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The number of calls to Crimestoppers nationally was broadly consistent Monday to Friday, while fewer calls were made at the weekend. Nevertheless, over one fifth of all calls were made on Saturdays and Sundays, when most units are closed.
The performance of the Crimestoppers units
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In 2000 there were 56,555 actionable calls to Crimestoppers.
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Nationally, actionable calls to Crimestoppers relate to a variety of crimes but most common are drugs (34%); vehicle crime (14%); theft (7%); burglary (4%) and robbery (4%).
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The number of successful outcomes (arrested, charged or cautioned) attributable to actionable Crimestoppers information increased each year between 1988 and 2000. In the year 2000 there were 5,423 successful outcomes, some nine per cent of all actioned calls.
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There are variations in the apparent effectiveness of Crimestoppers in tackling different crime types. In particular, Crimestoppers appears to achieve a high success rate in solving drug-related offences compared with other offences.
The impact of Crimestoppers on police investigations
Of actionable calls:
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72% provided the name of a suspect
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85% provided a crime location
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90% were logged onto a Crimestoppers database
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81% were passed to an investigating officer, rather than research unit although there were significant variations among the regions studied (this ranged from 100% in Croydon and Southwark to 14% in Northumbria).
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17% resulted in an arrest, although there were variations among the regional units; ranging from 49% in Southwark to 7% in Northumbria.
Almost half (43%) of actionable calls resulted in no feedback to the Crimestoppers units though, again, there were differences between the regions. (For example, feedback was received in 87% of cases in Croydon but only 23% of cases in Durham.)
Overall almost half (47%) of actionable calls tracked provided useful information, 14% of which were considered by investigating officers to be vital.
Caller Motivation
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The most common motivation for calling Crimestoppers was considered by officers to be community concern.
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The promise of anonymity was considered by most Crimestoppers unit officers to be important to the success of Crimestoppers.
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The promise of reward was considered to be a motivating factor in only a minority of cases.
Costs and benefits
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There were major difficulties involved in estimating the cost and the benefits of Crimestoppers, and these difficulties mean that it has not been possible to make a meaningful cost-benefit analysis.
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When input costs are compared with outcomes, an estimated total financial cost of £4.664 million leads to a claimed 5,423 resolutions of crimes (arrests, cautions, charges). This gives a cost of £860 per outcome.
Conclusions
Crimestoppers appears to play a small (compared with the size of the criminal justice system) but significant part in the fight against crime. In financial terms the true yield of Crimestoppers appears to be at least equal to and possibly well in excess of its cost. This is not including any benefits other than purely financial ones.
Almost half a million calls in 2000 suggest that Crimestoppers has been successful in getting its message across to the public. Of these calls Crimestoppers own figures suggest that about 11% (56,555) of the calls result in actionable information. That is information considered to be important enough to pass to investigating officers. In the year 2000, 5,423 calls to Crimestoppers provided information leading to an arrest or charge – this is one per cent of all calls or ten per cent of all actionable information.
Crimestoppers appears to receive a significant number of calls about drugs and has enjoyed particular successes in dealing with drug related crimes:
Overall, too many calls are being made when the units are shut. At least one fifth of calls nationally are made on Saturdays and Sundays when most of the units are closed. Feedback to the Crimestoppers units is also low. In-depth analysis showed that the impact of Crimestoppers is greater than its own figures suggest. It may be that as much as 17 per cent of actionable information results in an arrest, charge or caution and that almost half (47 per cent) provides some form of useful information.
Recommendations
The Crimestoppers Trust
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Crimestoppers Trust staff devote a large proportion of their time to fundraising activities. This is essential to the maintenance of the scheme as it is structured at present but detracts from the Trust's central role, to organise publicity for the scheme. A way of maintaining a reliable and constant stream of funding should be identified.
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The Crimestoppers Trust should provide a greater level of co-ordination of marketing activities nationally and locally. In particular, branding issues should be addressed and the effectiveness of promotional materials assessed.
Staffing and resources
Far too many calls fail to result in any conversation at all with a police officer. To address this issue, the police should investigate methods of improved telephone response, with shorter (if any) recorded messages.
One possible solution would be to provide resources to extend the operating hours of existing units, perhaps using one or more of the following means:
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the use of civilians has been suggested, but the added-value a trained detective can bring in the course of a typical call cannot be overstated
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the use of retired police officers could be considered
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to divert out-of-hours to regional call centres.
As a minimum standard, callers should be asked to hold by a human voice rather than by a machine, after being reassured of anonymity and that their call is free of charge.
Training
Many investigating officers do not recognise the potential value of Crimestoppers as a crime detection tool and there is variance among regions in the level of commitment to the scheme. This could be improved if more priority were given to awareness training, targeting all levels of the police service.
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Last update: 20/05/03