Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Business & Business & Retail Crime

Small Retailers in Deprived Areas Guidelines for Practitioners

Contents

Introduction

This article provides guidelines for practitioners working on projects that aim to increase the security and viability of small retailers, specifically projects that would be eligible for assistance under the small retailers in deprived areas (SRDA) initiative. These recommendations may be of interest to the police, CDRPs, local authorities, and other regeneration and voluntary groups working in the field.

The key learning points and recommendations that have emerged from the year one and two SRDA projects have been arranged thematically and are highlighted with relevant practical examples.

Project Design/Targeting

When deciding which areas are suitable targets for SRDA funding, there are several questions to consider:

How to select an appropriate area for action

  • Is the target area a deprived area? How is it deprived - are the particular problems with unemployment, crime, housing?

  • It is important to prioritise those areas where crime and disorder problems threaten the viability of small businesses, rather than simply targeting known crime hot-spots.

  • Are local residents deprived in terms of access to local shops and services?

  • How will the SRDA project work alongside other active schemes in the area? Would the funds be better spent extending an existing scheme?

  • If the project requires businesses to co-operate e.g., forming a trading association - gauge the community's willingness to collaborate on collective action, before work starts.

  • What are the particular crime and disorder problems in the area? Crimes against retailers are frequently not reported to the police. Consequently, official crime figures alone are unlikely to provide an accurate picture of the crime and disorder problem.

  • Indeed, projects that consult with businesses and customers about their experiences of crime are likely to be the projects with the most realistic aims about crime reduction.

  • One project used the expertise of Crime Prevention Officers who visited three possible target areas, talked to the businesses and conducted a survey of the crime and disorder problems. By consulting the business owners the project overcame the problem of low crime reporting and gained a more accurate picture of the problems the traders were facing.

Which premises within the target area should receive funding?

Another key consideration is how to ensure that the funding is targeted at appropriate premises within the target area. Here again, a 'scoping' exercise can be useful as it allows the project team to survey retail premises to determine their vulnerabilities and need. One case study used a simple scoring system to assess how eligible each store was for receiving security equipment. The system addressed three key issues:

  • Firstly, the level of vulnerability, i.e. how highly victimised is the premise?

  • Secondly, whether the store provided an essential service.

  • Lastly, the existing security provision within the store.

Despite the focus on small businesses, it may sometimes be appropriate to involve larger retail stores (such as supermarkets) in SRDA projects. This is not only because these stores can provide essential services, but also feedback from some existing projects suggests that their involvement can add credibility to the scheme, fostering further involvement from small businesses. Furthermore, excluding larger retail premises from projects that are relying on collaboration amongst retailers to prevent crime can undermine the effectiveness of such action.

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Building a Project Team - Getting Businesses Involved

Use existing networks of contacts - consider involving representatives from relevant local agencies and community groups from the start of the project. This can help to bring in further expertise and practical knowledge, building useful associations to take the projects forward. It may also be easier to involve businesses, if a familiar local agency is already part of the project.

'So, there's no doubt about it, if you've got the experience it does help you to get in the people to do some work as well' (Project Manager, March 2003).

It can be difficult for businesses to co-operate, particularly where they are in direct competition. If businesses are not fully involved with the scheme, more individualistic businesses may view the scheme as a way to boost their competitive edge, rather than as a vehicle to improve collective security or community gain.

'...something that we didn't expect is that we have created a whole community set up again ...you know yourselves, in lots of retail places businesses don't actually talk to each other because you're in competition - so you are all working your own little bit, looking after your own problems and you tend to look at security issues in same way. Now because we actually meet regularly, share information, work together, we now look at it as a town centre that we are all collectively responsible for' (Project Manager, March 2003).

It is important that businesses feel able to contribute to the project from the initial stages and again, conducting an initial scoping exercise is often a good way to gain the businesses perspective of the problems. Agencies may want to involve representatives in a steering committee or hold more informal regular meetings with the businesses. Consultation with all parties throughout the process and crucially, after the project ends, is key in identifying the most suitable interventions and it may also help to foster valuable co-operation between businesses.

One project manager talked about the need to build up business involvement gradually. Start, by getting them involved on an individual basis with the scheme. Then get businesses co-operating with each other. A final aspiration might then be to get them to take more ownership of the immediate retail area (this final stage offers a potential bridge between business partnerships and community-based partnerships or CDRPs).

However, businesses will need on-going support if they are to be encouraged to develop partnership arrangements in this way. If agencies themselves cannot provide direct managerial support then the other alternative is to support and build up a 'champion' amongst the targeted retailers, who can drive the project forward.

Getting businesses fully involved in the project not only fosters ownership and ensures greater sustainability of the scheme, but often business owners and staff can contribute vital skills to the project, such as knowledge of financial management, procurement and planning.

'We were lucky in that we are business people that know how to put business plans and things together. I say that because for a voluntary group that's a pure voluntary group to be able to do this, in the time that we did it... they would struggle' (Project Manager, March 2003).

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Planning the work and installing the measures

Staffing and Procurement Issues

Year one SRDA projects were asked - in completing project monitoring forms - to indicate the main sources of any implementation problems that they had experienced. Their responses are summarised in the table below. As can be seen many of the problems raised related to staffing issues and issues centred around procurement and planning.

Implementation Problems

Have any of the following interventions impacted on the implementation of work?

[Multiple responses allowed]

Total Asked

62

100%

1

Delays in waiting for equipment

18

29%

2

Staff turnover

12

19%

3

Delays in release of funding

12

19%

4

Delays with planning permission

11

18%

5

Knowledge/skills gap in project team

10

16%

6

Disinterest/lack of involvement

10

16%

7

Difficulties with evaluation

9

15%

8

Difficulties with data

4

6%

9

Difficulties in hiring staff

4

6%

10

Poor/inflexible project planning

3

5%

Fig 1 - Implementation Problems Experienced By Year One Projects.

At the start of the project consider how long the procurement and planning process will take - using the skills and contacts of partners, and indeed of businesses themselves, is often a useful strategy for avoiding problems. If a contractor has been recommended by another agency, then it is likely they will be reliable and perform well again.

Another frequent source of implementation difficulties is the loss of key members of staff. When staff leave it is usually not only available staff time that is lost, but typically key skills and knowledge, together with contacts and established working relations, which may be critical to the smooth running of a project. Moreover, recruiting new staff usually takes some time, time that may not be available within tight project timetables. Two key steps for avoiding disruption include proper handover arrangements and appropriate level of strategic ownership of the project to ensure that any transition is safely negotiated without loss of continuity or momentum.

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Thinking Through Implementation

As the table above shows some projects experienced problems with poor project planning. It is key that projects adopt a flexible and logical approach to ensure that the final package introduces a complementary mix of interventions, which are sensibly tailored to address the crime and disorder problems of the target area.

In this respect good project management is not only about implementing what has been planned but having the creativity and flexibility to adapt implementation to changing circumstances.

A shortcoming in some projects has been that interventions have been introduced in a rather mechanistic way without sufficient thought being given to how the effect of the interventions can be maximised and sustained. Physical interventions interact with the social environment in often complex and subtle ways and careful thought needs to be given to both how interventions will be perceived and how they will be used. An example of this complexity is provided in the case study example to the right.

In thinking through how an intervention should work, it is often helpful to systematically break the intervention down to test one's assumptions about exactly how an intervention will work in solving the targeted problem. This entails not only thinking about how a given intervention will work at its most basic level, but also identifying those underlying factors on which the success of the intervention might depend. An example of how one might 'map out' an intervention in this way can be found below.

Implementation - thinking through design and use

In one project a path running behind a row of shops was frequently being used as a 'rat run' by thieves who used the path to make off with stolen goods and to break into flats that were located above the retail premises. The project originally considered simply closing off this path to block access by offenders. However, the path was also an official right of way and a popular short cut for locals, so this proposal had to be abandoned.

The project then considered installing lighting and a camera to illuminate the area and to provide images of offenders. However, it was realised that the speed at which offenders moved along the path was such that effective camera images would probably not be captured. The solution to this was to fence off the path but not to block access. Instead, a self-closing, slide-bolt gate was installed which provided the only means of access to the path. This gate was also directly situated by the camera and lighting. Thus, people were 'corralled' through this gate, and in the time it took them to open the gate a good quality image of individuals could be recorded by the camera.

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A Tool to Map Out How Target Hardening Might Work In Practice

It is helpful for projects to systematically 'map-out' how they envisage their interventions working to solve the targeted problem(s). This will help project participants identify what is critical to a given intervention working effectively. An example of one such mapped intervention is provided below.

Here the proposed intervention is providing security equipment for retail premises at risk of victimisation. The desired outcome is shown at the bottom of the diagram as a reduction in incidents of burglary, criminal damage and vandalism. The critical linking factor is the 'mechanism' through which this intervention achieves this outcome. In this example there are two principal mechanisms. First the security measures physically prevent offenders from gaining access, and then second, the presence of measures deters offenders from attempting to commit offences in the first place as they come to perceive that this requires too much effort.

Expected Mechanisms/Outcomes of Target Hardening

Subsidiary Mechanisms/Outcomes:

Offenders see target hardening of individual premises as evidence that crime opportunities in the wider area are reduced (sometimes termed the 'halo' effect). This results in reduced crime in adjacent non-target hardened premises.

Staff/owners of target hardened premises become increasingly vigilant as a result of the interventions and/or the target hardening measures facilitate easier surveillance. This may lead to a greater risk of offender apprehension and an increase in the perceived risks of crime.

Staff/owners of target hardened premises become more protective of surrounding retail premises and/or target hardening measures facilitate easier surveillance of a wider area. This has the same outcome as above, but across a wider area.

Conditional Factors:

The following lists some of the key conditions may need to be in place if the intervention is to work in the way anticipated:

1. Target hardening equipment is suitable to the vulnerabilities and existing design of premises

2. Equipment is installed effectively

3. Equipment is explained to, and effectively utilised by premises staff

4. Equipment is maintained to ensure sustainability

What is useful about such a simple mapping exercise is that it also stimulates two further types of thinking which are illustrated above. First, it helps us consider ways in which the specified intervention might be enhanced or reinforced - either through an amended process of implementation or in combination with other interventions. Second, it assists us in the identifying the 'conditional factors' on which the effectiveness of the intervention might depend. For instance, if equipment is to work through physically blocking offender access, then it needs not only to be installed correctly, but it must also be used effectively by retail staff (which may necessitate some basic training at the point when the equipment is introduced).

Examples of the first type of thinking can be found above under 'subsidiary mechanisms/outcomes.' For instance we have hypothesised here that target hardening measures may have an enhanced impact through offenders perceiving that such measures are more widespread in the retail area than they actually are. Consequently, offenders are deterred from attempting to commit crime against a wider range of premises than simply those that have received equipment. Now if security equipment is simply introduced passively, and in isolation, into each targeted retail outlet then the likelihood of this intervention producing such an added benefit is minimal. However, this benefit might be attained if the equipment is introduced alongside a suitably well-targeted publicity which flags up the action in the area, and which persuades offenders that the effort and/or risks involved in committing crime in the area in general are now too high.

Ensure that there is sufficient and on-going provision for quality checking and refinement throughout the installation process.

Consider what impact any installation work may have on the daily work of businesses - it is important that any installation work is carried out with the minimum of intrusion so that businesses do not lose too much trade.

Projects using CCTV may like to consider how to maximise the benefits of the system. For example, when linked in with a radio system the cameras can be used more actively by shop staff, who can alert other shops to the presence of known shoplifters. Staff can then take steps, such as moving staff to front of store, to prevent snatch thefts etc. However, where co-operation between businesses is low it may be appropriate for schemes to use CCTV more passively.

Retailers may often be keen to purchase for themselves security equipment but may be deterred from doing so due to uncertainty about their needs, and about what equipment would be suitable and cost-effective to match their needs. One project developed a novel approach to assist retailers with these sorts of decisions.

Helping retailers to help themselves

A good practice example in one SRDA project relates to the provision and use of internal CCTV systems. Here the project realised that many CCTV systems on offer to the retailers were too sophisticated or too expensive for the premises concerned, or were used ineffectively. However, the scheme could not afford to fund internal systems for all the premises involved in the scheme.

Their solution was to purchase a number of mobile CCTV kits installed on a temporary basis in those stores suffering the most problems. After a period of usually three months the cameras would then be moved to another store. The intention was that this temporary loan would give retailers experience in using an appropriate CCTV system and would hopefully encourage them to buy their own system. In fact, several retailers had purchased systems as a result of this approach.

The effectiveness of interventions will also be enhanced if appropriate training and support is provided to businesses that have received new equipment. Clearly, inadequate training can mean that businesses cannot use their security equipment effectively, which may, in some cases mean the equipment is not used at all which undermines the effectiveness of the project.

This can in turn create a 'virtuous circle' as training and support can in turn help foster a greater ownership of the interventions by recipients and hence ensure sustainability of use and impact.

Making the most of physical interventions, training and guidance

SRDA schemes should offer appropriate training and guidance to ensure that the right interventions are in place and that they are used to maximum effect.

One SRDA scheme provided detailed training to ensure that installed CCTV systems were used effectively in conjunction with the scheme's other main intervention, the town centre radio link. In order to record good images that could be used for evidential purposes, CCTV cameras were located in shop entranceways, thus providing good natural light and generally getting an upright, full-frontal shot of suspects. Stickers advertising the presence of cameras were also usually placed on shop doors to deter potential offenders. Finally, using the radio link, retail staff could pass on physical descriptions (but not names) of approaching potential offenders to other retail premises. This gave premises time to move staff to the front of shop to provide to prevent potential offenders from undertaking snatch thefts of stock.

It is important for projects to also consider how they can engage with customers using the targeted retail area. To achieve this there is a need for projects to first, build up a sense of ownership and partnership among businesses themselves, and then to get businesses to start to take wider ownership/responsibility for the general retail area.

Working in Partnership

Few schemes funded under the SRDA involved businesses getting involved in working with wider partnership forums.

One exception to this was a scheme where the project manager forged some temporary partnerships to deal with the problem of youth nuisance in the town centre caused by a problem gang of youths during school holiday periods.

The manager, as an active resident in the local area, had the experience to organise a series of meetings with all the key agencies that might have a purchase on the problem, including local schools, the local regeneration forum and the police.

Through this temporary partnership the response to the problem was first, to collate information on all the available free diversionary activities in the area. Having done this, the SRDA scheme participants advertised these activities, by displaying posters in their windows and keeping leaflets in the shops. The aim was to divert bored youths away from nuisance behaviour in the holiday by providing them information on free recreational activities. This approach apparently led to the majority of the 'gang' finding more constructive activities and reducing nuisance behaviour in the town centre. This then left a more manageable hardcore of youths who were then subject to more intensive police targeting.

Using local media can help projects influence how customers perceive and use the retail area, although sometimes it can be difficult to control how the media to present the story. Therefore, it is often beneficial for projects to draw upon the experience of partners who have an existing and proven relationship with local media.

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Sustainability

Sustainability needs to be considered in terms of:

  • the maintenance of equipment

  • training and support to ensure proper use of equipment

  • fostering business ownership of project

It is crucial that the project manager revisits the project regularly after the measures have been implemented to check that the installation has been completed satisfactorily, to ensure staff are using the equipment appropriately and to identify any areas where action may need to be taken in order to ensure the sustainability of the equipment.

'The one thing I would do [with hindsight] is have a handover exercise and sit down with the shopkeepers...we never did that and I suppose I've not paid the attention I should have done' (Project Manager, March 2003).

Planning for Sustainability

Two of the most common challenges faced by projects in attempting to achieve sustainability has been retaining the capacity to co-ordinate the project beyond the end of any external funding period and retaining the commitment and input from any participating agencies.

One SRDA site was particularly effective at dealing with these problems. First, businesses benefiting from the scheme's interventions paid a modest monthly fee to be part of the scheme. This fee not only covered the on-going maintenance costs and insurance costs for the scheme's interventions, but it also covered the costs associated with renting, heating and equipping the project office.

Second, the scheme partly depended on effective working relations with the local police. However, the project had found in the past that these working arrangements had been prone to suffer when key police participants moved post or station. Consequently, to secure a more reliable long-term contribution from the police service, the project manager lobbied the local police superintendent. The solution that the police came up with was to enter into a service level agreement with the project, which formalised the minimal level of support, that the police service would provide the scheme. The manager hoped that this would go someway to 'insure' the scheme against future disruption caused by a turnover in police personnel.

 

It is important to support businesses after implementation. This can be particularly important if there is a danger that certain retailers might suffer a backlash from local offenders for making a stand against crime and disorder. For example, one business owner responsible for a CCTV monitoring station reduced the angle of one CCTV camera following a threatening attack by drug users worried about the level of information he was storing. This highlights the importance of continuing to consult with businesses on an on-going basis following implementation.

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Last update: 11/09/03

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