Local Safety Audits: A Compendium of International Practice

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Local Safety AuditsA Compendium of
International Practice

• Sohail Husain

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Prevention the direct approach?
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Prevention a government approach
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A strategic approach
Mobilisation
Audit
Inclusion Participation Evaluation Review
Strategy
Action
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Safety audit a definition
A systematic analysis to gain the understanding
of local crime and victimisation-related issues
needed to

• select appropriate priorities
• develop an effective prevention strategy
• Monitor progress
• evaluate achievement

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Similar meaning

• Safety audit
• Safety diagnosis
• Environmental scan
• Crime profile
• Situational analysis
• Strategic assessment

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Scope of safety audits
Context and environment
Problems and concerns
Victims and offenders
Risk factors and causes
Existing services and projects
Strengths, assets and potential
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Some benefits

• Provides a sound knowledge base which
• Reveals social, economic and other linkages
• Engages stakeholders in relevant services
• Builds consensus about where to focus resources
• Informs goal setting and choice of response
• Promotes integrated action by relevant partners
• Sets a baseline against which to measure progress

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Audit principles

• Respect law and human rights
• Model good urban governance
• Inclusive and participative
• Pro poor / marginalised
• Gender, minority and youth perspectives
• Information only to be used for audit
• Objective selection of priorities

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Wider context
Approach is consistent with UN standards and
norms for crime prevention and good urban
governance
well-planned crime prevention strategies not
only prevent crime and victimisation, but also
promote community safety and contribute to the
sustainable development of countries.

• Those planning interventions should promote a
  process that includes a systematic analysis of
  crime problems, their causes, risk factors and
  consequences, in particular at the local level

UN Guidelines for the Prevention of Crime, 2002
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Some challenges
Government competence Building knowledge and
skills Engaging stakeholders Developing an audit
plan Securing resources Sharing information
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Compendium of International Practice
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(No Transcript)
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Lead partners
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International Advisory Group
Chile France Canada Belgium Australia Argentina
Czech Republic
Germany Hungary Italy United Kingdom Ivory
Coast South Africa India Mexico
European Forum for Urban Safety European
Institute for Crime Prevention
Control International Centre for the Prevention
of Crime United Nations Office for Drugs
Crime UN Habitat World Health Organisation
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Local Safety Audits

• Enabling not prescriptive for adaptation to
  diverse environments
• Draws on knowledge and experience from many
  countries
• Offers guidance for application primarily at city
  level

Argentina Czech Republic Ivory Coast South
Africa Australia England Kenya
Spain Belgium France Mali Tanzania Brazil Germa
ny Mexico Uganda Cameroon Ghana New Zealand
United States Canada Hungary Papua New Guinea
Wales Chile India Rwanda Colombia
Italy Serbia
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Structure

• Part A The Safety Audit Process
• Part B Specific issues
• Part C Sources, techniques and tools

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Contents

• Part A The Safety Audit Process
• The wider context
• Audits an overview
• Who needs to be involved
• Knowledge and skills
• Four stages of implementation
• Engaging communities

Poor people want to feel safe and secure just as
much as they need food to eat, clean water to
drink and a job to give them an income. Without
security there cannot be development. Farmers
cannot farm if they are afraid that their land,
livestock or family will be attacked. Girls
cannot be educated if they are scared of the
journey to school. And businesses will not invest
where there is fighting, or where the rule of law
is not upheld. UK Government White Paper on
Eliminating World Poverty (2006)
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Contents

• Part B Specific Issues for Audit Teams
• Children and youth
• Interpersonal violence
• Offenders and their reintegration
• Trafficking in persons
• Alcohol, illicit drugs and substance misuse
• Businesses and crime
• High crime neighbourhoods

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Part B Specific issues
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Contents

• Part C Sources, Techniques and Tools
• Audit information strategic considerations
• Using secondary data sources
• Collecting and using survey data
• Gathering qualitative information

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Availability

• Published in English, French, Spanish
• German version by
• Lower Saxony Crime Prevention Council
• Dutch version
• Ministry of Interior, Belgium
• Hard copy, CD ROM and online
• Downloadable at http//fesu.org
• Distribution via EFUS in collaboration with ICPC,
• NCPC (Canada), UN-Habitat, UNODC, Beccaria
• Free of charge to users (non commercial)
• Released March 2008

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Future developments

• Pilot/demonstrations sites
• Training, technical assistance, coaching
• Region/state specific adaptations
• Practitioner forum
• Further translations

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Contact
Dr Sohail Husain Director, Analytica Consulting
Office 44 23 8025 3863 Mobile [phone]
8791 Email sohail.husain_at_analytica-consulting.co.
uk Web www.analytica-consulting.co.uk