London Crime Reduction Board meeting minutes - 24 January 2022

Present

Sophie Linden (SL), Deputy Mayor, MOPAC

Sir Steve House, Deputy Commissioner of the MPS 

Cllr Jas Athwal (JA), London Councils

Will Balakrishnan (WB), Director, C&P, MOPAC

Kenny Bowie (KB), Director, S&MPS Oversight MOPAC

Ian Bickers (IB), London Prisons

Sinead Dervin (SD), NHS England

Carolyn Downs (CD), London Councils    

Diana Luchford (DL), CEO, MOPAC

Damian McCleave (DC), CJB

Mandy McGregor (MM), Head of Transport Police, TFL

Jonathan Pickles (JP), Youth Justice Board

Cllr Racheal Robathan (RR), London Councils

Gareth Roberts (GR), London Councils

Cllr Darren Rodwell (DR), London Councils

Rhiannon Sawyer (RS), Asst Director, VRU

Claudia Strut, CEO, YJB

Kilvinder Vigurs (KV), Regional Director, NPS

Claire Waxman (CW), London Victims Commissioner

Apologies

Sadiq Khan, Mayor

Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor 

Barry Hughes (BH), Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS

Lionel Idan (LI), Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS

Officials in attendance

Doug Flight (DF), Advisor, London Councils

Jane E Garvan (JG), HQ Strategy and Governance, MPS

Daniel Houghton (DH), London Councils

Tina Price (TP), Officer, MOPAC

Naomi Sterling (NS), Senior Advisor, MOPAC

The Deputy Mayor, Sophie Linden opened the meeting. Althea Loderick was welcomed to her first meeting. There was an expression of thanks to Carolyn Downs for her contribution to the Board. Apologies were received from Mayor Sadiq Khan, Deputy Mayor Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Barry Hughes and Lionel Idan.

Members approved the minutes of the meeting held on 27 October 2021.

Members noted the action from the previous meeting.

Members received the report and noted that the MPS top priorities in 2021 had been reducing violence and building trust and confidence. It was recognised that the continuing pandemic had impacted Londoners greatly and as such, created challenges in how the MPS approached policing in London whilst supporting the national focus on public health.

It was highlighted that in 2021 there had been a considerable focus on violence against women and girls; ensuring professional standards are upheld within the service and; raising public confidence. It was noted that the MPS recognised the need to re-build trust following the murder of Sarah Everard by a serving MPS police officer. Key elements of the work undertaken to raise public confidence included  launching the review into culture and standards of behaviour led by Baroness Casey, urgently reviewing current investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct and domestic abuse; and publishing the MPS’s Violence against Women and Girls Action Plan.

The MPS set out the focus for 2022 in which they would seek to deliver a step change in delivery and performance and included delivering a step change in tackling violence against women and girls and demonstrating openness and transparency with clear links to trust and accountability.

It was advised that the 2021 London Rape Review had been developed further to the findings of the 2019 Review. It was understood that the updated review provided greater detail on trust and confidence and the level of victims engagement in the criminal justice system following requests for their mobile phones and the requirement to share personal data.

It was highlighted that one of the key findings of the 2021 review was the increase in victims withdrawing from the process, which had risen from 58 per cent to 65 per cent since the 2019. It was impressed upon members that victims of rape were being failed by the criminal justice system with rape seemingly ‘decriminalised’ in London. It was noted however, that the MPSropolitan Police had taken positive steps for work such as Operation Soteria and Bluestone to take place to look at the issues in depth.

The recommendations within the paper were recognised and the importance in partners working together. MOPAC welcomed the recommendations specifically the need to conduct further research to understand victim/survivor withdrawal, the early attrition of victims and the drivers behind this.

In addition, it was recommended that MOPAC undertake a strategic review of ISVA services in London. The view was that the ability to better understand what happens to victims in the first 30 days would allow the highlighted issues to be tackled and addressed accordingly as currently victims feel encouraged to leave and are pushed out by the criminal justice system.

The Board was advised regarding the high level of partnership work and engagement that had taken place to reduce violent re-offending across London specifically by those already known or involved with the criminal justice system.

Focus was given to offenders involved in the teenage homicides of 2021. It was noted that a significant number of these offenders was involved with the criminal justice system. Members discussed the important need to implement a strategy to reduce violent reoffending which included targeted work with those who pose the most risk.

The emerging evidence of there being a distinction between first time offenders and those already known to the criminal justice system was stated and discussed. The disproportionate demographic of Black and African-Caribbean young men (aged 15-19) was highlighted including the likelihood for high risk offenders to have previous convictions for serious violence, sexual offences or robbery. The factors linked to this behaviour were presented for consideration which included adverse childhood experiences, behaviours, social norms and general lifestyle for example, gang involvement.

It was recognised that reducing violent re-offending was an important aim for partners including the MPS, HMCTS and the CJS. The work of partners to reduce violent re-offending was presented and included specialist interventions within prisons and the probation service such as the Resolve Programme and Thinking Skills Programme.

Members discussed their commitment to partnership working and welcomed the strategies employed and those that had been piloted to address violent re-offending.

There was no other business to discuss.