Crime Control Partnerships: who do we trust?

Abstract

In his recent book Crime and Modernity, John Lea has written that “The social foundation of modern crime control is that various types of conflicts have been handed over to the state to sort out”. However, in many areas of criminal justice and crime prevention policy it appears that the state is now handing back much of this responsibility. Policing, for example, is becoming increasingly privatised as security companies flourish and local authority financed community safety wardens proliferate. In addition, residential communities are increasingly encouraged to play a part in both the maintenance and restoration of order on our streets. Indeed the practice of involving and consulting with local communities in ‘the fight against crime’ was enshrined in New Labour's flagship Crime and Disorder Act of 1998 — and community participation has become an integral part of many policy initiatives, from involving local residents in helping the police to reduce the number of burglaries in their area, to giving victims a part to play in the criminal justice process. The particular rhetoric which has accompanied this move, and which has been perceived as driving policy in this direction, strongly suggests that crime should no longer be dealt with by expert agencies structures which have been set up in local areas to oversee the design and implementation of community safety strategies. But can the professionals so easily give up the power and autonomy they have previously enjoyed and if they can, will local residents respond in a similar spirit of co-operation?