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This ground breaking study by the Police Foundation and Perpetuity Research has, for the first time, attempted to assess the nature, scale and impact of organised crime on local communities. It has revealed a wide range of complex issues, opening up an new agenda for research, policy and practice.
In previous research we found that the police do not always acknowledge or prioritise the most harmful crimes. This can be due to low reporting or because of the limitations of the available crime data.
As part of this project we developed a narrative for organised crime that is rooted at the local level. Based on this understanding of local harms, we recommend solutions to reducing the impact of serious organised crime.
The approach
Members of the research team were based within three cities in two police force areas. They examined police data sets, interviewed practitioners and drew on input from local or national agencies outside the police service. The study assessed:
- The scale of victimisation and where it is occurring.
- The impact of organised crime on local communities.
- The nature of organised crime that has a local impact.
- How effective police and partner agencies are in responding to organised crime.
Our findings
What’s next?
The Police Foundation and Perpetuity Research are continuing with their successful partnership to collaborate on a follow-up study focusing on improving the local response to fraud. Find out more…