16
Aug
2013
By Calvin at 08:05 GMT, 12 years ago
The College of Policing and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have taken the first step in establishing stronger links with universities across the country as part of a three-year programme of work to build more evidence around what really works in reducing crime.
A consortium of eight universities has today been announced as the successful bidder for an ESRC grant, in partnership with the College of Policing, to support a programme for the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction.
The consortium includes expertise from University College London (UCL), the Institute of Education (IoE), the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Birkbeck, Cardiff, Dundee, Surrey and Southampton universities.
The government has selected the College of Policing to host the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction - part of a world-leading network of centres to guide decision-making in public services.
The commissioned partnership is co-funded by the College and the ESRC and will draw together a strong collaboration of leading UK universities, the police service and crime reduction partners.
The commissioned work will develop academic capacity within the UK to map the existing evidence base for crime reduction, label it for quality, cost and impact, and make it easily accessible for practitioners and decision makers. Their work will also look to establish UK universities as global providers of practitioner training in evaluating evidence of what works and how to use evidence to make effective funding decisions. The partnership will also evaluate the overall effectiveness of the What Works Centre for Crime Reduction.
Following successful award of the grant, work supported by this commission is expected to start in September and will run for three years.
The College Chair, Professor Shirley Pearce said: "This partnership marks an important step in developing the evidence-based approach to policing which is being led by the College of Policing.
"It will significantly strengthen links between the academic sector, the police service and their crime reduction partners.
"By developing the skill base of practitioners in relation to their understanding, appraisal and use of evidence they will be able to make more informed decisions when implementing crime reduction interventions.
"Importantly the work of the university consortium will also contribute to increased public awareness of successful crime reduction methods, highlight areas where further research and development are needed and inform and improve national debates on policies relating to effective crime reduction through seminars and conferences."
ESRC chief executive Paul Boyle said: "We are delighted to be part of a nationally co-ordinated initiative that will strengthen the use of evidence for policy and practice, for the benefit of Whitehall, local communities and the public."
Source - College of Policing: http://college.pressofficeadmin.com/component/content/article/45-press-releases/645
