This section contains information about the Community Safety Unit's current funding programmes.

Assistance for developing Community Safety Partnerships is covered by the Community Safety Unit's Partnership Development fund. This is managed by Partnership Development Branch. It provides funding for Community Safety Managers who are located throughout Northern Ireland. The Partnership Development Branch is responsible for the funding of local projects through these local Community Safety Partnerships.

Crime Reduction Branch is responsible for funding Northern Ireland-wide crime reduction initiatives. Current programmes being run by this Branch are:

Stay Safe, Stay Secure Campaign

According to the NI Crime Survey older people are one of the least likely groups to be a victim of violent crime.  However attacks on older people in their home and incidents of bogus callers (or distraction burglaries) are issues of community concern and increasingly they make headline news. The Community Safety Unit working with a number of partner organisations have implemented a range of schemes to address these concerns. 

Click on the titles below to view the initiatives currently under this campaign:

Vehicle Crime

Tackling theft from vehicles is a key component of the Government's strategy to drive down car crime. Based on information and evidence from the police, the Community Safety Unit launched in November 2004 a public information campaign to highlight the threat of theft from vehicles. The key message being promoted by this awareness campaign is "if they see it, they'll steal it". This campaign is delievered currently (but subject to change) twice per annum.  While implemented across NI the PSNI reported crime statistics are used to provide locations where a very localised targeting can be undertaken by Community Safety Partnerships and District Policing Partnerships.

The "key messages" are currently delivered by radio advertisements and other targeted approaches (e.g. billboards on main road routes, leaflets etc).  The PSNI and the DVLNI also provide targeted campaigns addressing untaxed vehicles etc.

Domestic Burglary mtic

During the period 2002/03 to 2006/07 the level of domestic burglary fell from 10,125 reported crimes to 6831.  While the number of burglaries continued to fall in 2007/08 (6712), the level rose to 7351 in 2008/09.  While final figures for 2009/10 are not yet available if you compare the first three quarters og 2008/09 with 2009/10 this is showing a slight increase.

In September 2006 the web-site www.howsecureismyhome.com was launched. The assessment tool for householders can be found on the front page.  A DVD and leaflet is available highlighting the methods employed by thieves to gain entry to a home, the items most frequently stolen and common mistakes made by householders (e.g. between 40-50% of all reported burglaries occur because householders leave doors and/or windows open).

This campaign was later revised and on 1 December 2008, the Close It, Lock It, Check It campaign was launched - it incorporates the web-site.  The key messages remain the same for householders. 

Drug and Alcohol Strategy

The Community Safety Unit provides the Secretariat to the Law and Criminal Justice Justice Advisory Group, one of four Advisory Groups established by DHSSPS to implement a range of activities outlined in the New Strategic Direction for Drugs and Alcohol 2006-2011.  The Law and Criminal Justice Justice Advisory Group co-ordinates the criminal justice issues arising from Government's Drugs and Alcohol strategy.

The Community Safety Unit funds a range of alcohol and drug treatment interventions for offenders who are arrested. 

Illicit Drugs

Since 2005 there have been a number of new laws on illicit drugs including:

  • Drugs Act 2005 - addresses aggravated supply of drugs, powers to carry out drug searches, powers to undertake x-rays and ultrasounds and finally powers to hold a person for up to 192 hours if they are considered to be a drug courier.
  • Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - January 2009 cannabis reclassified from Class C to Class B
  • The misuse of Drugs Act 1971 controls drugs that are "dangerous or otherwise harmful".  Schedule 2 of the Act specifies these drugs and groups them into three categories - known as Classes A, B and C.  This three tier system of classification provides a framework within which criminal penalties are set with reference to the harm a drug has or is capable of having when misused and the type of illegal activity undertaken in regard to that drug.

On 23 December 2009 it was announced that a number of new drugs were to be included in Schedule 2 of the 1971 Act.  These drugs included:

  • gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) and 1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) - Class C
  • 1-benzlpiperazinw (BZP) and a group of substituted piperazines - Class C
  • 15 anabolic steroids and 2 non-steroidal agents (growth promoters)  - Class C
  • Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists - Class B; and
  • Oripavine - Class C

In addition there are a number of other substances available, that are legal, and, if consumed, have the same health impacts as other illicit substances.  These are commonly called Legal Highs.  One of these substances, that is causing concern in communities is called mephedrone.  At present, work is being undertaken by a range of professionals to assess the health impacts of this substance and when completed they will make a recommendation on the future classification of this (and perhaps other) substances.

Alcohol

The Department for Social Development are the lead department for alcohol legislation in Northern Ireland.  However, the misuse of alcohol has potential implications for everyone, whether it creates health harms to your body or whether someone is harmed through violence as a result of consuming too much alcohol.  A number of NI Departments have targets to tackle underage or binge drinking whereas others have a duty to ensure compliance and enforcement of the law.

Lack of awareness of the law is a common problem and over the last few years efforts have been made to address this issue.  For example training of off licence staff has been delivered in areas across Northern Ireland.

Within the NSD for Alcohol and Drugs a number if key activities have been defined.  A Young Persons Drinking Action Plan has been published and a range of organisations are working together to implement the activities defined.