Sutherland Shire Community Crime Prevention Plan 2018 - 2021 - Tel: 9710 0519 - Sutherland Shire Council
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Sutherland Shire Community Crime Prevention Plan 2018 - 2021 Prepared by Economic and Community Development Tel: 9710 0519
CONTENTS Contents MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF SUTHERLAND SHIRE......................................3 COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PLANNING ......................................................4 RELATED STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS ......................................................................5 INTRODUCTION TO THE SUTHERLAND SHIRE......................................................6 CRIME DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................7 SELECTION OF THE PRIORITY OFFENCES............................................................8 1. Assault - Domestic Violence related ..................................................................8 2. Malicious Damage to Property – Graffiti ............................................................8 SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS...........................................................................................9 PRIORITY OFFENCE 1: MALICIOUS DAMAGE – GRAFFITI ................................9 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING & EVALUATION ..............................................16 SUTHERLAND SHIRE CRIME PREVENTION PLAN 2018 - 2021 ACTION PLAN..17 Target offence: Malicious damage to property - Graffiti .........................................17 SUTHERLAND SHIRE CRIME PREVENTION PLAN 2018 - 2021 ACTION PLAN..19 Target offence: Assault - Domestic Violence related .............................................19
MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR OF SUTHERLAND SHIRE Sutherland Shire is a great place for many reasons. One of these reasons is that it is a safe place for individuals and families to live, work and play. Our low crime rates are a result of the emphasis that our community places on both being safe and feeling safe. Our community rightly expects that Council, Police and other stakeholders are working collaboratively to reduce crime. This collaboration is reflected in the Sutherland Shire Crime Prevention Plan 2018 – 2021. We are building on the success of the previous Crime Prevention Plan 2014 - 2017 which focused on graffiti vandalism and alcohol-related assault. The initiatives put in place over the last four years contributed to a reduction across all of the major offence categories in the Sutherland Shire. The Sutherland Shire Crime Prevention Plan 2018 - 2021 identifies a range of actions that will continue to improve our response to graffiti vandalism and also address domestic and family violence. While vastly different issues, they share a complex, cyclical nature that requires a whole-of-community response. Carmelo Pesce Sutherland Shire Mayor
COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION PLANNING The Sutherland Shire Community Crime Prevention Plan 2018 - 2021 seeks to provide a multi-faceted strategy for reducing crime and improving public safety in relation to two target offences selected in consultation with the community. The Plan reflects the Guidelines for Developing a Crime Prevention Strategy as provided by the Crime Prevention and Community Programs Division of the NSW Department of Police and Justice. The Guidelines state that Local Government is the lead agency for identifying and implementing local crime prevention strategies in NSW.1 While the Crime Prevention Plan has been written by Council, the NSW Police Force and community sector stakeholders were closely involved in its development and will continue to be key stakeholders involved in the delivery of the Plan. NSW Police Force The NSW Police Force has primary responsibility for reducing crime in the local area by identifying and apprehending offenders, deterring opportunities for offending and monitoring crime trends to highlight emerging issues and hotspot locations. Locally, the Police facilitate bi-monthly meetings of the Sutherland Shire Crime Prevention and Community Safety Precinct Committee, on which Council and community services are represented. Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Committee The Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Committee was established in 2005 and is comprised of representatives from the NSW Police Force, Council and the community sector. It has developed a number of award winning domestic violence prevention projects including community awareness campaigns and provides a platform for sector development toward best practice domestic violence interventions and victim support. Abuse of Older People Collaborative Local government and community organisations have formed a partnership to heighten awareness of the abuse and neglect of people over the age of 65. This interagency will have a lead role in implementing initiatives addressing abuse of older people, including improvements to reporting outcomes at the local level. 1 Guidelines for Developing a Crime Prevention Strategy, NSW Department of Police and Justice
RELATED STRATEGIC DOCUMENTS
The actions in this plan reflect the strategic documents of key partners as well as the
broader strategic directions at state and national levels of government.
Strategic Plan or Policy
NSW Government NSW State Plan 2021:
- Local Government Areas to have stable or falling
reported violent crime rates by 2019.
NSW Police Force Corporate Plan 2016-2018
- Prevent and reduce domestic violence.
- Maintain safe public places.
NSW Domestic and Family Violence Blueprint for reform
2016-2021.
Healthy, Safe and Well: A Strategic Health Plan for Children,
Young People and Families
Preventing and Responding to the Abuse of Older People –
NSW Interagency Policy 2015
Sutherland Shire Community Strategic Plan 2017
Sutherland Shire
Council Sutherland Shire Council Draft Development Control Plan
2015INTRODUCTION TO THE SUTHERLAND SHIRE
The Sutherland Shire is located on the southern coastal fringe of metropolitan
Sydney with approximately 230,000 residents and 88,000 households.2
In 2011 the Sutherland Shire local government area (LGA) was ranked 138th out of
153 NSW LGAs for relative socio-economic disadvantage.3 This indicator is derived
from local attributes within the Shire that reflect disadvantage, including low income,
jobs in relatively unskilled occupations, high unemployment and low educational
attainment.4 Our low ranking on this scale is proportionate to our relatively low rate of
crime.
Within the Sutherland Shire, Miranda had the highest level of socio-economic
disadvantage, with a rank of 59. This still represents a lower level of disadvantage
than the average rank for Greater Sydney (52), New South Wales (43) and Australia
(47).5
2 NSW Department of Planning Population Projections, 2016
3 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Socio-economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) data, 2011
4 .idcommunity at http://profile.id.com.au/sutherland, 11 April 2017.
5 ibid
6CRIME DATA ANALYSIS
How the Sutherland Shire compares to NSW based on 5 year trends across
most major offence categories
Percentage Five Year Trends
Offence below NSW (2012-2016)
average in 20156
Malicious damage to
Incidents reduced by 29% from
property (includes but is - 22%
1,843 in 2012 to 1,306 in 2016
not limited to graffiti)
Incidents reduced by 31% over the
period with a peak of 935 incidents
Steal from motor vehicle - 40%
in 2013 decreasing to 614 incidents
in 2016.
A spike of 44% between 2014 and
Steal from retail - 41% 2016, possibly related to large scale
retail development at Miranda.
Stable over the period, decreasing
Assault (not domestic by 28% in 2012-2014 and then
- 42%
violence related) increasing again by 28% between
2014-2016
A 31% reduction from 282 incidents
Motor vehicle theft - 47%
in 2012 to 193 in 2016.
Reported incidents decreased
Assault (domestic between 2012 and 2013 but have
- 48%
violence related) been increasing ever since, with 486
incidents reported in 2016.
Incidents increased between 2011
and 2013, overall decreased by
Break and enter dwelling - 55%
33% between 2012-2016, with 350
incidents in 2016
Robbery (all 18 reported incidents in 2016, a
- 58%
subcategories) reduction of 74% since 2012.
6 Rate per 100,000 population, Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015
7SELECTION OF THE PRIORITY OFFENCES
The two focus crime categories for the Sutherland Shire Crime Prevention Plan 2018
- 2021 selected in consultation with Police and the community are:
1. Malicious Damage to Property – Graffiti.
2. Assault - Domestic Violence related.
REASONS FOR THE SELECTION
Although very different in nature, these are two crime areas that share a complex,
cyclical nature and are likely to be significantly under-reported. The prevalence of
these offences is also likely to be a lot higher than what the statistics indicate.
1. Assault - Domestic Violence related
The consequences of domestic and family violence are far reaching. For the
individual victim it can result in physical, emotional and mental trauma, family
breakdown and homelessness with long-term consequences for children. Socially, it
can create poor intergenerational health, education, employment and crime
outcomes.
Statistics show that domestic violence related events, or at least the reporting of
these events, has been increasing since 2013. Despite this, it is considered to be
significantly under-reported, with the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research
identifying that less than half of all people who have been a victim of domestic
violence report the incident to police.
The ageing population is particularly vulnerable to domestic violence. Parents are
more likely to have adult children living with them for longer periods and over time
may become dependent on these children and other caregivers for home-based
care. There is concern that the domestic abuse of older people will increase as the
population ages, yet this group is statistically even less likely to report domestic
violence compared with other victims of the same offence.
2. Malicious Damage to Property – Graffiti
Graffiti in public places tends to impact negatively on a larger proportion of the
community because it lends itself to a perception of poor safety and can ‘deactivate’
whole areas, particularly at night, resulting in poor social and economic outcomes.
Despite a good overall reduction in reported incidents over the period 2011-2015,
graffiti vandalism in the Sutherland Shire is higher than all neighbouring LGAs and is
approaching on the Sydney Statistical Division average. Council’s Community
Research Survey suggests that Council’s management of graffiti is not meeting
community expectations.
8SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
PRIORITY OFFENCE 1: MALICIOUS DAMAGE – GRAFFITI
Malicious damage to property refers to deliberate damage to public and private
assets such as fires, smashing windows, defacing property with markings and/or
graphics without the owner’s consent.
Graffiti vandalism is constituted by the use of a graffiti implement (i.e. spray can, a
marker pen, or any other implement designed or modified to produce a mark that is
not readily removable by wiping or by use of water or detergent). It is an offence
under both the NSW Crimes Act 1900 and NSW Graffiti Control Act 2008.
KEY POINTS IN THE SHIRE
Sutherland Shire is ranked 4th highest of the top 10 local government areas in
New South Wales for the number of recorded graffiti incidents. Hotspot suburbs
in the Shire are Cronulla, Caringbah, Menai and Sutherland.
The graffiti culture in the Sutherland Shire is predominantly word-based ‘tagging’.
Offenders are motivated by peer recognition within the graffiti subculture. The
level of notoriety is often measured against the number of highly visible tags and
the risks taken to execute the crime.
There are a number of success indicators to reduce graffiti vandalism, including
immediate reporting and rapid removal. A fast turnaround reduces opportunities
for taggers to gain notoriety, thereby reducing their motivation to reoffend and
breaking the graffiti cycle.
Preventative techniques are encapsulated in the Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design (CPTED) paradigm, and include surveillance, territorial
enforcement, access control and management
Respondents to the 2016 Sutherland Shire Community Research Report felt that
graffiti impacts their quality of life. They were less likely to agree with the
statement that “Graffiti is adequately controlled” particularly in Council Ward C
(spanning Caringbah, Sylvania, Kareela to Jannali).
9Top 10 Ranked NSW LGAs for Graffiti7
Rank Local Government Area Number of incidents
1 Wyong 399
2 Lake Macquarie 353
3 Sydney 350
4 Sutherland Shire 335
5 Blacktown 309
6 Newcastle 270
7 Blue Mountains 256
8 Wollongong 229
9 Marrickville 152
10 Gosford 147
Key Situational Factors for Graffiti Incidents8
Offence Hotspot areas Priority time Likely victims Offender
for removal and days profile
Malicious Cronulla - 450 Friday and Residential property Males
damage to incidents Saturday between
property nights 562 incidents 10-17
Caringbah - 228 Outdoor public spaces
(includes incidents between 6pm 338 incidents years.
Graffiti) and 12am
Menai - 108 Public transport
incidents Key month: 191 incidents
September.
Sutherland - 107 Retail/wholesale
incidents 107 incidents
7 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research at www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au, 11
April 2017.
8 AUSGR database, 2016 Calendar year
10Sutherland Shire Graffiti Hotspots
October 2015 - September 20169
9NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016, © State of New South Wales (Department of Justice).
11PRIORITY OFFENCE 2: ASSAULT – DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
RELATED
Domestic and family violence refers to physical, psychological and other harm
committed by the perpetrator against somebody they are in a domestic relationship
with.
It may include a range of behaviours including emotional, psychological and financial
abuse, stalking and intimidation as well as physical and sexual assaults as defined in
the NSW Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007.
KEY POINTS IN THE SHIRE
There has been an increasing trend in the number of domestic violence related
assaults recorded since 2013, with 486 incidents recorded in 2016.
In 2016, Sutherland Shire was ranked 114th out of 139 local government areas,
with an average rate of 214.8 incidents per 100,000 head of population.
Engadine, Menai, Caringbah and Cronulla are the suburbs with the highest
reported incidents of domestic violence.
In 2016, female victims tended to be between 25-44 years old and male victims
between 35-44 years old.
“Abuse of an older person” is a category in which 10% male victims and 7% of
female victims were characterised in 2016.
Alcohol and drug use is reported as a contributing factor in more than a third of
recorded offences.
12Five year trend for domestic violence assaults10
This Chart above illustrates the number of domestic violence assaults over the past
5 years. In 2012 there were 447 domestic violence assaults. In 2013 there were 374
domestic violence assaults. In 2014 there were 441 domestic violence assaults. In
2015 there were 454 domestic violence assaults. In 2016 there were 486 domestic
violence assaults.
Regional domestic violence comparison, 201611
NSW Local Government Area Rate per 100,000
Rank population
52 Sydney 466.5
59 Bankstown 424.7
77 Rockdale 348.6
81 Hurstville 323.8
86 Canterbury 311.7
91 Botany Bay 294.1
99 Kogarah 262.1
105 Randwick 250.3
108 Marrickville 236.1
110 Leichhardt 233.2
111 Waverley 232.5
114 Sutherland Shire LGA 214.8
116 Ashfield 206.6
10 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016.
11 Ibid, Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils members prior to Council amalgamations.
13120 Burwood 199.2
126 Woollahra 148.4
14Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Hotspots
October 2015 - September 201612
Key situational factors for domestic violence assaults13
Hotspot Priority time/ day Likely victims Offender profile
Hotspot suburbs Key month: July. Females aged Males aged 40+,
40+, followed by followed by males
Sutherland LAC: Key time and day: females between between 20 and 29
Engadine followed Fridays between 18 and 29 years. years.
by Menai. 6pm and 12
midnight.
Miranda LAC:
Cronulla followed
by Caringbah.
12 NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016, © State of New South Wales (Department of Justice).
13 Miranda and Sutherland Local Area Police Command Crime Data.
15IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING & EVALUATION
Sutherland Shire Council will be responsible for monitoring the Plan, milestone
reporting and coordinating the evaluation of outcomes.
NSW Police and community project partners, including those on the Sutherland
Shire Domestic Violence Committee and Abuse of Older People Collaborative, will
monitor and provide Council with information evaluated against their own project
objectives and milestones.
Council will provide biannual status updates to the Sutherland Shire Crime
Prevention and the Community Safety Precinct Committee and to the NSW Attorney
General.
Council will evaluate the Plan with a focus on outcomes, emerging issues and future
priority areas. The evaluation will be supported by a range of data sources, including
the Local Protocol that Council shares with the NSW Police Force for the exchange
of information and interagency cooperation. Council will also draw upon information
recorded on internal customer reporting systems and the NSW Bureau of Crime
Statistics and Research.
16SUTHERLAND SHIRE CRIME PREVENTION PLAN 2018 - 2021 ACTION PLAN
Target offence: Malicious damage to property - Graffiti
Rationale for the crime prevention approach:
The use of Crime Prevention Though Environmental Design principles coupled with a rapid removal policy and youth engagement
have proven to be successful at deterring graffiti vandalism.
Objective:
To remove visible graffiti swiftly.
To reduce the reoccurrence of graffiti at identified hotspot locations.
To break the cycle of graffiti offending by juvenile offenders.
Lead agency and partners:
Sutherland Shire Council (Lead agency)
NSW Police Force – Miranda and Sutherland Local Area Commands (Project partner)
Sutherland PCYC (Project partner)
Chamber of Commerce (Project partner)
Local Rotary Clubs (Project partner)
Volunteer Graffiti Removal Squads auspiced through local non-government organisations (Project partner).
Expected outcomes:
Visible graffiti is reduced at identified hotspot locations.
NSW Police Force records fewer incidents.
Engagement by commercial and residential property owners/tenants in graffiti management education and outcomes.
Engagement by juvenile offenders in education and reduced recidivism.
17No. Initiative Key Performance Indicators Lead Agency Timeframe
Maintenance of Council’s service standards including:
Rapid removal of
Remove non-offensive graffiti on council property within 7 days;
1. graffiti from council Council Ongoing
2 days for offensive incidents.
property.
Remove 80% of all graffiti reported to council within 7 days.
Graffiti Reduction
Increasing numbers of participants educated and engaged
2. Intervention NSW Police Ongoing
Reduced recidivism by program participants.
Program (GRIP)
Prevent public Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
domain graffiti principles implemented to reduce graffiti vandalism at identified
3. Council Ongoing
vandalism at sites, includes greenscreening, anti-graffiti coatings, wall murals
hotspot locations14 etc.
Crime Prevention
principles are CPTED integrated into Council’s development assessment processes
4. integrated into and appropriate referrals are made to NSW Police and/or Council’s Council Ongoing
environmental Economic & Community Development Team
planning outcomes
Engage
commercial and
residential
Residents and businesses educated, empowered and engaged
property owners
5. Distribution of individual graffiti removal kits Council 2018/19
and tenants in
graffiti Resourcing of community-based volunteer graffiti removal squads
management and
prevention
14 Aspects of initiatives 3 & 5 are subject to external funding provision
18SUTHERLAND SHIRE CRIME PREVENTION PLAN 2018 - 2021 ACTION PLAN
Target offence: Assault - Domestic Violence related
Rationale for the crime prevention approach selected:
Recognition that a collaborative approach is required to break the cycle of violence through initiatives including education,
risk identification, improvements to reporting and referral pathways, victim support and perpetrator behavioural change.
Identification of gaps in education and service provision for children aged 0-18
Identification of abuse and neglect in older persons in an ageing population increasingly dependent on home-based care.
Objective:
To promote and support local services and improve risk identification, referral and reporting pathways.
To increase awareness about family and domestic violence, particularly impacts on younger and older victims of abuse.
To reduce gaps and support new innovative family and domestic violence programs and services.
To increase engagement in accredited perpetrator behaviour change programs.
To promote community responsibility and bystander engagement in relation to domestic and family violence.
Lead agency and partners:
NSW Police Force, NSW Health, specifically local hospitals and Health Centres and NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian.
Sutherland Shire Domestic Violence Committee (SSDVC) and partnering agencies, including local domestic violence
programs run by non-government organisations.
Expected outcomes:
Increased reporting of incidents of domestic violence before reduction becomes evident.
Services report better integration, fewer gaps and more efficient referral and reporting processes.
Individuals and families at all life stages are receiving support and education to break the cycle of abuse.
19No. Initiative Key Performance Indicators Lead Timeframe
Agency
Gaps identified and systems changed.
Reporting and referral processes more efficient and user
Support community
friendly
1. service provision and All Ongoing
Services financially supported and sustainable
information sharing
NSW Police DV Disclosure Scheme supported.
Collaboration by stakeholders in community events
Engage a wide range
of personal service and Resources/workshops to support GPs, personal service and
Biannual
2. care providers in risk care workers to identify risk, provide referrals and report abuse. SSDVC
workshops
identification, referrals Increased reporting to NSW Police
and reporting
Education on domestic/family violence impacts on young Biannual
Target early children campaign
3. intervention for all Sustainable accredited child safety workshops in early SSDVC
children aged 0-18. childhood centres, primary and secondary schools underpinned Annual
by trauma informed practices program
Support perpetrators to
engage in accredited Increasing referrals and participation rates in accredited Enough Is
4. Ongoing
behaviour change programs. Enough
programs.
Identify opportunities to
Information and access to targeted services for male victims,
support a wide range of
5. seniors, CALD and LGBQTI communities All Ongoing
domestic and family
Elder Abuse Helpline & Resource Unit supported and promoted
violence victims.
Improve housing
outcomes for victims of Safe crisis and transitional accommodation available
6. SSDVC Ongoing
domestic and family Victims supported to live safely in their own homes
violence
20Challenge societal
attitudes and
7. Community campaigns that address responsibility and response All Ongoing
responses to family
and domestic violence
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