Safer South Gloucestershire,* Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Avon Fire & Rescue Service and South Gloucestershire Council have worked in partnership to produce the DVD called ‘Damage Done… it doesn’t just happen’.
The interactive resource is the first of its kind in the country and includes a downloadable teaching package for schools across South Gloucestershire. It tackles issues of criminal damage such as arson, vandalism, graffiti and the possible consequences of these actions.
Pupils at a local secondary school were shown a test screening of the DVD and their feedback was incorporated into the final cut. A group of students will be at the screening.
Safer South Gloucestershire commissioned the DVD as part of its comprehensive agenda on tackling criminal damage, in line with its focus on early intervention and education of young people.
Targeted at Years 7 to 10 (11 – 15 year olds), the project aims to raise awareness on the common problems associated with criminal damage, and ties in with Key Stage 3-4 of the Citizenship programme and some aspects of the PSHE programme.
A sample of the lesson plans which will accompany the DVD will be made available at the launch.
Key statistics:
According to the Home Office it is estimated that the economic and social cost of criminal damage in England and Wales is in excess of £2.2 billion per year. (2008)
Nationally, 27% of all crime is Criminal Damage according the British Crime Survey (2008). However, it is estimated that only 32% of criminal damage is reported to police authorities nationally, indicating that the full extent of the problem may be greater.
Currently, in South Gloucestershire 19% of all crime is criminal damage, but since April 2007 the authority has seen an 11% reduction in the area.
The ‘Damage Done’ project takes a groundbreaking approach to engaging with young people on issues of criminal damage, as well as promoting closer partnership working and highlighting the work done by education authorities to combat this behaviour.
Philippa Isbell, speaking on behalf of the Safer South Gloucestershire partners involved in the project, said: "We know the effects that seemingly 'minor' damage can have on our communities and people's sense of safety and well-being.
"The young people we talk to are often surprised to find they can be arrested for criminal damage and they do not understand the effect of having a criminal record on their future opportunities, such as employment.
"The DVD will serve as a valuable tool to ensure we continue to work in partnership to reduce incidents of criminal damage."
Sarah Jones, Teaching and Learning Adviser at South Gloucestershire Council, added: “We developed this teaching package to highlight the unseen damaging effects that vandalism and anti-social behaviour can have on people’s lives, and to get young people to really think about the consequences of their attitudes and actions.”
Over the coming weeks, the Safer South Gloucestershire Partnership will be making ‘Damage Done’ available to each secondary school in South Gloucestershire. It will also be made available nationwide for use by other community partnerships to help support a multi-agency approach to tackling criminal damage.
Watch the trailer here, second link down: http://www.firetv.org.uk/firetv/Watch.htm?vid=1&Gallery=YourShout#
For further information about ordering this resource, please contact: Sarah Rea at ICE marketing and communications on 0151 647 4700 or email sarahr@icecreates.com