Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs Written Evidence


20.  Written evidence from Crimestoppers

  I attach our response to your letter of 20 March.

1(a)   Whether the NI experience of paramilitary involvement in organised crime affects the approach Crimestoppers takes in terms of carrying out its work

  The situation of NI Crimestoppers is indeed unique, due to the previous threat of terrorist activity. Post ceasefire the situation of organised crime has been run by the different paramilitary organisations, as is well documented by the Independent Monitoring Commission. Due to this, the threat of reprisal against those members of the public that wish to rid their community of criminality frequently carries the ultimate price of death. This puts greater responsibility on to our experienced call handling team in ensuring that the anonymity of callers is preserved right from the outset, including careful procedures within the Crimestoppers office, and that the caller is assured as to their anonymity.

  Assessment of calls to Crimestoppers tends to indicate callers emanate from all sections of the community from all sections and divisions of the NI community and social strata. Although the office is part of PSNI, its operates behind a Chinese wall, adhering to ACPO Guidelines on the management and protection of information passed to it.

1(b)   Whether the NI experience of paramilitary involvement in organised crime affects the volume of calls made to Crimestoppers in NI

  Prior to the introduction of NI Crimestoppers and during the height of the troubles, a Confidential Telephone service was introduced. Whilst it was not anonymous (albeit it was used as such on occasion) it was publicised as confidential and a "safe" number in the context of the time. It would be safe to say that these two numbers cannot be compared due to the fact that the confidential telephone was marketed in such a way that it was an instrument through which the security agencies sought to further protect the community and at the same time ensure the safety of those that called. Another difference between the two would be that Crimestoppers relates to all aspects of crime, not just terrorism.

  Volume of calls relating to organised crime (Annex 1) can only be compared against other Crimestopper regions. Compared to the NI population being 2.85% of the UK's population, in 2005 3.73% of the calls made to Crimestoppers originated in NI; therefore Crimestoppers in NI "does better". This may not be just due to the nature of criminality; the NIO is highly supportive and Crimestoppers is very well publicisied there. Also, in 2004 in NI, 38.7% and in 2005, 50.7% of calls received, related to areas that would traditionally be perceived as those relating to organised crime.

2.   Whether the work of Crimestoppers in NI differs from its GB regional offices

  In principle, the work of Crimestoppers NI does not differ to that carried on at the other GB regional offices. However, as referred to in 1(a) above, one obvious difference relates to the impact of organised criminality that has emerged as a consequence of the 30 years of civil unrest. The fear and knowledge of reprisal is well known and well documented thereby all sections of the community are aware of the consequences of it being known that they have helped the authorities. Whether the knowledge and awareness of these reprisals is as extensive throughout other communities within GB, we are unable to comment on, but we suspect not.

3.   What steps Crimestoppers NI takes to publicise its independence from the police

  It is an accepted reality within NI society that Crimestoppers is perceived as being part of the police. The fact we are an independent charity operating in partnership with the police has a low level of awareness throughout NI, and this is accepted by our local Board to be one of the major challenges to be faced in terms of developing our work. Crimestoppers' campaigns regularly stress its independence.

  In pursuance of this we recently secured funding from the Northern Ireland Office to launch a major television/radio/newspaper advertising campaign focusing on our:

    —  charitable status;

    —  our independence from the police; and

    —  the fact all callers are guaranteed total anonymity.

  The recent trend of calls would indicate that whilst call volume is down, results determined by arrests etc is up (Annex 1).

  The programme also provides for Market Research to be carried out at the conclusion of the campaign to evaluate the success in achieving the core objectives.


 
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