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:
— 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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