Community and living > Crime prevention >

Community safety

There is a lot we can do outside our home and family to prevent crime. We can take action by getting together with other people and working in partnership with the police and Hackney Council to reduce crime in our Borough. We can help by simply being alert and observant when out and about in our neighbourhoods - or we could apply to join the local Neighbourhood Watch or Special Constabulary. Anyone can play some part, however great or small.

• Roads, footpaths and subways:you can help to maintain a safer environment by reporting to the authorities if streets, footpaths and subways are not well lit.
• Building design:developers and local authorities should demand that new developments like housing estates, shopping precincts and car parks are designed to minimise the opportunities for criminals, and to create attractive and welcoming environments.
• Schools:arson and vandalism cost schools dearly - between five and ten per cent of some education authorities' maintenance budgets are spent repairing vandalism damage. The money could be spent elsewhere by reducing vandalism through good design, sensible security measures and better management practices. Ask what your children's school is doing to prevent vandalism and the risk of arson.
• Home insurance:does your insurance company offer discounts on home insurance if you are a member of Neighbourhood Watch? If not, try to find an insurance company who does.
• Mobile Phones:Every mobile phone has a unique IMEI number - Dial*#06# to get yours and make a note of it so that if it is stolen, you can give it to the police to help recover, or to your service provider to stop the phone being used by anyone else.

Young People

Young people, especially young men, are vulnerable to being victims of crime, and young people sometimes suffer bullying, harassment robbery (particularly theft of mobile phone). The Community Safety Partnership is keen to work with young people to develop youth crime prevention, aiming to prevent young people from become victims of crime or anti-social behaviour.

Think safe and be safe - if you know that there are risks make sure that you don't take them.

Back to Top

Other pages you may find useful

• Vandalism - prevention measures (PID 586)