crime prevention

The road from crime

Video story of Alan Weaver, a former prisoner who successfully desisted from criminal behaviour. It was produced as part of a project to share knowledge and improve understanding about why people desist from offending.

Public attitudes to youth crime: report on focus group research

Paper that reports the findings of a series of focus groups set up to explore public attitudes to youth crime.

The topics included the respondents‟ views of:
- the extent of crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the local community and the perceived causes of these
- restorative justice
- volunteering and the role of the community in preventing crime and in supporting youth justice.

Reducing gang related crime : a systematic review of ‘comprehensive’ interventions

The aim of this review was to find out if ‘comprehensive’ interventions are more effective at reducing gang related criminal activity and anti-social behaviour than usual service provision. This systematic review was published by EPPI-Centre in 2009. .Systematic reviews aim to find as much as possible of the research relevant to the particular research questions, and use explicit methods to identify what can reliably be said on the basis of these studies.

Fraud and error in financial, welfare and revenue services: a systematic map of the empirical research evidence with particular reference to ‘notification of changes of circumstances’

In the context of the overpayment of benefits, this systematic map aims to describe existing research literature on the process of notifying a change of circumstance (CoC) in the fields of financial products and services, welfare provision, taxation and tax credit systems. This systematic review was published by EPPI-Centre in 2011. Systematic reviews aim to find as much as possible of the research relevant to the particular research questions, and use explicit methods to identify what can reliably be said on the basis of these studies.

Prevention and reduction: a review of strategies for intervening early to prevent or reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour

Review aimed at providing a comprehensive understanding of the key characteristics of ‘what works’ in terms of early interventions to prevent or reduce youth crime or anti-social behaviour.

By drawing on evidence from the international literature, primarily the US where the evidence base is especially strong, it provides a critical evaluation of youth crime interventions in England, where the scientific evidence is less robust.

Research soundbites: crime and justice

Video recordings produced as a result of joint work by IRISS and the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) on the topic of recent crime and justice research.

The videos offer short 'research soundbites' based on recent or forthcoming research, and a series of crime and justice discussion recordings which capture academics, policy makers and practitioners talking about key issues around crime and justice in Scotland.

Breaking the cycle: effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders

The safety and security of the law-abiding citizen is a key priority of the coalition government. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their home and in their community. When that safety is threatened, those responsible should face a swift and effective response. People rely on the criminal justice system to deliver that response: punishing offenders, protecting the public, and reducing reoffending.