Temporal dimensions of vulnerability to crime in economic sectors

This paper presents the results of research into vulnerability to crime in two economic sectors in Belgium. Vulnerability to crime is an integration of diverse temporal factors. We address pre-crime and post-crime aspects of vulnerability, arising before and after the criminal event in an economic context. Based on interviews with professionals, security staff, law enforcement agents and with criminals in the transport sector and the hotel and catering industry, a study of police files, and inspired by ecologists’ work on resilience, we explore vulnerability to crime as a multifaceted factor undermining the sustainability of businesses

Public opinion and policy on crime prevention in Europe

In this second monitor report the focus is put on people’s perceptions and attitudes on the one hand, and on priorities in crime prevention policies across Europe on the other hand. What does the general public think about the police: their relationship with the communities, their effectiveness in preventing crime, their fairness with which they wield their authoritative power, their integrity,...? What do Europeans think of the effectiveness of policies on the different levels (national vs. European)? What do they believe to be the challenges to the security in the prevention and fight against crime? These are some questions approached in this report. The information and data used to answer these questions come from the Trust in the Police & Courts Module of the European Social Survey and from the Eurobarometer surveys conducted by the European Commission. Besides these existing survey data, the EUCPN Secretariat collected some additional data from the EUCPN members on the priorities in the crime prevention policies in their countries. More specifically, questions were asked about the country’s top three priorities in crime prevention policy/strategy and compared to the country’s three most prominent crime problems based on crime statistics. Also, it was examined whether or not the top three priorities in the country’s crime prevention policy were based on statistical or recorded data, or – if not – what other basis was used to pick these priorities. And finally, some questions were added about any remarkable or new developments in the Member States over the past five years

European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN)

The European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) was set up by Council Decision 2009/902/JHA on 30 November 2009 repealing the establishing Council Decision 2001/427/JHA. The Network consists of a Board and a permanent Secretariat as well as contact points which are designated by each Member State. The European Crime Prevention Network contributes to developing the various aspects of crime prevention at the Union level, taking account of the European Union crime preventive strategy, and supports crime prevention activities and good practices at the national and local level. In line with the Council Decision a Multiannual Strategy sets out long-term orientations for the European Crime Prevention Network

Community (oriented) policing in Europe: concepts, theory and practice

This second toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Cyprus Presidency, which is community policing. The theme is explored and elaborated in four different ways, through: a theoretical paper; a survey among the European Member States on the organisation of community policing in their country, followed by an in-depth discussion during two round table sessions; a workshop/ seminar with various experts and a particular focus on radicalisation, or which role community policing can play in the prevention of radicalisation, which is an important European issue and priority; and finally, a bundling of this year’s European Crime Prevention Award’s (ECPA) entries as a list of examples of good practices across Europe

Crime, criminology & criminal policy : Interdisciplinary Research Consortium with focus on societal impact

Ghent University launched thematic interdisciplinary consortia with focus on societal impact (IDC). The IDC Crime, Criminology & Criminal Policy is one of the first consortia founded in 2013. Based at the Faculty of Law and Criminology the IDC Crime, Criminology & Criminal Policy deals with the domain of deviance and its (policy) response, including the areas of crime and security. The consortium brings together 21 professors and their staff from different disciplines in six departments working inter-disciplinary on security, crime and deviance related topics in local, national, European and international contexts. In close cooperation with several Ghent University based research institutes the consortium combines available knowledge and expertise at Ghent University on crime, deviance and security. The range of topics covers e.g. criminal justice systems and criminal policy, drugs, evaluation of crime and P/CVE initiatives, cybercrime, big data, security, technology, data protection and privacy, intelligence services and private security, policing, financial crime, geography of crime and crime control, crime science, transnational organised crime, incarceration, forensic social welfare and forensic mental health care, youth justice and children’s rights, sexual violence, risk management security research policy. The consortium fosters knowledge exchange and knowledge translation, strengthening societal value creation leading to societal impact and stimulates synergies and cooperation with academic, policy and practice partners from different disciplines

Ghent University’s interdisciplinary SSH-consortia : a tool to enhance the societal impact of research

This paper presents Ghent University’s initiative to launch thematic interdisciplinary SSH-consortia (IDC) with a focus on societal impact. After a pilot phase the SSH-consortia were recently evaluated to receive sustainable funding and embedment in the University (policy) structure with the objective to enhance the societal impact of SSH-research. During the pilot phase the consortia developed bottom-up and experienced pitfalls and developed promising practices. The core of the consortia lies on fostering interdisciplinarity and societal value creation leading to societal impact. Coordinators hold a pivotal position within the consortia. They are permanently assigned to guarantee a sustainable working and development of the consortia. The pilot phase showed that the interdisciplinary cooperation between the consortia and with the central Research Department provides added value in the working on societal impact

Vulnerability assessment of economic sectors with regard to organised crime

In pre-crime policy space risk assessment becomes more and more relevant for law enforcement intending to appraise the threat and the impacts of organised crime. Very often assessments are being approached from the perpetrator’s side. Starting from the environmental angle, in this paper we will present a future oriented method to ascertain the vulnerability of licit economic sectors concerning organized crime by focusing on the opportunities provided. By applying this method, it will be possible to assess and rank loopholes within economic sectors which could be exploited by organized crime. The developed approach is planned to be applied to the transport-, export/import- and catering sector and builds one pillar of a research project whose goal it is to appraise the dangerousness of organised crime in Belgium

The informal economy in Belgium's hotel and catering sector: survival strategy and crime risk

This paper reports on explanatory qualitative research into the illegal economy within the hotel and catering industry in Belgium. Low profitability, exacerbated by pricing pressures customers and suppliers, predispose hotel and catering entrepreneurs to attempting a variety of non-legal modes of economic survival, including involvement in a ‘black market’ (‘off the books’ trading) between providers, suppliers and some customers. There are similar arrangements for the highly fluid workforce, whose hours and wages are only partially declared to the authorities, the untaxed payments then partially compensating for the low wages prevalent in the sector. Certain aspects of rules and regulations ‘backfire’, for example high VAT rates stimulate the grey economy; these and other evasions are being facilitated by sympathetic accountants skilled in hiding illegal transactions, and by complicit customers and suppliers. Illegal service providers and suppliers emerge to create an underground economy, and disputes are solved without recourse to the authorities. These sector conditions create an attractive, fertile soil for more serious criminal activities like human trafficking and money laundering activities

Evaluation of crime prevention initiatives

This third toolbox in the series published by the EUCPN Secretariat focuses on the main theme of the Irish Presidency, which is the evaluation of crime prevention initiatives. The theme is explored and elaborated in various ways through: a literature review; two workshops with international experts and practitioners during which the strengths and weaknesses of programme evaluation were discussed in detail; a screening of existing guidelines and manuals on evaluation; and finally, a call which was launched by the EUCPN Secretariat to the Member States to collect some practices on the evaluation of crime prevention initiatives