Crime & Safety

We all deserve to feel safe in our homes and walking the streets of our neighbourhoods.

To make local communities safer places to live, work and visit, Neighbourhood Renewal is bringing together approaches that: tackle the causes of crime, such as unemployment or drug dependency; limit crime opportunities through safer design; and engage local communities in crime prevention strategies.

Key actions and partners

Neighbourhood Renewal is working with a range of partners including: Police; residents; schools; local government; culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities; local services, business and community groups; and Department of Human Services regional staff.

Key achievements

To reduce crime and improve safety, Neighbourhood Renewal has:

Developing Community Crime Prevention Initiatives

local residents holding neighbourhood watch banner Neighbourhood Renewal is working with local communities to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour and disorder. Residents are contributing local knowledge to help develop effective responses to neighbourhood concerns.

Neighbourhood Renewal is also addressing community perceptions of safety. In Seymour, the initiative is working with Neighbourhood Watch, the Seymour Neighbourhood Renewal Residents Action Group and the Seymour Police to help elderly residents feel safer in their homes. Following extensive community consultation, hundreds of peepholes were provided free of charge to local residents so that they could feel more comfortable opening the door to visitors.


Transforming the physical environment to improve safety

housing estate

In 19 sites across Victoria, Neighbourhood Renewal is improving the physical environment, often in partnership with local government. Neighbourhood Renewal is: redeveloping parks; supporting community clean up days; developing unsightly vacant land; removing graffiti; establishing community gardens; and making repairs to signage and fences. Neighbourhood Renewal is also improving public spaces by improving street and estate lighting and clearing sightlines in recreational areas.

These changes are reducing crime and building residents' confidence in the safety of their local area. As a result, people are spending more time in public areas and communities are thriving.

 

 

  

Working in partnership with the Police

police officers talking with school children
Latrobe Valley Neighbourhood Renewal is a great example of the Police working in partnership with Neighbourhood Renewal to build strong relationships with local residents.

The Cop Shop Program involves the Police setting up a temporary station once a month in the community, to give residents a chance to contact the police in a less formal setting.

Under the 'Confidence in the Streets' program, the Victoria Police Mounted Branch conduct tours of the Latrobe Valley's four Neighbourhood Renewal areas. The Police horses help to break down barriers and encourage positive engagement between Police officers and local residents.

The Police also hold regular breakfasts for students and their families at the local police stations. The breakfasts build positive relationships, celebrate students' achievements and introduce Neighbourhood Renewal to new resident members.

Reassurance Policing

In Maidstone Braybrook, Neighbourhood Renewal conducted a Reassurance Policing project with the Maribyrnong City Council, Victoria Police and the Braybrook and Maidstone Neighbourhood Association.

The project worked towards boosting perceptions of safety, reducing the incidence of crime and improving the relationship between police and local residents. The Footscray Police have been particularly supportive of community building initiatives including Community Dances, Blue Light discos and the High Ropes Challenge.

The Community Contact Service

The Community Contact Service operates on the Collingwood and Fitzroy estate buildings and provides residents with customer and security services. The program, which is managed by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, employs local residents as Community Contact Officers.

These Officers are the first point of contact for residents and they control access to the buildings. They provide residents with information services including notice-boards, brochures and assistance with translations. Community Contact Officers also support tenants by helping newcomers settle in, assisting with government paperwork, providing conversation to lonely and isolated people and making daily phone checks on elderly residents.

The Community Contact Service is delivering a significant service within these high-rise communities. It is also providing residents with significant employment opportunities.

Contacts

For more information on Neighbourhood Renewal's Crime and Safety strategies, please contact:
Susan McDowell
Project Manager Health & Safety
Telephone: 9096 9730
Email: Susan.Mcdowell@dhs.vic.gov.au

Attachments

Framework
The Crime and Safety Strategic Framework is currently being developed. It will help communities adopt a strategic approach when identifying, developing and implementing sustainable crime and safety initiatives in Neighbourhood Renewal areas.

Links

Crime and Violence Prevention Victoria
Established to develop and implement a comprehensive Crime Prevention and Anti-Violence Strategy. The web site provides practical information on crime prevention initiatives and provides links to the Safer Communities Program and Safer Design Guidelines.
http://www.crimeprevention.vic.gov.au

Victoria Police
Neighbourhood Renewal is working with the Police to reduce crime and improve safety in all 19 Neighbourhood Renewal sites.
More information on other Police initiatives is available at:
http://www.police.vic.gov.au

The Australian Institute of Criminology
Australia's national crime and criminal justice research agency. The objective of Research Services is to conduct research on the extent, nature and prevention of crime in Australia in order to provide timely, policy-relevant advice to the Australian Government and other key clients.
http://www.aic.gov.au