Crimestoppers Impact Report 2015 /16
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IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 1
Welcome
Welcome FROM OUR
Crimestoppers works tirelessly to help give the public the confidence needed to tackle crime that blights their communities. Around the clock, invaluable information provided by our callers and website users ultimately helps:
• ARREST criminals including murderers, rapists, fraudsters and drug traffickers
• FIND dangerous fugitives • STOP violence before it happens • CONFISCATE drugs, guns and knives from criminals Our strategy focuses on helping people who have nowhere else to turn and this year we have found out more about those who contact us. We have looked at why people choose to talk to us instead of the authorities and have drilled down
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Chair
on the demographics of our callers. Too often fear of criminal behaviour, mistrust of authorities or personal relationships with criminals can make it feel impossible to speak out. Crimestoppers’ promise of anonymity gives people a simple and safe option to stop crime. In a rapidly changing world, we have reached out online, encouraged conversations about the effects of crime, and offered guidance on how the public can protect themselves. More than ever, people are choosing to give information via our website. Our staff and volunteers have focused their efforts in communities where people face real personal dilemmas about the crime that may be part of their daily life. Helping them gain trust in our charity is vital to unlocking information about the crimes that harm the most vulnerable in society.
Lord Ashcroft, KCMG PC, Founder and Chair of Crimestoppers
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Contents
Welcome from our Chair
02
Introduction from our CEO
04
Crimestoppers in 2015-16
05
Strategic Ambition
06
Anonymity
08
Safer Lives
10
Safer Communities
12
14
Engagement
Education
16
Analysis
18
People
20
Thank You
22
Finance
24
Auditor’s Statement
26
Our Impact
28
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IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 3
Introduction
Introduction FROM OUR 2015/16 has been a challenging but successful year for Crimestoppers. Our unique anonymous service continues to provide a much needed voice to individuals and communities who often feel powerless and disenfranchised. This has been confirmed by a comprehensive survey which also highlights the wide age range of callers, the 50/50 balance between the sexes, and a disproportionately high percentage of calls coming from BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities – encouraging findings. We continue to hear about significant crimes solved and prevented, however, we struggle to articulate individual stories as our guarantee of anonymity must remain paramount. The Bureau, our highly professional contact centre, goes from strength to
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CEO
strength. We have invested in people, processes and structures to ensure that we are ready to meet the challenges of law enforcement. There is more to be done in this area before this challenging but essential journey is complete. We have also invested in our people across the rest of the charity and responded to the findings of a comprehensive staff survey that helped us focus on that most precious of all our assets. Austerity remains a byword in the public and charitable sectors, and we are no exception. Crimestoppers has fought hard to retain its funding base and has in the main been successful. We continue to maintain and improve our services from a flat financial baseline, but there is no room for complacency. Our 5-year Strategic Plan is up and running and we have made
significant progress in all four critical areas of anonymity, awareness, education and analysis, which are addressed in this report. The Strategy remains valid and a guide for both day-to-day operational activity, as well as long-term aspirational projects. Campaigns, beyond the critical call to action, have taken place at every level from national through to regional and local, with an increasing focus on community activity being evident. As ever, it is always difficult to single out specific campaigns but we have endeavoured to highlight as many as we can. We have reinvigorated use of ‘Most Wanted’ with local police to good effect and, with the 10th Anniversary of the campaign’s launch, have achieved outstanding results. Our partnership with the National Crime Agency remains strong and we have continued to campaign in the hunt for fugitives across Europe, in particular Spain and the Netherlands, where the results have been impressive. We have supported the Home Office as they develop the new Modern Crime Prevention Strategy
and continue to cultivate initiatives that balance more traditional calls to action for crimes such as property theft to tackling and confronting the lesser-known ‘hidden crimes’ that affect the most vulnerable in society. All combined, our programmes, staff, volunteers and partners strive to make our communities safer.
Mark Hallas OBE, CEO Crimestoppers
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Crimestoppers in 2015-16
Crimestoppers in 2015 - 16
70
43
58
119,103
670
PLUS CRIMESTOPPERS CAMPAIGNS ABOUT LOCAL CRIME CONCERNS
PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATIONAL COMPANIES ABOUT CRIMES THAT HURT STAFF AND THEIR CUSTOMERS
REWARDS OFFERED ABOUT SPECIFIC RAPES, MURDERS AND VIOLENT CRIMES
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGED WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
VOLUNTEERS PROMOTED OUR SERVICES IN THEIR LOCAL AREAS
THIS LED TO
318,211 PEOPLE CONTACTING CRIMESTOPPERS
THIS MEANT 16,263 CRIMES WERE SOLVED OR PREVENTED INCLUDING
2,024
1,468
7,879
376
1,282
VIOLENT CRIMES INCLUDING MURDER
BURGLARY, ROBBERY AND THEFT
DRUG CRIMES
SEXUAL ABUSE CRIMES AND RAPES
DRINK DRIVERS
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IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 5
Strategic Ambition
Our Vision HOW WE WORK We believe that individuals and communities have a right to be safe from crime and the fear of crime.
Our volunteers engage with local people about crime and their community
We explain how anonymity makes it safe to speak out about crime and criminals
Each of us has a responsibility to create a country where there are fewer victims of crime.
We give people information and tools to act against crime. Through the promise of anonymity, vulnerable individuals and communities can stand up against crime and criminals.
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We share expert information about crime, how to spot it and how to protect yourself
Trust in Crimestoppers’ service grows amongst those who cannot talk to the authorities
Our Mission Crimestoppers detects, reduces and prevents crimes through the provision of information.
We bring together like-minded partners to work together on crime issues
Individuals are deterred from committing crime, some even hand themselves in
People are motivated to give information about criminal activity and offenders
The police, and our other partners, identify and investigate crimes
People share crime information with their friends and families
People take action to protect themselves from crime
Communities are safer from crime and there are fewer victims
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Strategic Ambition
Achieving Our Strategy This first year of our strategy has provided a focus for staff and volunteers. We are increasingly motivated to make communities safer from crime and for there to be fewer victims.
It has been a time to lay foundations for the necessary steps we need to take over the coming years. In some areas we’ve made progress quickly, but in other areas development has been slower than we would like. We use the strategy’s goals to help guide us. In the coming year we’re committed to developing longer-term projects which will direct our efforts in tackling some of the most harmful crimes. Here is a brief look at progress made and our priorities for the year ahead.
THE PRESENT
Anonymity
Engagement
Education
Analysis
OUR NEXT STEPS
We have a better understanding of who we help; the people who are personally affected by crime, often in places where they live or work which can make them feel unable to speak out. This is crucial to making sure our service remains unique.
We will review and adapt our communications to better reach the people who use our service. This includes making our anonymous online form available in a number of different languages.
Our focus on specific communities is most evident in our local campaigns. For instance, volunteers have been reassuring residents in high crime areas about Crimestoppers’ anonymity. This follows claims that crimes are going unreported due to a fear of reprisals.
Our youth work will focus on helping young people reach informed decisions about reporting crime. Central to this is a new website for Fearless, with an easy-to-use online form. We will identify partnerships with other charities to help us reach out to people who can benefit from our service.
Increasingly our campaign work includes vital information designed to help people understand the issues and how best to protect themselves. Our blog shares expert information and advice, as well as personal stories from victims.
We will consider how to effectively motivate people to take action for a safer society. Our focus will be on the crimes which cause a high level of harm to often vulnerable victims.
We have taken first steps and invested in people to look at the valuable crime information we collect each day. We have identified what IT system improvements are now necessary to improve the quality and efficiency of this work.
We need to invest in the IT systems that work for us to collect crime information, send this to our partners securely, and generate reports to improve understanding. We will consider what additional measures we can collect, and use, to demonstrate the difference our charity makes.
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Anonymity
Your Anonymity
INF OR M
CT A
N IO AT
CO N T
We allow people to speak freely and to stop criminal activity that harms them. Our goal is for our whole service to be the best we can make it for the people who need us.
Against a backdrop of austerity we know that police forces are rightly focused on the priority of solving crime. This can lead to significant under-reporting of how the information we pass on is used. With this in mind, we are continuing to explore new technology so we can obtain a more accurate picture of the impact of our work, whilst relying less on the police to provide those figures.
criminals is key to building trust in our service. In light of this, we have undertaken surveys and invested in
research to learn more about what
02
We sent 109,529 reports to the police
03
They took action on 93,224 crimes
Crimestoppers means to the public. Our contact centre staff have been central to this research as they speak to our callers every day. They ran a survey asking “why did you come to us today?” The findings show
04
And solved or prevented 16,263 crimes
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how important our promise of anonymity is:
16% 6%
Didn’t want to speak to the police
We heard from 318,211 people:
27%
have information about crimes and
Calling about a friend or relative
01
Reaching out to the people who
Fear of repercussions
TI O
ES
AC
30%
Didn’t want personal details known
NS
TC OU
O M
The people we help
We commissioned an independent qualitative research analysist to find out what is important to the people who use the Crimestoppers service. In particular we were keen to understand what motivates people to give information about crime. Our researcher reviewed published reports that look at the barriers preventing victims and witnesses from reporting crime. Further insight was obtained through interviews with our front-line staff and separate surveys carried out with our callers and website visitors. In-depth interviews were conducted with members of the public, who had witnessed crimes but felt that
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Anonymity
they were unable to report them. These valuable stories brought our callers to life and you can read more from them on pages 12 and 13. As expected, the results showed our promise of anonymity is overwhelmingly the most important reason people contact us. The fear of reprisals was a motivation, as was the desire to avoid becoming involved with the police or in a court case. In terms of perceptions of Crimestoppers, the fact remains that many people believe we are part of the police and this can stop them contacting us. The research highlighted that we may be inadvertently reinforcing this perception through our choice of language and communications. Being a charity, however, positively changes how people feel about Crimestoppers; they believe we are here to help them. The research helps us understand the complex and deeply personal process people go through before choosing to report a crime or give information. Considerations might include how normal crime is for them, their perception of how serious the crime is, what the media is saying, what they think the police may or may not do and, how they feel about ‘grassing’.
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Online contact More and more people want to give us information online. Making this easy for them is a priority. Helping our users get to the right page of our website is important, as is improving the form itself so more people complete it. By trying different ways to engage people online we have:
Increased visitors to the ‘Giving Information Form’ page by
Increased the numbers who complete the form by
27%
49%
For the first time ever, this year saw more of our crime information received via the website than from callers speaking on the phone to our bureau.
A traveller lady rang with info today. She kept saying “I’ve got kids, kids. I don’t want to do this.” But a guy on her caravan site had done a distraction burglary to an old lady and hit her. She didn’t mind that he was a burglar all the time but she felt she had to report him because “we don’t hit nans. You don’t touch nans.” Contact centre staff
The Way Forward This research confirms that our use of the term anonymity in all our communications is both fitting and effective. However, it suggests that the message of anonymity should be reinforced with terms such as 100% or untraceable. This will give added reassurance to those who contact us. The findings are a stepping stone to help us tailor our service more appropriately. In particular this will influence how we reach out to those people who have vital information, but are not coming forward.
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 9
Safer Lives
Our Accomplishments The people who come to us anonymously make a positive difference to the lives of others. These real life examples illustrate how.
Tackling domestic violence
Cannabis farm discovered
A violent attacker kicked and punched a heavily pregnant woman in the stomach. She suffered life-threatening injuries and her baby was stillborn. We were told who did this to her, a person the police did not know about. That person was arrested, put on trial, and convicted.
Homes are used to hide large and dangerous cannabis farms. Our caller knew all about the criminal activity in what, on the surface, looked like a normal house. From this single piece of information a thermal image was taken, which clearly showed the raised temperatures required to grow these plants. Nearly 50 plants were found and destroyed along with ÂŁ200,000 worth of prepared cannabis in bags, waiting to be sold.
Protecting older people A criminal group set their sights on vulnerable and elderly residents in Birmingham who handed over thousands of pounds. Our caller shone a light on what was happening and the police investigated. Twelve people were arrested for a complex web of fraud and deception.
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Slaves freed It can be hard to see when innocent people are forced to work while others control their freedom, money, and who they are allowed to have contact with. So when someone contacted us with details about more than 20 people in this situation, it was clear they were close to the criminals involved. The information led to those in forced labour being freed and at least a dozen criminals arrested.
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Safer Lives
Is that a gun? What would you do if you saw someone walking down the street with what looked like a gun in their back pocket? Unsure, this person came to us with their suspicions. Our team immediately phoned the local police force who quickly responded. This limited piece of information led directly to guns, large amounts of cash and drugs being found. A group of criminals were arrested.
Guns hidden in a park
Prison attack There are lots of reasons why people give information to us anonymously. When you are in prison and know that two other prisoners are planning to attack someone, it can feel like a helpless situation. This is why we make it easy for prisoners to contact us. In this instance the call probably saved a life, when a search found a number of bladed weapons and a mobile phone precisely where the caller said they would be.
Time and again we hear from people who are obviously close to criminal activity. When we were told exactly where guns, ammunition and knives were being hidden in a park, the police took immediate action. In an area of rising violence, removing these deadly weapons probably prevented more people being harmed, injured or even killed.
Everyone knows where I live. If I spoke to the police it might come back on me - and the kids would be in danger. Caller to Crimestoppers
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IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 11
Safer Communities
A Better Understanding Research into our promise of anonymity confirms how valuable Crimestoppers is to the people who contact us. These case studies, prepared following interviews, show how difficult it can be to get involved when you see or know about crimes. In each of these anonymised cases, it’s clear that Crimestoppers could have helped if they had used our services.
Nadia Nadia lives with a friend in south London having
followed by screaming. It was the only time she has
decided to move away from Bristol to recover
wanted to call the police.
from a serious drug addiction problem – “if I’d stayed
“I sat with ‘999’ on my phone, completely paralysed”,
I would have died.” She is a former sex worker and
but was too scared that it would be obvious it was her,
has seen serious crimes involving drugs, violence and
“he’s a real scary guy.” Another neighbour called the
sexual assault. She has never reported a crime to the
police, but Nadia pretended not to be in when they
police because of worries about her background.
knocked on her door to ask questions.
Drug activity was so normalised around her that she ceased to see it as a serious crime. However, she did persuade friends who were victims of sexual abuse to contact Rape Crisis. In her old flat in Bristol she used to regularly hear her neighbour arguing with her boyfriend. One evening she heard him banging on her neighbour’s
I sat with ‘999’ on my phone, completely paralysed - he’s a real scary guy.
door and then breaking into the property. This was
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Safer Communities
Helen
delivered in the middle of the night. Helen never reported any of this
Helen lived in a small close with
to the police because “they knew
her teenage daughters on a well-
me. They used to nod at me when I
known Manchester estate for
walked past them. What if
over 15 years. She stayed in the
something happened to me kids?”
area because of family ties, but
To deal with it, instead she chose to
hated that everyone knew
“just keep me head down and stop
everyone else’s business. She
noticing it on purpose.” Her overall
heard a lot about local crime
view on crime in her area is that as
both through local news and from
long as no-one’s getting seriously
regular Facebook updates from
hurt “you should just leave it alone.”
people she knew. A major drug dealer lived nearby and Helen regularly saw not only “smack addicts coming and going,” but what she believes was
What if something were to happen to me kids?
shipments of class A drugs
man he knew in a park. He
getting a load of grief as someone
recognised the assailants,
did see me. I denied it of course.
“acquaintances of friends –
They had no proof so at least
the area in which he lives has
everyone knows everyone here
it was only a bit of verbal.” The
serious crime problems and has
y’know!” He called an ambulance
assailant was caught and got six
seen “all sorts – car theft, assault,
before running away from the
years in jail.
shoplifting, fraud, drugs.” He’s a
scene - and mentioned the
workman, but has been off work
perpetrators’ names - but didn’t
for a few months due to ill health.
call the police. He thought he
Matt Matt lives in Wiltshire. He thinks
One afternoon last summer Matt saw a violent assault on a
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hadn’t been seen but subsequently he “ended up
I ended up getting grief, but at least it was only a bit of verbal.
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 13
Engagement
Engagement Every day, Crimestoppers’ campaigns and unique services improve the lives of those we engage with. Here we highlight some of our exceptional work, from campaigns empowering young people to our highly successful Most Wanted Gallery. May 2015
January 2016
Teens fearlessly battling bullying in Warwickshire
Gold theft in Hertfordshire
In May we worked with Warwickshire Council around the issue of Cyber Bullying - a problem that has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers. Awareness has also risen, due partly to a number of high-profile cases of bullied teenagers tragically taking their own lives. The use of technology to bully people is not new, but the use of social media, smartphones and the
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Cyber Bullying has increased dramatically amongst teenagers
Social media, smartphones and the unregulated nature of this technology allows for news of these attacks to spread faster and wider than ever before.
unregulated nature of this technology allows for news of these attacks to spread faster and wider than ever before. The project ran for one month and was seen by a staggering 200,000 people. As a result of the campaign, Fearless received eight anonymous reports of incidents which have been passed on to the police for action.
Gold is often targeted by thieves who are on the lookout for a quick and easy way of making large sums of cash. Crimestoppers urged members of the public to speak up if they had information on individuals involved with either stealing gold or selling stolen gold within the county. Households with large amounts of gold items – such as jewellery – are the most likely to be hit. In many cases, these stolen items are of huge sentimental value and the theft can cause enormous stress to the victims.
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Engagement
December 2015 November 2015
Most Wanted In November we embarked on a 800-mile tour of the UK to mark a very special milestone – 10 years of our highly-successful Most Wanted gallery. Digital screens broadcasting the faces of 74 people sought by police hit the streets of major cities in England, Wales and Scotland during an action-packed week which resulted in:
Tackling knife crime in Gloucestershire Crimestoppers delivered an anti-knife campaign in Gloucestershire over the festive period to raise awareness and gather intelligence ahead of a scheduled constabulary-led Knife
11
Surrender campaign.
arrests
103% increase in information about wanted people across the UK
The aim was to reach
377,352
262
visits to the Most Wanted gallery – up 282% on the previous two weeks
pieces of media coverage, reaching over nine million people
community members in the county who might have information on knife crime and related issues. It consisted of press releases to local media, targeted leaflet distribution, posters in locations such as community centres and
Most Wanted was launched in 2005 and was at the time the first national online source of wanted individuals in the UK. The site initially provided photographs and descriptions of known suspects before expanding to include an ‘Unknowns’ section of CCTV images. One target area saw an information spike of a staggering 233%. A total of one million individuals were reached as a result of this promotion and we received 4,600 engagements online.
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gyms, plus beer mats in ten pubs and clubs identified by the local police as target areas. And the results were significant Crimestoppers reports for possession of a weapon doubled in December 2015 compared to the previous year. Reports for assault and harassment in the area also increased.
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Education
Education One of the best ways of preventing crime is by educating the public. Our role at Crimestoppers is to find and share the best information and advice from the experts. April 2015
May 2015
Tackling the issue of rural crime
Stamping out scams against the elderly
April saw organisations from law enforcement, the fire service and the insurance sector join us in pledging to tackle rural crime. Around 150 delegates, including representatives from police across the UK, attended our national conference looking at how best to tackle issues affecting rural communities. According to the National Rural Crime Survey (2015), the true cost of crime in rural areas throughout England and Wales could exceed £800m as criminals generally target isolated areas and hard-to-protect buildings. They look for items that are easy to sell such as metals, or gardening and agricultural machinery. Other crimes affecting rural areas include theft of livestock, drug dealing, cannabis cultivation, cruelty to animals, theft of fuel oil and arson.
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In May we joined forces with the Post Office to help stop scams targeting Rotherham’s elderly and most vulnerable. The aim was to raise awareness about the types of scams they may be susceptible to, such as false lottery wins and inheritance opportunities or fake investments. Alarmingly, criminals have also been known to promise miracle tablets or medical cures for illnesses, in return for cash. The campaign was publicised on two large billboards in the Rotherham area. Twohundred bus panel adverts also ran for a month.
Leaflets detailing how to stay safe and avoid scams. Below: Lesley Dabell (Age UK) alongside Crimestoppers’ Senior Account Manager Sadie Miller at the campaign launch
This was combined with extensive media coverage on local television and in newspapers, as well as online and on social media. Overall the number of people reached by this campaign was estimated at over seven million.
Overall the number of people reached by this campaign was estimated at over seven million.
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Education
December 2015
Focus on fake money In the lead-up to Christmas we launched a campaign with the Bank of England designed to improve the public’s understanding of and ability to identify fraudulent banknotes. We also appealed to the public for information about those who are making, buying or selling counterfeit cash. Often the public only views fake money as a minor offence. However, they fail to recognise the gravity of these crimes or acknowledge the
frequent link with serious and organised criminal activity. In the first half of 2015 nearly 120,000 worthless counterfeit banknotes - with a notional value of over £2 million - were removed from the UK’s streets. The figure for the whole of 2014 was around £8 million. The campaign was a huge success. It reached over 17 million people and resulted in a 38% increase in actionable intelligence.
In the first half of 2015 nearly 120,000 worthless counterfeit banknotes - with a notional value of over £2 million - were removed from the UK’s streets.
March 2016
Challenging ‘On Street’ child sexual exploitation in Yorkshire Crimestoppers, child sexual exploitation (CSE) experts and West Yorkshire Police have been working together to highlight the issue of ‘On Street’ child sexual exploitation. Any child can be a victim of CSE, which often starts when victims are met and groomed in public places. Taking a pioneering approach, the conference
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focused on training professionals to spot the signs of a potential offender rather than focussing on the victims. Held in March, the event gave professionals the opportunity to better understand offender behaviour and what to look out for in their day-today work. An educational video, as well as posters and leaflets, were also made available.
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Analysis
Analysis We are dedicated to gaining insight and learning as this allows us to do more with our partners to help stop crime. Our goal is to understand better who we help and why they need us. This will improve the effectiveness and reach of the services we provide by learning from the data we collect and making sure that this informs and influences what we do.
Who we help
Collecting the right data in the right way Each year we collect over 100,000 pieces of information about crime. When developing our strategy we considered that this data could have further value to ourselves and our partners. But we didn’t have the tools or skills to thoroughly investigate this. Now we have created a new position, Intelligence Support Coordinator, to add value to our information and complete some much-needed analysis.
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This role will allow us to better: • Conduct research on the data to identify crime types, trends and emerging issues for both police and business partners • Support campaign research and evaluation, including the use of Environmental Systems Research Institute UK’s crime hotspots mapping system • Support police enquiries and disclosure issues
We looked at the tools we use to both collect and analyse the crime information that the public give us. Initially we thought new specialist intelligence systems were needed, but our research helped us see that these are more complex than we thought would be required. We developed a specification that matched our exact demands and awarded the contract in December. Our new system is already up and running.
Understanding who we help through our anonymous service is key to providing them with the best support. Along with our research looking at motivations (reported on pages 8 and 9), we’ve also examined the demographics of our callers. We discovered: Our callers are evenly split between men and women We attract a wide range of ages, although those aged 35-49 are the largest group and make up a third of callers
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Analysis
Younger people A fifth of callers are aged 17-25. People in this age group are considered more likely to be both victims and perpetrators of crime. This suggests we could do more to reach out to this age group.
Our callers’ racial and ethnic profile
General population White
White
Mixed/Multiple Ethnic Groups Asian/Asian British
Mixed/Multiple/Other Ethnic Groups Asian/Asian British
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British Other Ethnic Group
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
1.0% 3.3%
9%
20%
7.5% 2.2%
22%
68%
86.0%
1%
Source: Caller Survey 2015, Crimestoppers
Source: Census 2011, Office for National Statistics
A growing number of people are also giving information to us
The Way Forward
online, so we will work hard to find out whether the demographics of this audience are the same. Analysis has revealed that a higher proportion of black and Asian people are choosing to contact Crimestoppers. There are often deep cultural and historical barriers in these communities that put off many from engaging with authorities. We are heartened that they are using Crimestoppers to find their voice.
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With the right tools and people in place we can start to review, share and use the information we gather to support our staff, volunteers, police and commercial partners more effectively. We can now look forensically at our operations and collate more accurate evidence to prove the invaluable impact of our work in terms of crimes solved or prevented by the police. This helps us show that picking up the phone to Crimestoppers makes a real difference; vital to both the people who contact us and our supporters.
We will: • Routinely review the data compiled for our partners and use this intelligence to provide a better service • Produce and share maps to inform local teams about incoming information • Overlay deprivation and recorded crime data to help target crime-solving and crime prevention activities
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 19
People
Focus on our staff and volunteers With over 100 staff and 650 volunteers across 43 volunteer committees, everyone associated with the charity has a vital role to play.
Spotlight on Regional Managers Our Regional Managers provide invaluable support and build on our success by increasing awareness and results across their local areas. Working closely with our volunteer network as well as key partners in both public and private sectors, they deliver focussed crime campaigns that really make a difference.
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Staff Emily Van Der Lely, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Regional Manager, came to us from a role as Communications and Fundraising Manager at a Cheltenham youth charity. Starting in the summer of 2015, Emily has already made a huge impact running successful campaigns on topics such as Knife Crime, Cycle Theft, Burglary and Drink Driving. She has also managed to secure funding for a Fearless youth worker who will deliver a pilot project for Year 8 secondary school pupils. The burglary campaign saw leaflets distributed to around 45,000 homes, with outdoor advertising on the backs of buses and in bus shelters as well as on social media. Posters were put up in public locations such as shops and libraries, a radio advert was broadcast on Heart FM
and a press release sent out to all local media. The social media activity reached over 150,000 people and the media activity achieved a reach of over 200,000. Overall, this resulted in a 100% increase in information received, including a noticeable rise in the use of the online form.
Working on campaigns has shown me the impact that can be made in communities. Emily said, “Working on such a variety of campaigns has shown me the considerable impact that can be made in communities. Using local knowledge and partnerships can make a real difference in raising general awareness and gaining information on different types of crime.�
Emily Van Der Lely
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People
Volunteers
Phil O’Shea Advisory Board Phil leads the day-to-day activity of our Advisory Board, a team of volunteers who play a key role in defining the volunteering experience across the charity. In the last year they helped shape our new Volunteering Manager’s role and were instrumental in creating a new policy to clarify our relationship with our inspiring volunteers. Having helped us include the voice
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of volunteers in our strategy, Phil and his team are now meeting more regularly to both critically review and constructively challenge the way we work. Phil took the lead at the annual Volunteer Chairs’ Away Day in November where we looked at the future of volunteering in our charity, how to respond to modern methods of volunteering and understanding how much support our volunteer leaders need. They also discussed a range of activities from using social media to gathering case studies and working with young people. Phil has volunteered at Crimestoppers for over 15 years in a variety of roles covering local, regional and now national issues. “Whilst I am able to bring my private sector business skills to the charity, the dynamics of managing stakeholders, driving change and motivating colleagues in a charity environment provides stimulation and a positive challenge to me. Ultimately, we have a unique call to action and the overriding need to reduce the impact of crime on society.”
Nelam Kellay and Nosheen Tabassum Nelam Kellay and Nosheen Tabassum are both volunteers in the West Midlands who have been instrumental in developing ‘Project Shadow’ to help raise awareness of so-called ‘hidden crimes’ including honour-based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Hidden crimes are historically taboo and often happen behind closed doors. Many survivors are shunned by their communities and families, which makes it all the harder for victims to seek help. Nelam said, “We started Project Shadow to give survivors the courage to speak out, as well as have the determination to come forward and inspire others who are going through a traumatic experience. “Before becoming part of Crimestoppers I knew that these crimes took place, but I didn’t know the impact was so huge. Working on this project has helped me realise that there is a need for change.” “I love volunteering for Crimestoppers,” Nosheen added, “I have learnt so much since I started including how to approach
different people (from chief executives to survivors) and deal with issues in a professional manner. I have become more confident as a person by networking with different people. “I think Crimestoppers’ work is essential, not just in Birmingham, but in all parts of the country. The charity is a safety net for individuals who cannot speak to the police.”
We started Project Shadow to give survivors the courage to speak out, as well as have the determination to come forward and inspire others.
Nelam Kellay and Nosheen Tabassum
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 21
Thank You
Thank You Our critical work is only possible thanks to the outstanding generosity of supporters who prove their wholehearted commitment to our cause in so many ways. We all share one central aim: to ensure that we benefit from living and working in safer, more secure communities.
Partnerships Our partnerships play a vital role in helping us achieve our shared aim of making the workplace and our local communities safer, as well as provide us with valuable financial support. Through Crimestoppers’ anonymous reporting service we give organisations and public bodies the unique tools that enable them to go further in preventing and disrupting criminal activity.
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Association of British Bookmakers
G4S Secure Solutions (UK&I) Ltd
Northern Rail
Association of Convenience Stores
HSBC
Openreach (BT)
Bank of England
Insurance Fraud Bureau
Philip Morris Limited
Bestway
Independent Press Standards Organisation
Post Office Ltd
British Airways PLC
Intellectual Property Office
Save The Children
British Horseracing Authority
JTI UK
Sainsbury’s Supermarket Ltd
Caesars Entertainment UK
Ladbrokes
Scottish Football Association
Carlisle Support Services
Liberty
Security Industry Authority
Environment Agency
Link ATM
Tascor
ESRI UK
Long Clawson Dairies
Thames Tideway Tunnel
Electoral Commission
Morrison Supermarkets Stores Ltd
Thames Water
Federation Against Copyright Theft
Muller UK & Ireland Group LLP
Transport for London
First Central Insurance
NEXT plc
UK Anti-Doping
Gambling Commission
NHS Scotland
William Hill
G4S Cash Solutions (UK) Ltd
Northern Powergrid
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Thank You
Trusts and Foundations
Trustees
We offer grateful thanks to the many Trusts and Foundations for their contributions and continued support. This year, we are especially thankful to the Bestway Foundation and the Peacock Charitable Trust.
The guidance and expertise of our trustees is particularly valued.
Chairman of Trustees Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC
Policing Community Our close work with the policing community is key to our success and vital for the charity as we respond to the changing needs and concerns of the public. We are particularly grateful to the following organisations which fund projects that target specific types of criminal behaviour: • Police and Crime Commissioners • The Home Office • National law enforcement agencies • Individual police officers and staff who support Crimestoppers on a daily basis
Trustees Lord Waheed Ali Mr Zameer Choudrey Mr Peter Clarke CVO OBE QPM Ms Angela Entwistle Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE MA Mr Richard Gamble FCA Ms Ceris Gardner Mr Bill Griffiths CBE BEM QPM Dr David Hammond FCA
The Way Forward
The Lord Imbert CVO QPM Mr Michael Laurie CBE
We have deepened many long-term partnerships with our corporate supporters. This allows them to address significant concerns that they and their customers have - such as tackling heartless scams against the elderly. Our next step is to build on existing partnerships and develop new ones with other voluntary and commercial organisations to address the crimes that cause the most harm.
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Mr Kevin McDonald OBE Ms Amanda Platell Mr Vivian Robinson QC Mr Nick Ross Mr Stephen Rubin OBE Mr Robert Scott CBE Sir Paul Stephenson QPM
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 23
Finance
Financial Highlights 2016 has been a challenging year, with well-publicised reductions in both Central Government and corporate income. However, Police and Crime Commissioners continue to rely on our services and recognise the benefit and value of Crimestoppers. The positive impacts of a substantial new Integrity Line contract is reflected in the increase in charitable income.
Income from charitable activities grew by 3% to £2,430,136, principally from our Integrity Line service.
Charitable expenditure reduced by 6% to £3,754,311 due to a lower level of campaigning in the year.
24 | IMPACT REPORT 2015-16
Income from fundraising events increased by 17% to £139,872, due to increased activity by our regional committees.
Expenditure on raising funds has increased by 18% to £932,170 as we invest in the structure to source income from a wider pool.
2015/16 has been a challenging but successful year for Crimestoppers with our underlying business income remaining solid. We have also seen significant interest in our ‘whistleblowing’ services, as new customers recognise the invaluable nature of our service’s unique guarantee of anonymity. Without compromising effectiveness, stringent cost control continues to play a key part in Crimestoppers remaining efficient, generating maximum return on available funds. Bob Booker, Director of Finance
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Finance
Summary Consolidated Statement Of Financial Activities
Summary Consolidated Balance Sheet
For the year ended 31 March 2016
As at 31 March 2016 2016
2015
2016
2015
£’000
£’000
£’000
£’000
251
190
2,651
3,006
(1,407)
(1,608)
(88)
(105)
1,407
1,483
Restricted by donors
699
646
Unrestricted
708
837
1,407
1,483
Incoming resources Incoming resources from charitable activities Donations & legacies Other trading activities Investment income Total income and endowments
Fixed assets 2,430
2,369
Current assets
1,635
2,028
Creditors falling due within one year
519
541
10
9
4,594
4,947
How our resources were used Charitable activities Expenditure on raising funds Total resources expended
3,754
4,015
932
791
4,686
4,806
(92)
141
16
(137)
(76)
4
Pension scheme deficit Total net assets How our funds are held
Total funds
Net movement in funds before pension scheme Losses/(gains) Actuarial gains/(losses) on pension scheme Net movement in funds
Summarised financial statements The summarised financial statements are not the statutory accounts but a summary of information relating to the consolidated statement of financial activities and the consolidated balance sheet derived from the full audited trustees’ report and financial statements of the Charity, which were approved by the board of trustees on 19 July 2016. The auditors’ statement as prescribed by the Companies Act 2006 was unqualified. Copies of the full annual financial statements will subsequently be filed with the Charity Commission, the Office of the Scottish Charities Regulator and Companies House. These summarised financial statements
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may not contain sufficient information to gain a complete understanding of the financial affairs of the Charity. The full audited trustees’ report and financial statements are available on the Charity’s website www.crimestoppers-uk.org or may be obtained on application to the Charity’s central office. David B Hammond FCA,
Trustee 19 July 2016
IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 25
Statement
Auditor’s Statement
Independent Auditor’s statement to the Trustees of Crimestoppers Trust.
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“We have examined the summarised consolidated financial statements of Crimestoppers Trust for the year ended 31 March 2016 which comprise the extracts from the Statement of Financial Activities and the Balance Sheet set out on page 25. This statement is made solely to the trustees, as a body in order to meet the requirements of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice revised 2015. Our work has been undertaken so that we might state to the trustees those matters we have agreed to state to them in this statement and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity’s trustees as a body, for our work, for this statement, or for the opinions we have formed.”
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Statement
Respective responsibilities of trustees and auditor
The trustees are responsible for preparing the summarised financial statements in accordance with the requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder and recommendations of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice. Our responsibility is to report to you our opinion on the consistency of the summarised financial statements on this page within the Annual Review with the full financial statements and trustees’ report and its compliance with the relevant requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act and the regulations made thereunder. We also read the other information contained in the Annual Review and consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatements or material inconsistencies with the summarised financial statements.
Basis of opinion
We conducted our work in accordance with Bulletin 2008/3 ‘The auditors’ statement on the summary financial statement’ issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom. Our report on the full annual financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2016 describes the basis of our opinion on those financial statements.
Opinion
In our opinion the summarised financial statements set out on this page are consistent with the full financial statements and the Trustees’ Annual Report of Crimestoppers Trust for the year ended 31 March 2016 and complies with the relevant requirements of section 427 of the Companies Act 2006 and regulations made thereunder. We have not considered the effects of any events between the date on which we signed our report on the full annual financial statements (19 July) and the date of this statement.
Mazars LLP, Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors Times House, Throwley Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 4JQ, 19 July 2016
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IMPACT REPORT 2015-16 | 27
34 positive actions leading to
Arrested and charged since 1988:
138,059
Last year
93,224 pieces of actionable information received
One person every
8 days charged with murder
11 arrests every day
OUR IMPACT
Actionable information since 1988:
ÂŁ134,740,058 stolen goods recovered since 1988
3,788 Most Wanted arrests since 2005
28 | IMPACT REPORT 2015-16
1,728,334 ÂŁ332,883,368 drugs seized since 1988
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