Lancaster District - Strategic Assessments
Executive Summary
Crime and Disorder
Violent Crime
One of the main high volume offences in the Lancaster district is undoubtedly violent crime; the level of violent crime has a large impact on the district's PSA1 targets. It has been noted that alcohol is a key contributory factor in violent crime, with the hotspot location being the town/city centre areas containing a high concentration of licensed premises.
Criminal Damage
Damage accounts for a substantial proportion of the volume crime in the Lancaster district which heavily influences the status of the PSA1 targets. The most problematic form of damage within the Lancaster district is damage to vehicles which is arguably the most difficult type of damage to target. It has also been noted that the hotspot locations suffer higher rates of anti-social behaviour in comparison to other areas within the district.
Anti-Social Behaviour
Anti-Social Behaviour(ASB)
ASB is one of the biggest safety concerns for the community and can have a huge impact on peoples’ lives. The main issues raised by members of the community within the Lancaster district are; juvenile nuisance, vehicle nuisance and litter. Alcohol is thought to be a key contributory factor in relation to the juvenile nuisance being caused within the district. The speed of vehicles and their inappropriate use is thought to be the problem behind vehicle nuisance.
Substance Misuse
Alcohol
The levels of binge drinking and alcohol related hospital admissions in the Lancaster district, are currently at a higher rate than the England average. A key factor in criminal behaviour is alcohol.
Open Illegal Drug Markets
The links between drug use and crime are clearly recognised. The Lancaster district has a mixture of open and closed markets that supply a range of drugs. The main class ‘A’ drug within the district is Heroin, continuing to be sourced from Merseyside, Yorkshire and Manchester.
Young People and Substance Misuse
As the next generation of adults, parents and leaders, young people represent the society of the future. The main substances of concern to the young individuals located within the Lancaster district who are signed to tier two and/or tier three services are Cannabis and Alcohol
Other Behaviour Adversely Affecting the Environment
Domestic Fire Safety - Primary and Secondary Fires
Fire safety is a big concern for the communities within the Lancaster district. It has been noted that primary fires are more prevalent in the Lancaster area and secondary fires in the Morecambe vicinity; particularly in ward areas which suffer from high levels of deprivation. Evidently, there are robust links with deprivation factors, alcohol misuse and a variety of other social issues, in relation to the cause of these fires.
Road Safety
The Lancaster district’s current rate of road injuries and deaths is higher than the England average, with a higher rate of road casualties and collisions including those involving a two wheeled vehicle being recorded. Lancaster is the peak location for road casualties and collisions. There are a number of contributory factors which have been identified in relation to the causes of road collisions some of which include; speed, alcohol and drugs.
Domestic Violence
The under-reporting of domestic violence throughout the Lancaster district is mirrored throughout the rest of the country. There is a very high rate of domestic abuse incidences being reported in Morecambe.
Community Cohesion
Community Demographics
The Lancaster district has been ranked as the eighth local authority area in the index/extent of multiple deprivation. It has been noted that the Lancaster district continues to have an influx of migrant workers, predominantly from Eastern European countries such as Poland; the majority of which reside in Morecambe.
New Communities and the cohesion between the different Communities
The Lancaster district is currently under the Lancashire average in terms of reported hate incidents; however there has been an increase in the number of reported hate related incidents, year on year. With the continual influx of migrant workers, there continues to be an increase in new diverse communities. At present there are no reported issues in relation to community tensions from the new members of the community living locally.
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- Strategic Assessment 2007 (pdf file size = 469kb)