Sentinel
Taking a Coordinated Approach to Tackling Anti Social Behaviour in Charnwood
In recognition of the importance of adopting a more integrated and strategic approach to tackling anti social behaviour the ASB Unit has been instrumental in launching a pioneering three year pilot (launched September 06). This pilot has seen the implementation of a web enabled recording and monitoring system for ASB (Sentinel), which can be accessed by partner agencies. The system allows for key partners to share information about anti social behaviour incidents quickly and effectively, facilitating the delivery of holistic and sustainable solutions and supporting Neighbourhood Policing through compliance with the National Intelligence Model (NIM).
This new coordinated approach will allow the council to integrate the skills and resources of the various agencies, within the Borough, working to prevent and reduce incidents of anti social behaviour, more effectively, report on local patterns of behaviour and identify hotspots for focused attention.
Before Sentinel was installed, the various departments within the Council and the Police had their own reporting systems to manage and monitor incidents of anti social behaviour. This prevented information being shared automatically with all interested parties. These disparate systems were simplistic and labour intensive, meaning that incident reporting was often duplicated by the individual agencies, leading to inefficiencies and unnecessary administration in each department. This duplication also led to double counting incidents giving an inaccurate reflection on anti social behaviour in the area.
The web based approach offered by Sentinel is a key factor, providing intuitive access to the application functions, enabling staff across the borough to report and monitor incidents from wherever they are working and driving a truly multi-agency approach.
Sentinel streamlines the process of reporting and monitoring complaints and incidents of ASB across the borough, reducing duplication and unnecessary administration. All agencies/departments involved in ASB management can have secure access to a central database, ensuring that everyone who needs to know is made aware of incidents logged and the action that they are required to take. The system’s in-built search and reporting tools enable users to access relevant and timely information to ensure effective and proactive management of both the victim and the offender.
Sentinel enables the routine reporting of the volume of ASB incidents, being reported in Charnwood. These can be broken down across 72 behaviour types and captured as sub headings under the 16 categories as identified by the Home Office for measuring and defining ASB. It also recognises the National Incident Recording codes, enabling the overlay of data with police data. The system also enables searches by Police beats for a more comprehensive account of reported asb incidents (many incidents logged on Sentinel, would not ordinarily be captured anywhere else).
The reporting function has already enabled the intelligent direction of holistic responses to good effect. The following provides an example of this:-
Monitoring of complaints on Sentinel highlighted an increase in the number of anti social behaviour complaints being received in the area of Hermitage Road (street within priority neighbourhood) in the early summer of 2007. Analysis of these complaints revealed 5 young people as the key perpetrators of these incidents. A multi agency working group was identified to target the youths and their families with an holistic, multi agency response. Acceptable Behaviour Contracts were raised, in partnership with the Police, Council and Youth Offending Services. Referrals were made to a tenancy support group and the parents of the youths were invited to take part in parenting classes and to engage with other support services such as Young Peoples Services and Tenancy Support Services. Positive terms were built into the Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, with the young people being signposted to Judo training at the Youth Zone, a project providing diversionary activities for young people. The young people also took part in an ‘Army Day’ promoting discipline and respect in the community. All of the actions taken by the different agencies involved were logged on Sentinel and enabled comprehensive monitoring and management of the case. By the Autumn of 2007, incident reporting had almost zeroed. Two of the young people concerned had won medals for their Judo performances and most of the ABCS have now been closed. Local residents reported at a meeting in January 2008, a notable difference in the area, stating that they felt safer and reassured by the positive responses given.
Without Sentinel, it is unlikely that this problem would have been highlighted as swiftly as it was, if at all. The Youth Offending Service were so impressed with the response that they are in the process of disseminating it as an example of best practice across the county.
To date, the ASB Unit has trained over to 100 staff from across the Council and the North Area Policing Unit. Early indications, around the effectiveness of the system, are positive. Further work still needs to be undertaken to extend and encourage its use, whether directly or through interface, across more council departments; as the use of this system does much to evidence the Council’s commitment to delivering its section 17 duties.