Reduction in serious violence and safer communities thanks to partnership approach

The Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has revealed that its collaborative approach has led to significant progress in reducing serious violence across the two counties.

The VRP’s Annual Report for 2023-2024 just published showcases the impact of combined efforts between the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), local communities, police, probation, health authorities, youth justice services, fire and rescue, and local authorities.

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, introduced the VRP earlier this year bringing together 25 partner agencies.

It is co-ordinated by the PCC’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) which is part of a national initiative to tackle serious violence by addressing the root causes. The team focuses on delivering projects and interventions for under 25s steering them away from knife crime, serious violence and exploitation throughout Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Key achievements from the 2023-2024 VRP Annual Report are:

• 4.8% reduction in serious violence across the two counties compared to the previous year
• The VRU attended over 300 community events and workshops directly aimed at preventing violence
• The VRP has employed a data-driven approach to identify serious violence hotspots to enable the deployment of police and partnership resources more effectively

The Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, said: “It is clear that this collaborative approach is successfully bearing down on reducing serious violence across the two counties. By bringing agencies together under the umbrella of the VRP, the complexities of serious violence are being addressed from all angles.

“This report identifies that collective responsibility and working in partnership do make a difference. My role as the Police Commissioner is to ensure and sustain safer communities and I’m really pleased by the abundance of positive data contained within the report.”

VRU Director, Jim Pegler, said: “This Annual Report is an important milestone for the VRP as it shows that a co-ordinated and committed partnership makes an impact and that means safer communities. There is so much more work to do, and I am confident we will continue to reduce the number of victims. Serious violence devastates lives, families and neighbourhoods and we are taking every opportunity to work with our communities to reduce the number of people suffering.

“The VRP’s achievements are a testament to the power of partnership working. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the partnership has fostered a collaborative environment where knowledge, resources and expertise are shared. This has not only reduced serious violence but also built stronger and more productive relationships between the partner agencies.”

The Serious Violence Duty is a legal requirement that was introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. It requires a multi-agency approach to prevent and reduce serious violence across communities. For Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, these authorities discharge their duty within the VRP.

You can access the VRP’s Annual Report here and find out more information about Hampshire and Isle of Wight’s Violence Reduction Unit.