Stronger laws must be matched with justice reform and investment in prevention

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones has welcomed the ambition of the government’s new Policing and Crime Bill, acknowledging that tougher laws are needed to crack down on antisocial behaviour, knife crime, and violence against women and girls. However, she has also warned that stronger legislation alone will not fix the wider challenges facing the criminal justice system, and real change requires investment in prevention, policing, and justice reform.

PCC Donna Jones said: “People want to see action on crime, and this Bill is a step in the right direction. Giving police the power to seize nuisance vehicles without warning, strengthening knife crime laws, and introducing harsher penalties for attacks on retail workers will all help improve safety in our communities. The measures to tackle stalking, spiking, and intimate image abuse will provide much-needed protection, particularly for women and girls.

“While tougher laws are welcome, they must be enforceable. Right now, policing and the criminal justice system are under immense pressure. The truth is a lot of police forces are already using legislation to tackle the crimes that matter most to communities. Courts are overwhelmed, meaning victims are waiting years for justice. Prisons are full, leaving nowhere for serious offenders to serve their time. Police officers are doing everything they can, often dealing with cases that could have been prevented with better early intervention by other agencies.

“If we truly want to cut crime, action must go beyond tougher laws. Investment in services that reduce demand on policing in the first place in tandem with this new Bill has to be the approach. That means funding mental health services so that people in crisis don’t end up in custody cells instead of receiving the support they need. It means providing more youth diversion schemes to stop young people from being drawn into crime. It means investing in education, addiction treatment, and rehabilitation services.

“I’m glad to see the government is supporting policing and being tough on crime, but stronger powers for the police must go hand in hand with a justice system that works, and a society built on supportive communities which are equipped and funded to stop crime before it happens.”

To find out more about the government’s new Policing and Crime Bill, just visit the Home Office website.