Mayor’s draft Policing and Crime consultation – our response 

Inclusion London responded to the consultation on the Mayor’s draft Policing and Crime plan 2017–2021.

Download our full response: Inclusion London’s response to Mayor’s Draft Police and Crime plan 2017-2021 Consultation

We welcomed the Mayor’s intention to put victims at the heart of policing.  There were other elements in the plan which we welcomed, for instance the proposal for training and awareness for police, which we believe will make Deaf and Disabled victims of disability hate crime safer.    However, without adequate funding and resources we cannot see this plan being productive, particularly for Deaf and Disabled people. Tackling the crime and safety issues we face takes resources, time and money.

We do not believe the level of risk Deaf and Disabled experience is adequately acknowledged in the plan. Disabled people were more likely than non-Disabled people to be victims of crime  according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission based on Crime survey England and Wales. [1]   Yet crime against Deaf and Disabled people and  disability hate crime is often giver a lower priority, because of a lack of awareness regarding  level of risk that Deaf and Disabled people face daily and because the level of risk is not reflected in the statistics due to lack of reporting or faulty recording.

We are concerned that yet again crime against Deaf and Disabled people and disability hate crime will be considered less of a priority and fewer resources will be allocated to tackle it.  The Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorate review report said of disability hate crime:

‘….there needs to be an acknowledgment that it has a unique position and requires additional status, simply to ensure that it is treated on an equal footing to the other strands.’

We call on the Mayor Sadiq Khan, to ensure that disability hate crime is given additional status to ensure it is treated equally with other hate crime strands.

Other recommendations included:

• the increased level of risk experienced by Disabled children is reflected in the plan and the priorities for policing and funding.
• The higher risk Disabled women face needs is recognised in the plan and in funding for police time and voluntary group support at local level.
• The word ‘vulnerable’ is removed from the plan and replaced by ‘at risk’, unless vulnerable is used in a legal context.
• The abuse of homeless people is addressed by the MPS and other services.
• Comprehensive screening of those accused of crimes so reasonable adjustments are made for Disabled people and appropriate support is given to ensure the criminal justice service is fair.

[1] https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/research-report-103-crime-and-Disabled-people

Download our full response: Inclusion London’s response to Mayor’s Draft Police and Crime plan 2017-2021 Consultation