About us

The ‘Reducing Racial Crime and Harassment Theme Group’ provides a strategic direction to ensure that all victims of racial incidents are given adequate levels of support to prevent repeat victimisation and reduce the fear of crime and harassment.

All theme groups are required to co-ordinate multi agency activity to support the achievement of the key aims of the ‘Safer Middlesbrough Partnership’ which are to: -

• Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Reassure the public, by reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs and alcohol, including substantially increasing the number of drug misusing offenders entering treatment through the Criminal Justice System.

Due to the nature of these incidents the group has provided alternative-reporting processes through third parties so the police and local authority are fully informed of the level of incidents which will enable rapid action to be taken to reduce the potential for repeats.

Our aims are to:-

• To develop and implement a strategy which prevents racist and religious crime, racial discrimination and harassment.
• Build trust in communities, thereby improving confidence in the police, partner agencies and criminal justice system.
• Empower BME communities to access sensitive and specific local self-help.
• Share relevant, necessary and proportionate information with partner agencies, regarding racist incidents. This must be treated in confidence and with regard to the policies of the agency providing the data.
• Arrange crime prevention advice to members of the BME community.
• Consult with relevant communities and agencies.
• To develop education initiatives to reduce racist crime, harassment and bullying.
• Examine/learn from wide and diverse initiatives in other areas to develop Middlesbrough specific initiatives.
• Give commitment to the group on behalf of the agency that they represent.