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Crime: What has Boris Johnson promised on law and order? | Crime: What has Boris Johnson promised on law and order? |
(30 minutes later) | |
Since becoming prime minister just over a month ago, Boris Johnson has made a number of law-and-order announcements affecting England and Wales. | Since becoming prime minister just over a month ago, Boris Johnson has made a number of law-and-order announcements affecting England and Wales. |
But what exactly is being proposed? | But what exactly is being proposed? |
20,000 more police officers | 20,000 more police officers |
The plan: Hire an extra 20,000 police officers by 2022. Mr Johnson says the policy will cost £1.1bn. | The plan: Hire an extra 20,000 police officers by 2022. Mr Johnson says the policy will cost £1.1bn. |
What it means: There are currently 123,171 police officers in England and Wales, down from 143,000 in 2010, when the Conservatives came to power and Theresa May became home secretary. | What it means: There are currently 123,171 police officers in England and Wales, down from 143,000 in 2010, when the Conservatives came to power and Theresa May became home secretary. |
So if Mr Johnson delivers on his recruitment plan, it will put officer levels to around where they were nine years ago. | So if Mr Johnson delivers on his recruitment plan, it will put officer levels to around where they were nine years ago. |
There has been some dispute about the link between police numbers and levels of violent crime, with Theresa May saying there was not a direct link. | There has been some dispute about the link between police numbers and levels of violent crime, with Theresa May saying there was not a direct link. |
But Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said there is "some link" between the two. | But Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has said there is "some link" between the two. |
10,000 prison places | 10,000 prison places |
The plan: Up to £2.5bn funding to create 10,000 new prison places. | The plan: Up to £2.5bn funding to create 10,000 new prison places. |
What it means: The government already had a target, announced in 2015, of creating 10,000 places in new prisons by 2020. | What it means: The government already had a target, announced in 2015, of creating 10,000 places in new prisons by 2020. |
However, this target was to create new places in order to shut old, outdated prisons, not to increase the overall capacity of the prison system. | However, this target was to create new places in order to shut old, outdated prisons, not to increase the overall capacity of the prison system. |
And the government has now reduced this target to 3,360 by 2023. | And the government has now reduced this target to 3,360 by 2023. |
But Mr Johnson has now set a new target of another 10,000 by "the mid-2020s", although it is not clear whether these will replace places lost in closures of older prisons or see a 10,000 increase in overall capacity. | But Mr Johnson has now set a new target of another 10,000 by "the mid-2020s", although it is not clear whether these will replace places lost in closures of older prisons or see a 10,000 increase in overall capacity. |
This new target will partly be achieved by expanding HMP Full Sutton, in Yorkshire, although expansion at this site has been planned since 2016. | This new target will partly be achieved by expanding HMP Full Sutton, in Yorkshire, although expansion at this site has been planned since 2016. |
Currently, the prison population in England and Wales is almost 83,000, which is 8,700 above the prisons service's own overcrowding limits. | Currently, the prison population in England and Wales is almost 83,000, which is 8,700 above the prisons service's own overcrowding limits. |
And since 2011, those overcrowding limits have been cut by about 2,500 as cells have been closed or fallen into disrepair. | And since 2011, those overcrowding limits have been cut by about 2,500 as cells have been closed or fallen into disrepair. |
Expanding stop-and-search | Expanding stop-and-search |
The plan: Police forces across England and Wales will now be able to carry out stop-and-searches in designated areas without authorisation from a senior officer. | The plan: Police forces across England and Wales will now be able to carry out stop-and-searches in designated areas without authorisation from a senior officer. |
What it means: Stop-and-search refers to stopping a person in order to search them for weapons or other prohibited items, such as drugs. | What it means: Stop-and-search refers to stopping a person in order to search them for weapons or other prohibited items, such as drugs. |
A return to stop-and-stop will represent a big departure from the approach of Theresa May's government. | A return to stop-and-stop will represent a big departure from the approach of Theresa May's government. |
Following fears it was being used too widely and unfairly targeting ethnic minorities, especially young black men, stop-and-search fell by 80% between 2009-10 and 2017-18. | Following fears it was being used too widely and unfairly targeting ethnic minorities, especially young black men, stop-and-search fell by 80% between 2009-10 and 2017-18. |
Under the new plans, some restrictions will be lifted on Section-60 searches. | Under the new plans, some restrictions will be lifted on Section-60 searches. |
Currently, Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 allows officers to search anyone in a designated area - even if they have no reasonable grounds to suspect they are carrying a weapon - as long as they have intelligence of serious violence. | Currently, Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 allows officers to search anyone in a designated area - even if they have no reasonable grounds to suspect they are carrying a weapon - as long as they have intelligence of serious violence. |
For example, Section 60 was used at last year's Notting Hill Carnival, in west London, which followed two days in which the city saw five shootings and a fatal stabbing. | For example, Section 60 was used at last year's Notting Hill Carnival, in west London, which followed two days in which the city saw five shootings and a fatal stabbing. |
But officers will now be able to do so as soon as they have reason to suspect serious violence may take place - and they will no longer require the authorisation of an assistant chief constable. | |
Priti Patel, the new Home Secretary, says stop-and-search works. | Priti Patel, the new Home Secretary, says stop-and-search works. |
But Labour's shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, says it does not reduce violent crime. | But Labour's shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, says it does not reduce violent crime. |
The government's Serious Violence Strategy, published in April 2018, says knife crime, gun crime and homicide have all risen in recent years as stop-and-search has fallen. | The government's Serious Violence Strategy, published in April 2018, says knife crime, gun crime and homicide have all risen in recent years as stop-and-search has fallen. |
But it dismisses any direct link between the two, saying "the data do not support such a conclusion". | But it dismisses any direct link between the two, saying "the data do not support such a conclusion". |
A 2017 College of Policing study of Metropolitan Police data found higher rates of stop-and-search had seen "very slightly lower than expected rates of crime in the following week or month". | A 2017 College of Policing study of Metropolitan Police data found higher rates of stop-and-search had seen "very slightly lower than expected rates of crime in the following week or month". |
And a 2016 Home Office analysis was unable to reach a firm conclusion on whether stop-and-search reduced crime or not. | And a 2016 Home Office analysis was unable to reach a firm conclusion on whether stop-and-search reduced crime or not. |
Extra money for the Crown Prosecution Service | Extra money for the Crown Prosecution Service |
The plan: £85m for the CPS over the next two years | The plan: £85m for the CPS over the next two years |
What it means: The CPS deals with the prosecution of those charged with criminal offences. | What it means: The CPS deals with the prosecution of those charged with criminal offences. |
Since 2010-11, it has had its budget cut by roughly 30% in real terms - a total of about £225m. | Since 2010-11, it has had its budget cut by roughly 30% in real terms - a total of about £225m. |
In the same period, staff numbers have decreased from 7,978 to 5,518. | In the same period, staff numbers have decreased from 7,978 to 5,518. |
Earlier this year, the attorney general said the CPS could not cope with any more cuts. | Earlier this year, the attorney general said the CPS could not cope with any more cuts. |
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