Community impact of serious organised crime highlighted

Michael Matheson

An 18-month study, which looked at serious organised crime (SOC) with deep roots in specific areas, as well as more ‘mobile’ forms of SOC, found that the harmful consequences of the illicit drugs market is the primary area of concern.

Meanwhile, an Ipsos MORI survey shows a growing awareness that everyone has a role in tackling the issue, as well as revealing that one-in-ten had personally been affected by SOC in the past three years.

The new research identifies good practice and makes a series of recommendations to improve Scotland’s collective response to SOC, including:

• Strengthening links between local services, particularly housing and social work, to help prevent exploitation of vulnerable residents
• Recognising that “the best asset in responding to organised crime is the community itself”, to develop community resources and local policing models to support community intelligence-gathering, and increased trust in police and other key service providers
• Considering legislation offering greater powers to respond to exploitation, possibly through a new criminal offence of ‘coercive control’ similar to that for domestic abuse.

As he attended the SOC Taskforce at the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Recent high-profile convictions of people involved in organised crime, supported by strong partnership work at the Crime Campus, send a clear message that Scotland is a hostile environment for those who prey on our communities. This in-depth report offers personal perspectives on the effects of organised crime locally, particularly on the vulnerable.

“It builds our understanding of the impact of such crime and how best we can support people and protect them from harm. Along with our taskforce partners, we will consider carefully the recommendations as we continue strengthening our collective approach to tackling and preventing organised crime.”

Dr Alistair Fraser, senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow, said: “For the first time, we have been able to hear from people living in communities across Scotland where organised crime is part of everyday life. The study shows that while organised crime might be thought of as glamorous it is rooted in deep and enduring forms of harm and exploitation at community level.

“While the study showed that these impacts are most extreme in communities where there is entrenched vulnerability from long-term deprivation, they exist throughout society. Our fieldwork also suggested that one of the best assets in responding to organised crime is the community itself and we need to find ways to harness this potential.”

Dr Niall Hamilton-Smith, senior lecturer at the University of Stirling added: “Tackling serious organised crime can no longer be seen as principally a policing issue. We need a stronger set of partnerships across policing, community groups and service providers in order to better identify and address vulnerability and exploitation linked to organised crime.

“If we are to address the real damage that is being done we also need a counter-narrative that illustrates the difference between the myth and reality of being involved in these groups.”