From reducing fear to improving community change of emphasis for practitioners

Safer Communities Volume 8 Issue 3 July 2009 © Pavilion Journals (Brighton) Ltd Abstract Although the ‘fear of crime’ has generated significant academic interest, the lack of clarity concerning definition, prevalence and concentration has generated difficulties for community safety practitioners when implementing operational initiatives. This article explores the experience of the Norfolk Constabulary, and shows how the positive concept of ‘improving public confidence’ allowed the organisation to more effectively design and implement community safety initiatives, to change public perception.