Knife Crime
Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to make an Open Government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query as specifically as possible.
If however this request is too wide or too unclear, I would be grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.
I am writing to enquire about the statistics of knife crime in your area. How many people on average a year are subjected to knife crime? and is there anything being done to prevent the number of attacks?
I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing or by email that you have received this request. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Thank you,
Lucy Smith
Journalism Student, University of Lincoln
Dear Ms Smith,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request relating to knife crime in the County of Norfolk.
In order that we can search for specific information relevant to your request, I would be grateful if you could provide the following points of clarification.
1. In your request you have asked for the average number of victims of knife crimes per year. The Norfolk Constabulary does not record average numbers of victims and as such our current response to your request would be that the specific information requested is not held. However, we do record information relating to the use of knives as an aggravating factor with respect to recorded crime, and as such it may be possible for us to provide you with statistical data relating to the total number of recorded crimes per year involving knives. I would be grateful if you could confirm this alternative data is acceptable.
2. Please could you also confirm if any recorded crime data should include offences relating to the simple possession of knives or bladed articles, or would you purely require crimes such as robbery, where the crime includes a reference to the offender threatening the victim with a knife?
3. At present your request does not provide any date ranges for us focus our searches for data. Please specify what period you would like to request data for e.g. statistics for the 2008-2009 financial year
4. The second aspect of your request refers to measures taken to prevent knife attacks. At present we have interpreted this part of your request to refer to any crime prevention advice issued to the public with regards to the issue of knife crime. Please could you confirm this interpretation is acceptable?
While we are waiting for your points of clarification, the 20 working day timescale by which we are required to respond to your request has been suspended. If you would like any further advice regarding how you might frame your request to ensure you receive information that is relevant to your area of interest, please do not hesitate to contact us. If the Freedom of Information Department is unable to provide additional advice, it may be possible for us to arrange for one of our crime analysts to contact you directly to discuss your requirements.
Any such contact may be more successful if we were to be able to contact you by telephone, if this is acceptable, please contact us on the telephone numbers shown below, or alternatively, please send an email to the following email address via an alternative personal email account to avoid your personal contact details being published on the whatdotheyknow.com web-site: www.freedomofinformation.norfolk.pnn.pol...
Freedom of Information Department
Professional Standards
Norfolk Constabulary
Operations and Communications Centre
Falconers Chase
Wymondham
Norfolk NR18 0WW
Tel: 01953 42 4487
Fax: 01953 42 4080
Dear FOI officer,
Thank you for your response to my last inquiry:
"Dear FOI Officer,
I am writing to make an Open Government request for all the
information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000.
In order to assist you with this request, I am outlining my query
as specifically as possible.
If however this request is too wide or too unclear, I would be
grateful if you could contact me as I understand that under the
Act, you are required to advise and assist requesters.
I am writing to enquire about the statistics of knife crime in your
area. How many people on average a year are subjected to knife
crime? and is there anything being done to prevent the number of
attacks?
I understand that under the Act, I should be entitled to a response
within 20 working days. I would be grateful if you could confirm in
writing or by email that you have received this request. I look
forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Thank you,
Lucy Smith
Journalism Student, University of Lincoln"
Any information concerning knife crime would be of much help, including information relating to the use of knives as an aggravating factor with respect to recorded crime. So therefore statistical data relating to the total number of recorded crimes per year involving knives, would be appreciated.
Could you please mainly include data from the past 5 years (2004-2009) on offender's threatening the victim with a knife, or any other sharp or bladed object? As i am interested data about random attacks.
Information on crime prevention advice issued to the public with regards to the issue of knife crime, would be appreciated as an answer to my question 'what is being done to prevent knife crime?'
Thank you
Lucy Smith
Journalism Student, University of Lincoln
Dear Ms Smith
Attached please find letter and enclosures in response to your request for information.
Dawn Clarke
Data Protection & Freedom of Information Manager
Professional Standards Department
Norfolk Constabulary
Operations and Communications Centre
Falconers Chase
Wymondham
Norfolk NR18 0WW
Tel: 01953 424101 Fax: 01953 424080
Professionalism with Honesty, Integrity, Openness and Impartiality
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