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In 1989/90 Crime Concern, a Home office supported body, researched youth crime prevention initiatives across the UK and published a booklet entitled "Youth Crime Prevention, a handbook of good practice". The booklet included a report on the activities of Joe Lynch, the CPO at Shooters Hill near Greenwich. He had become increasingly concerned that work with youngsters was not really effective and that showing videos such as "Never Go With Strangers" was not producing hoped for results. He looked for a more realistic and stimulating approach based on simulated real life situations which were dangerous or threatening to youngsters. This first scheme was called the Junior Citizen Award Scheme. It was subsequently sponsored by the Kingfisher group of companies, and the name "Crucial Crew" was adopted to make it more appealing to youngsters. |
Children learn by doing.
Crime prevention and personal safety education can be challenging and exciting.
Everyone is concerned about crime prevention and personal safety.
The most effective way of tackling the problem is a partnership approach.
In practice Crucial Crew is a half-day activity for children aged 10/11. The age at which they are aware of dangers and risk, are becoming a little more independent and need to be able to understand what to do in an emergency or risk situation.
A typical "Crucial Crew" activity will involve up to 10 organisations such as Fire Service, Police, Electricity Supply Companies, Health and Safety Executive, Red Cross amongst many others. They will set up activities in which the youngsters can take an active part and in doing so learn by doing. The Police, for example, may be involved in an attempted child abduction and the Fire Service may provide a simulated rescue from a burning bedroom complete with Fire Fighters in breathing apparatus. Telephones are used, a private exchange is set up for the event, and youngsters are encouraged and taught to use the 999 service in a realistic way by responding to a simulated emergency.
Groups of around 60 youngsters at a time will take part in a Crucial Crew activity. Each group spends about 15 minutes at each activity in turn. By the end of their visit they should be more aware of personal safety, learnt how to react to dangerous situations, be able to make a contribution to crime prevention, be able to avoid becoming a victim of crime and know the role that the emergency services play.
Sudbury Rotary Club promoted and organised Crucial Crew in Sudbury in March 1999. This is very much a partnership scheme and involves Police, Fire Service, Babergh District Council, Sudbury Education Trust, Lucas Ltd., the Health and Safety Executive and many other organisations and companies. By the end of the week they hope to have seen around 500 local youngsters through the activity.
That Sudbury Rotary Club are promoting and organising the event is unusual since Rotary Clubs, while providing support for what is now a growing national scheme, are not usually the organisers. However, it is an activity that clearly has immense value to both youngsters and the community at large and they can see good reasons for Rotary to drive this forward. The value of the scheme can be seen in the results and comments from youngsters taking part, from teachers and from parents.
"I have seldom seen children return from an outing showing the enthusiasm and stimulation provided by Crucial Crew" said one teacher, and the mother of Tara Tams, a ten year old from Warwickshire who led her family from a fire, said "If it wasn't for Crucial Crew my family might not be alive today". " Crucial Crew is brilliant, it was fun and I learnt at the same time" was the verdict of one youngster.
This document was originally prepared by Rodney Howell, Editor 1080 News.
Electronic 1080 News is edited and maintained by John L Raybould.
Last updated: 25 April 2000
