The Land that Crime Forgot? Auditing the Isles of Scilly

Abstract

This paper summarises the main findings from the 2001/2002 Crime Audit for the Isles of Scilly. The islands form the smallest Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) in England and Wales, and despite their dependence on tourism crime is a rarity. The paper cites police data, other agencies' records, and the results of postal surveys conducted with local residents and the business community. These surveys also demonstrate that fear of crime does not appear a major concern on the islands. Further analysis suggests that crime rates have risen in recent years and that crime and disorder issues are associated with tourism, but that the Isles of Scilly remain ‘the land that crime forgot’. Nevertheless, local residents and the business community demonstrated a willingness to consider a wide range of crime reduction measures, particularly emphasising social crime prevention.