Community Empowerment and the Implications for Policing:a case study of the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham

Abstract

The current debate on the Law and Government Policy on prostitution (Hansard 16.10.03) and the continued effort to reduce street crime provides an opportune moment to reflect on the lessons learnt from the experience of tackling street sex markets and the associated crime, particularly street crime, in the Balsall Heath neighbourhood of Birmingham during the 1990s. Balsall Heath was the traditional ‘red light’ district of Birmingham with an estimated 200 prostitutes operating in the area in 1993. Community led action, commenced in 1994, transformed the neighbourhood beyond recognition, removing the street sex market from the area, resulting in a sustainable reduction in street crime and providing a platform for the regeneration of the neighbourhood. The case study demonstrates how an empowered community can drive multi agency activity in a holistic manner capable of delivering a sustainable policy outcome compatible with the principles of problem oriented policing. Key terms: Alternative Criminal Justice :Community Empowerment: Problem Orientated Policing: Relational Power: Bureaucracy: ‘Governmentality’: and Vigilante.