ABSTRACT
The last quarter of the twentieth century saw a number of fundamental changes in the management of crime within our communities and one of the most visible was the way in which the police changed its philosophy from law enforcement to crime management. The traditional view of the police is that of a law enforcement agency tasked by the state to maintain the ‘Queen's peace’ and prosecute offenders. Whilst this will always be one of its core functions, it has also become an integral member of a multi-partnered ‘responsible authority’, created by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, tasked with addressing broader social issues that are thought to be influential in the causation of crime and also anti-social behaviour.
