Community safety priorities

The Crime and Disorder Act and subsequent legislation, placed a duty on a number of agencies including Dorset Police and Dorset Council to work together to reduce crime, disorder and improve the safety of communities within the county.

Dorset Community Safety Partnership

The aim of the Dorset Community Safety Partnership is to deliver safer communities. The Community Safety Partnership Plan details how we will achieve this.

Community Safety Partnerships complete an annual assessment of crime and disorder in their area. The results of this assessment are used with the results from a public consultation to inform Dorset's community safety priorities. Initiatives are put in place to tackle all aspects raised through the process. It is about local solutions to local problems.

Key priorities 2024/25

In Dorset, the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) has agreed six priority areas for 2024/25 which have been identified using information gained from our communities and through working with other agencies:

• domestic abuse and stalking
• sexual offences 
• anti-social behaviour 
• rural crime
• fraud
• serious violence

Delivering against priorities 2024/25

The Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Community Safety Plan 2023-26 has been refreshed for 2024/25. Detailed action plans, setting out partners work to address the priorities have been developed. The action plans are overseen by local strategy groups. The action plans are living documents with targets being regularly monitored, and projects evaluated to gauge effectiveness. If local issues change or initiatives are no longer relevant, appropriate action will be taken. 

Reducing reoffending 

The Dorset Community Safety Partnership (CSP) has developed a three-year strategy for reducing reoffending in the area. Pan-Dorset Reducing Reoffending Strategy 2024 to 2027 details how this will be achieved. An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was completed in the formulation of this strategy.