CIRV

WHAT IS CIRV?
The Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV – pronounced ‘Serve’) is a multi-agency initiative designed to reduce gang violence across Glasgow. CIRV aims to reduce the impact and incidence of antisocial behaviour and violence, the involvement of young people in crime and the fear of crime – there will be other positive outcomes that are supplementary to these aims.

The first phase has already started in the East End, where it is hoped to achieve early, dramatic and sustainable reductions in gang violence. The initiative is a focused deterrence strategy, modelled on world-recognised best practice including American initiatives to tackle gun related gang violence. CIRV is about better coordination and targeting of existing resources towards high-risk street gang members who do not traditionally engage effectively with services.

The police have gathered intelligence on 55 violent street gangs (phase I) that engage in violence. These gangs – collectively and individually – will be presented with a choice: either adopt a more positive lifestyle or face the full weight of the law. Those choosing a more positive lifestyle will be provided with tailored programmes of support including education, employment, diversion, behavioural programmes and support services. Those who choose to continue with their violent behaviour will face a robust challenge from the police and judicial system.

A partnership has been established between agencies and the community to deliver a clear message to gangs: the violence must stop.

Following an initial two year period and positive evaluation, partners will ensure the CIRV approach is adopted across Glasgow as mainstream business using existing resources and services. In addition, the learning from the evaluation will be shared with the Scottish Government and national agencies including the Violence Reduction Unit to ensure that CIRV will positively influence practice in areas outside Glasgow.

WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL CIRV MAKE?
• Strategic Management – A planning framework that involves; Scottish Government – Glasgow Community Planning Partnership – Local Community Planning Partnerships, Community Health Care Partnership, Community Safety Partnerships – Oversight Group – CIRV (Strategic – Tactical delivery) teams.
• Violence Reduction – Aims to complement Glasgow’s single outcome agreement with the Scottish Government (2% reduction by 2011) by drastically reducing gang related violence. It also aims to support the Community Planning safe themes to reduce violence, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime.
• Health & Equalities Test Site – Links to the Scottish Government ongoing work to compliment existing health test sites.
• Targeting at risk gang members – Phase I – 55 gangs / approx 700 (aged 12 – 26) Glasgow East End - 25% on the cusp and 5% already engaging in chaotic gang lifestyles. Ensuring agencies engage with the ‘right’ client group.
• Information Sharing – CIRV will be the custodian of a gang database for the target population – this will be based on current SID intelligence. The database will provide a more comprehensive picture of agency engagement including police, education, social work, housing, employment, GCSS etc.
• Early intervention – CIRV aims to target individuals for early referral through intelligence – not solely through offence based criteria.
• Co-ordination of Service Delivery – CIRV is not another agency – it is a collaboration of services focusing on responding to the needs of chaotic lifestyles fuelled by gang membership.
• Group Dynamics – CIRV aims to bring a different approach to dealing with individuals in gangs – in some respect it is about creating a gang to deal with the gang – the response will be group based rather than individually based. We aim to encourage street gangs to police themselves to avoid the CIRV enforcement spotlight falling on them.
• Partnership Working – CIRV has proactively brought many partners including the community together for the first time to collectively deal with target population.
• Action – CIRV aims to avoid duplication of effort and focus the response on meeting the individual’s needs. This will have a heavy focus on conflict resolution, addressing territorialism, weapons use and irresponsible alcohol consumption.
• Consistent Message – All agencies and the community will be communicating the same message – the violence must end, the community have had enough, all will be held responsible for acts of violence and there is an alternative through CIRV.
• Overview of Programme Delivery – Part of the evaluation will look at programme / intervention content to ensure it addresses conflict resolution etc. It will also look at sharing what works.
• Self-referral sessions – CIRV will communicate regularly with the client group to encourage self referral to CIRV. The aim is to have all Glasgow gang members targeted through self referral sessions.
• Links to a future – CIRV aims to provide fast tracked referral to Education, Employment, Diversion, Programme work and Support Services.
• Case Management – Multi agency involvement – utilising gang Visor database as Potentially Dangerous Persons.
• Linking all activity – co-ordination of delivery across the voluntary sector and agencies.
• Street Level Advocacy – Provision of a cadre of staff to provide links and support to the client group.