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Experts will join forces to discuss the retail crime issue as part of a webinar

Big retailers, the police and action groups continue in their attempt to reduce crime and serious violence within the supermarket sector. 

While strides in the right direction have been made on all sides, with retail, the police and government working in partnership in many areas to further stem the issue, there is still a way to go. 

In this special edition event, sponsored by StrongPoint, The Grocer along with sister titles Convenience Store and Forecourt Trader join forces to deliver a series of webinars featuring a dozen experts including National Police Chiefs’ Council national lead chief constable Amanda Blakeman, and City, University of London professor of Criminology Emmeline Taylor, as well as other sector specialists and retailers.

During the webinar panellists will touch on key data, issues and also emerging insight to help showcase the problem as it stands as well as the potential solutions in place or set to come into force. 

Three main takeaways webinar attendees can expect from the event will include: 

1) Stronger partnerships between police and retail

The police and businesses can’t resolve the issue alone, but by working together more closely – or by continuing to work together closely – they can make a big difference. Retailers like Co-op have partnerships in place across the UK and have seen hundreds of offenders managed as a result. 

2) Rehabilitating offenders

Short sentences don’t work. There must be the right mix of interventions. Sometimes custodial sentencing is right, but it needs to be mixed with other tools to help prevent reoffending, such as rehab and education, because if that doesn’t happen then behaviour doesn’t change. 

3) Time to work

The government has provided drive and focus on the topic as a result of industry campaigning. However, time needs to be given to help bed new tools and support in before assessing and building on deficiencies.