TheRetailer_Autumn_2019

NEWS FROM THE bRC

An Epidemic of Violence

james Martin crime security advisor british Retail Consortium

Members of the BRC’s Operations Community will know Dr Emmeline Taylor, a criminologist at City University and noted academic expert on retail crime and violence. She spoke at our event last year ‘Charting the Future’ at which, with partners Aon, we brought a range of experts together to look at how the evolution of retail will alter crime risks, and has helped all of our thinking on Self Service Theft. Working with The Co Op, Dr Taylor recently published thought- provoking research on violence against colleagues ‘It’s Not Part of the Job’. Everyone in the industry will understand how serious a problem violence against colleagues is. The BRC’s Retail Crime Survey found that nearly 115 colleagues are attacked daily, just for going about their jobs. This new report found that around a quarter of those incidents involved a weapon which, scaled up for the whole industry, would mean that nearly 30 attacks a day involved a weapon of some sort. But this work goes further beyond, reaching beyond the bare statistics to look in more depth and the real impacts and causes of this “epidemic” of violence. One of the most heart-stopping conclusions is the mental harm these attacks cause, with long-term anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (‘PTSD’) common responses. PTSD is more commonly identified with emergency workers or members of the armed forces, not those who work in a shop. The symptoms do not end with the colleagues attacked, those around them and the families they go home to can also be affected severely. The report looks at the offenders themselves, positioning shoplifting, often with violence, as a gateway crime and a funding stream for drugs. Offenders are interviewed, and their view of the likelihood of being arrested or effectively rehabilitated by the Criminal Justice System comes clearly through. Objectively, it is difficult for the reader to avoid the conclusion that the way the system has been created makes their violent behaviour rational, not irrational.

But Dr Taylor does see hope in this area, giving a series of recommendations for action that could assist in making violence the irrational response or removing the triggers which spark it in the first place. One of these is a new law to strengthen sentencing for those who attack retail colleagues, something that we at the BRC have been working towards for some time. The recent Queen’s Speech contained many measures on criminal justice, including the flagship announcement that criminals given four or more years’ imprisonment for a violent offence will serve at least two thirds, not half, of their sentence. For many, this change will be welcomed, and it is certainly attention-grabbing. However, for those of us in retail, the largest single private employer in the UK, it begs the question: what about colleagues assaulted by a violent criminal whose sentence is for less than four years? Where is the justice for our shopworkers? Crimes of this nature are by no means limited to any one area of retail. Robin Osterley, Chief Executive of the Charity Retailers Association, who supports Daniel Johnson’s bill, commented, “all retail workers, whether staff or volunteers, are on the front line of dealing with theft, enforcing age restrictions and handling abusive members of the public. Across Scotland, around 18,700 people volunteer in charity shops each year. Charity shop staff and volunteers help raise vital funds for charities and they should be able to do so free from the fear of being abused or assaulted”. Thankfully, following a recent consultation, Daniel Johnson MSP might have the answer. He has published a draft law that would allow for stronger sentencing of those who attack retail workers as they perform legally required duties. The retail industry would welcome the Scottish Parliament supporting Mr Johnson. It is also a step decision-makers in London should follow very carefully. We at the BRC would entirely endorse those thoughts. The UK Government has put fighting crime at the heart of its domestic agenda. With the Home Office having sought views on how to best tackle retail violence, there is a clear case for Westminster to look north and see what it can learn. Our crime campaign works to deliver a wide-ranging programme of policy reform and explore better ways to tackle retail crime for more information and to downlaod the 2019 Retail Crime Survey please visit our website

26 | autumn 2019 | the retailer