Witness Seminar 5 and 6: Everyday Offending in Devonport Past and Present

• Co-Ordinator: Professor Kim Stevenson
• Chair: Professor Judith Rowbotham
• Consultant: Michael Kandiah, Kings College London

Aim:

to explore the purpose of the criminal justice system past and present with a specific focus on everyday offending in Devonport as it has been largely under-researched. The witness seminars were held as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2017 and in conjunction with an exhibition and associated activities at Devonport Guildhall in association with the Real Ideas Organisation.

Overview:

The event was hosted by the University of Plymouth in association with the Institute for Contemporary British History, King’s College, London, it was organised as part of the Annual ESRC Research Festival of Social Science 2017 on the theme of Policing Devonport Past and Present. This witness seminar comprised two separate panels:

Morning Panel: Policing Everyday Crime on the Streets

This panel explored the experiences of current and retired police officers and their dealings with offending and criminal activity in Devonport in conjunction with a pre-recorded interview with Sergeant Steve Fleetwood from Devonport police station (transcript also available).Panel Witnesses included:

• Katherine Hickling, Devon and Cornwall Police, PCSO Neighbourhood police team
• Alan Lane, Devon and Cornwall Police (retired)
• Reg Davison, Devon and Cornwall Police (retired)
• With Sgt Steve Fleetwood, Devon and Cornwall Police, Neighbourhood policing coordinator

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Afternoon Panel: Community Responses to Everyday Crime

This second panel focussed on the experience of those affected by criminal acts and everyday offending in Devonport as both victims/witnesses and who were responsible, panel witnesses included representatives from local community support organizations including Red Shield Salvation Army Devonport, Hamoaze House and Shekinah Mission with audience participation from clients of Hamoaze House. Panel Witnesses included:

• Mark Bignall, Hamoaze House, Devonport
• John Hamblin, Shekinah Mission, Plymouth
• Ed Whitelaw, Real Ideas Organisation, Devonport
• Tim Gibbs, Salvation Army, Devonport
• Keith Johnson, Devonport Naval Heritage centre

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