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Topic for February 2026 - Crime, Personal Security, Harm
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Our topic this month is: Crime, Personal Security and Harm
Underneath the agenda below is a ChatGPT supplied list of crime categories as background to the discussion. The latest Government announcement on policing may be of interest From local to national: a new model for policing - GOV.UK together with Police Performance Framework - GOV.UK. Also the Online Safety Act: explainer - GOV.UK
Agenda
How do we view the current landscape of each of personal security, crime, intimidation, anti-social behaviour and other harm in the UK?
Where do we think the biggest issues lie? What are their root causes? Can the existing system realistically deliver — in terms of capability, capacity and coordination — or is it structurally broken? Who needs to act to solve the issues? Does responsibility sit at national or local level?
What are the key factors around crime attraction, prevention, detection and punishment — and what incentives or disincentives are currently shaping behaviour? What needs improving? How effective can/will Ofcom’s application of the Online safety act be?
- Offline Crime – local and organised; personal and organisation focused; community and state focused
- Online Crime – national and international; personal and organisation focused; community and state focused
How significant are everyday harm, threats and antisocial behaviour – for both adults and children?
Does use of technology to combat all these threats have to be traded against our personal freedoms? Where should the line be drawn? What do we think about Virtual Identity cards and AI face recognition?
How do we tackle inequality of justice including access to justice, legal aid, victim support & compensation?
How will crime and security likely evolve? What about legitimacy i.e. acceptance and consent of people to law and order?
What are the 3 biggest issues? What are the potential solutions that would genuinely shift outcomes, rather than add activity or complexity?
CRIME CATEORIES
OFFLINE CRIME
- Violent and Personal Harm Crime
Crimes involving direct physical threat or coercion.
- Homicide, serious assault, knife crime
- Domestic abuse and sexual violence
- Violent intimidation
Primary harm: Physical injury, trauma, fear
System issue: Prevention, early intervention, consistent protection- Everyday Harm and Antisocial Behaviour
Low-level offences with high cumulative impact.
- Antisocial behaviour, harassment, public disorder
- Vandalism, criminal damage
- Threats and nuisance behaviour
Primary harm: Withdrawal from public space, loss of trust
System issue: Under-policed, normalised, weak consequence- Property and Acquisitive Crime
Crimes aimed at material gain through physical means.
- Theft, burglary, shoplifting
- Vehicle crime
- Robbery
Primary harm: Financial loss, insecurity, rising crime attraction
System issue: Low detection and deterrence- Organised and Serious Offline Crime
Structured criminal activity with physical presence.
- Drug trafficking and county lines
- People trafficking and modern slavery
- Organised theft and violence
Primary harm: Violence, exploitation, corruption
System issue: Scale, enforcement capacity, cross-border limits- Public Order and Institutional Crime
Crimes affecting collective safety or legitimacy.
- Rioting and large-scale disorder
- Corruption and abuse of power
- Serious regulatory and environmental crime
Primary harm: Erosion of trust and legitimacy
System issue: Accountability and consistent enforcementONLINE CRIME
- Economic and Financial Online Crime
Crimes exploiting digital financial systems.
- Online fraud, scams and phishing
- Identity theft and impersonation
- Money laundering via digital channels
Primary harm: Financial loss, trust erosion
System issue: Scale, automation, weak recovery and enforcement- Online Harm, Coercion and Exploitation
Crimes targeting individuals through digital channels.
- Grooming, sexual exploitation, coercive control
- Harassment, intimidation and abuse
- Non-consensual image sharing
Primary harm: Psychological harm, long-term trauma
System issue: Attribution, protection, victim support- Cybercrime and System Attacks
Crimes targeting digital infrastructure and systems.
- Hacking, ransomware and malware
- Data theft and system sabotage
- Attacks on public or critical infrastructure
Primary harm: System disruption, economic damage
System issue: Defensive capability, resilience, attribution- Organised and Scaled Online Crime
Networked, often transnational digital crime.
- Fraud farms and scam operations
- Coordinated cybercrime rings
- AI-enabled crime at scale
Primary harm: Mass victimisation, asymmetric power
System issue: Jurisdiction, coordination, institutional mismatch- Emerging and Hybrid Crime
Crimes that blur online and offline boundaries.
- AI-generated identities and deepfake fraud
- Hybrid coercion (online threats → offline harm)
- Technology-enabled organised crime
Primary harm: Speed, scale, loss of control
System issue: Anticipation and governance lag -
The Discussion Output on this topic is now available at: Crime, Personal Security and Harm