Commentary Community Safety Section 71: Community safety strategy
142.This section puts a duty on the Secretary of State to publish a community safety strategy for Northern Ireland. “Community safety” is defined in subsection (2). This includes not only the reduction of crime, but also the reduction of anti-social behaviour and the addressing of other factors that affect people’s perceptions of safety. Measures to enhance community safety could, for example, include approaches which seek to address the development of criminality among young people, reduce criminal opportunities and act upon the social conditions that sustain crime.
143.The strategy published by the Secretary of State will identify what the Government sees as the key priorities for community safety in Northern Ireland. It will set out how it believes those issues can best be addressed and the means for delivery (which will include the bodies created under section 72 below). The strategy will also include details of the financial and other resources to be provided by the Secretary of State.