| A new report from the Centre for Crime and Justice | | | | homicide, street violence and theft should be |
| Studies worryingly suggests that at least twice as | | | | complemented by a much greater focus on |
| many people die from fatal accidents at work than | | | | workplace crimes and harms. |
| are victims of homicide. In a statement regarding the | | | | Professor Steve Tombs, a report author, said |
| results, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions | | | | `Violent street crime consumes enormous political, |
| Secretary, Jenny Willott said: | | | | media and academic energy. But, as hundreds of |
| "It is deeply worrying that fatal accidents at work | | | | thousands of workers and their families know, it is |
| are being brushed under the carpet. This report | | | | the violence associated with working for a living that |
| suggests that health and safety inspections and | | | | is most likely to kill and hospitalise.' |
| investigations simply aren’t carried out often | | | | Dr David Whyte, another report author, said: `HSE |
| enough, which has had devastating | | | | enforcement notices fell by 40% and prosecutions |
| consequences.Previous reports have highlighted that | | | | fell by 49% between 2001/02 and 2005/06. The |
| Health and Safety Executive is underfunded and | | | | collapse in HSE enforcement and prosecution sends a |
| overworked but the Government hasn’t acted | | | | clear message that the government is prepared to |
| on these findings. Ministers must take steps | | | | let employers kill and maim with impunity.' |
| immediately to ensure that people are safe at | | | | Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and |
| work.Deregulation is not a licence for employers to | | | | Justice Studies, stated: `Safety crimes are worthy |
| abandon their responsibility to protect their | | | | of greater acknowledgement given the harm caused |
| employees." | | | | and the contexts within which they occur. This |
| The report, which was launched in parliament later on | | | | research raises important questions about what is |
| Tuesday found that at least 1,300 people died as a | | | | currently defined as crime, who gets to decide, and |
| result of fatal occupational injuries in 2005-06 in | | | | how we as a society deal with harmful and |
| England and Wales, compared with 765 homicide | | | | dangerous practices.' |
| victims. Non-fatal workplace injuries requiring | | | | CCJS is an independent charity at King's College |
| hospitalisation were also likely to be greater that year | | | | London that informs and educates about all aspects |
| than those needing such treatment following the | | | | of crime and the criminal justice system. It was |
| violent offences formally recorded as crimes. | | | | established in July 1931 as the 'Association for the |
| The report, `A crisis of enforcement', argues that the | | | | Scientific Treatment of Criminals'. It was renamed the |
| recent trend towards the `light touch' regulation of | | | | 'Institute for the Scientific Treatment of Delinquency' |
| business has in effect `decriminalised' death and injury | | | | in July 1932, and the 'Institute for the Study and |
| at work. Serious incidents are significantly | | | | Treatment of Delinquency' in 1951. It adopted its |
| underreported, the authors claim. A reduction in the | | | | current name - the 'Centre for Crime and Justice |
| capacity of bodies such as the Health and Safety | | | | Studies' - in 1999. |
| Executive to inspect business and take appropriate | | | | They have stated their mission as ‘the aim of |
| action has led to a situation where the vast majority | | | | the early founders of what became CCJS was to |
| of the most serious injuries, as well as many deaths, | | | | promote the notion, backed by scientific research, |
| are not subject to any form of investigation. This | | | | that there was a better way of dealing with |
| raises a number of important questions, the authors | | | | offenders than prison and to translate this notion into |
| argue, about whether the current policy | | | | action. |
| preoccupation with `conventional' crimes such as | | | | |