In recent years we’ve seen an enormous shift in public attitudes on mental health, and thankfully this has increased our national understanding and openness. More people than ever feel comfortable talking about mental health. In fact, since Time to Change – the anti-stigma campaign run in partnership by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness – began in 2007, there has been a 9.6 per cent improvement in public attitudes. That’s 4.1m people with more positive views on mental health.

But for all the steps forward we’ve seen there are still some outdated ideas that hold back progress, and this is particularly true when it comes to the subject of violence and mental health. We often see links made between violence and mental health, particularly in the media, and increasingly so when it comes to incidents of terrorism. But we know that often these media diagnoses are speculative and can serve to increase stigma.

Over a third of people think that people with a mental health problem are likely to be violent, when in fact...

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With the holiday season in full swing, our Chief Executive Mark Hallas shares some thoughts on the past twelve months and the coming year…

Merry Christmas to you all!

It’s great to have a spare moment to write this blog and pause for reflection. The joy of this time of year is being able to spend some quality time with family and friends: to slow the pace, recharge and prepare for the coming year.

It’s been an eventful 2017 – not only in the UK and across the world – but also at the charity I’m proud to lead, Crimestoppers.

Reaping rewards

The most encouraging achievement is that more and more people are putting their trust in us with calls and online contacts up by an impressive 25% over the past year.

With a refreshed brand and a soon-to-be launched new website, we have a fantastic opportunity to embrace even better ways of reaching new audiences to gain their confidence. Everyone has the right to feel safe from crime, wherever they live. We’ll be reinforcing our vision of hope, giving people the power to speak up to...

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Whilst having a good night out will be at the forefront of your mind, make sure you stay safe. Sadly, when people don’t take their safety seriously they can end up a victim of crime, such as being attacked or mugged.

By taking on board these top tips on staying safe you’ll go some way to help yourself have a great time whilst out and about.

7 safety tips for nights out

Safety in numbers:

Always stay within the group. By remaining close to the people you trust and know well, you’ll reduce the risk of being targeted by people who are up to no good and could be out to take advantage.

Get taxis or arrange a lift:

When traveling at night always book a taxi or get a lift. It’s worth that little extra to take a ride in a cab and get home safely. If travelling by bus it’s best to sit on the lower deck as this is closer to the exit and within sight of the bus driver should there be a problem.

Always book your taxi:

When you book a licensed mini-cab or taxi you know it is reputable and reliable. Black cabs are the only type of private...

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My name’s Katrine, and I’m a on a student placement at Crimestoppers. I’m originally from Norway. The winters in northern Norway are quite different to those here in England. What Brits call cold, we call summer – and what they call dark, we call cosy.

One key element to surviving a northern winter is binge-watching television shows. We snuggle up on the sofa with a blanket and a nice cup of tea to watch television programmes for days. My favourites are crime dramas.

From Criminal Minds to criminology

Growing up in my small town, I watched a lot of a particular programme – CBS’s Criminal Minds. The show follows FBI profilers in their mission to catch the most twisted and horrifying criminals in the US. Part of me wondered if criminals like these existed in real life. After some research, I discovered that some of the episodes were based on real-life crimes and criminals. I was fascinated, and I was eager to learn why some people commit unspeakable crimes while most of us...

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This December we are urging people to ‘Think Crimestoppers this Christmas’ by offering advice and tips on how to keep safe through the season.  We will be posting crime prevention and safety awareness tips via social media to help protect you, your valuables, car, and house. Each week will be themed and we are looking at areas such as shopping, personal safety, travelling and partying.

Christmas is a happy time of year, but it can quickly turn sour if crime takes place. You can give Crimestoppers information anonymously about a number of crimes that may, unfortunately, affect people this Christmas. Here we kick off with tips to keep you safe whilst shopping.

Online shopping

If something seems too much of a bargain, it’s probably poor quality, fake or doesn’t exist. At this time of year many fake online stores pop up wanting to prey on your eagerness for a bargain. Look for online reviews of the site and think about phoning the contact number. If there isn’t one, this could be a warning sign.

When shopping online on a...

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Stephen, a student at a south London school, joined us recently here at Crimestoppers for a two-week work placement. Here, he tells us how it went – and why Crimestoppers is more like the Bat Signal than Batman!

Are you looking for a work placement?

Are you like me a few months before writing this and have no idea what to do for work experience? Do you want to work for a major charity? Have you watched too many shows about serial killers on Netflix and want to know what working in a place that helps to catch criminals is like? Want to get a good-sounding line on your future CV when applying for other jobs? If you answered yes to a few of the above things, then I can wholeheartedly recommend Crimestoppers for your work experience in the summer.

What’s Crimestoppers all about?

Now, before you continue reading, I would like to clarify a few things. A lot of people have heard of Crimestoppers. You might have heard the name on the news when major crimes like murders and armed robberies happen....

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There are thousands of great charities working day and night, all doing their best to respond to the needs of others. So having a day to pause momentarily and mark the crucial role of our charity in helping improve the lives of others is something we feel is really important.

This is only the fourth such UN-sponsored day, and this year they’re asking us to focus on poverty that persists, not just in developing countries, but also in wealthier nations.

Offering hopes to millions

Unfortunately, crime can affect all communities, and yet it has a disproportionate impact on poorer areas, including here in the UK. This is where Crimestoppers can play a key role. 

Our service is open to everyone. We guarantee that whoever you are and wherever you live, you will remain 100% anonymous when you tell us what you know about crime in your community.

Our service is open to all regardless of their circumstances.

We offer hope especially to the millions of people who – for whatever reason – are reluctant...

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Europe’s biggest street party, Notting Hill Carnival returns this weekend. It’s one of the most anticipated events of the summer where you can expect to see steel bands, flamboyant costumes and experience great food and entertainment. Taking place on August 26,27 & 28, most of the festival’s two million plus revellers will have a safe and enjoyable visit to London. Make sure your carnival experience is as positive as it can be with our 7 safety tips:

Night tube? Taxi? Bus? Plan your route home before you set off

Lots of people will be travelling to and from London during the two days of Carnival. Public transport may be busier than normal. Don’t be tempted to take an unlicensed taxi or to walk an unfamiliar route. Check the TFL website (or @TFLTrafficNews on Twitter for road updates) before you travel and plan your journey in advance.

Those landmarks can come in handy! Set a meeting point

With all that dancing and jumping about you might lose family or friends in the crowd. Agree a meeting point before the...

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Nina volunteers for Crimestoppers in our central office and also volunteers regularly with her local magistrates’ court. Here she talks to us about her interest in crime prevention.

I’ve been volunteering at Crimestoppers for a few months now to get an insight into how the British justice system works, but the idea of becoming a criminologist has captivated me since I was 16. I think it runs in the family: one of my grandparents used to be chief of Skopje police station in Macedonia! When I lived in Bulgaria I heard about corruption every day. Motivated to make a difference in society, I started preparing myself for a career in crime prevention when I was at school

People who work to solve crimes have to be curious and comfortable with uncertainties

I began to take additional classes in maths and psychology to improve my critical thinking and deductive reasoning. Ethics, law and sociology classes have served as a good introduction to criminology. Every year my school (together with the police crime department) organised a...

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Hacks on computer systems in businesses, universities and public services have shown the world the serious impact that cyber-crime can have. Cyber-crime isn’t just a problem for big companies; it’s important that we all take steps to reduce our risk when we use online services at home, when travelling, and at work.

Most of us will have robust security in our homes: 82% of households have double locks or deadlocks on their doors and 89% have window locks[1], and yet, when it comes to online security, only 52% regularly download the latest software or app updates as soon as they are available, which can help keep your devices secure.[2]

One of the consequences of cyber-crime that is hard to ignore is the cost. Action Fraud estimates that around £11 billion was lost to the UK economy as a result of fraud and cyber-crime in 2015/16; this works out at approximately £210 per person in the UK.[3] Other figures from the Crime Survey of England and Wales revealed the extent of cyber-crime: there were approximately two...

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