ACPO, the Association of Chief Police Officers, with the National Business Crime Forum report that a definition of business crime has now been formally agreed and adopted for the purposes of national crime recording.
It can be defined as:
Business crime is any criminal offence that is committed against a person or property which is associated by the connection of that person or property to a business.
This can be condensed to reflect the MOPAC (Mayor of London) definition of business crime given that it represents any crime in, around or against a business.
This is based on the perception of the victim at the time of reporting of the offence. Why does this matter? Without it, different police forces record business crime differently – or under-report it. Without a common definition, there’s no agreed national stats on how much business crime is suffered. Without that, there can be no firm lobbying for better treatment of business suffering against crime.
The new definition is described by organisers as a milestone and the first very important step towards recognising all victims of business crime and ensuring, for the first time, that the impact of business crime can be accurately measured. A consequence of accurate recording may be to allow police resources to be more appropriately and effectively allocated and deployed. Police forces now have train staff nationally to that definition, and adapt force crime recording systems to allow for the recording of the crimes.
Barrie Millett, pictured, the chair of the NBCF on behalf of the wider business community is developing a relationship with the newly appointed APCC (Association of Police and Crime Commissioners) Business Crime lead, the Nottinghamshire PCC Paddy Tipping, to enable the business community to come together as one voice to raise positive developments and concerns regarding business crime. It is envisaged that the NBCF, as the lead coordinating organisation for the various business membership and representative bodies nationally, will be able to work with Mr Tipping to collaborate on addressing all forms of business crime.
Barrie Millett, NBCF chairman says: “I am truly pleased that we have been able to achieve an important part of this journey and I will continue to drive forward a collaborative approach to addressing business crime nationally.”
