Just prior to the task force on security for the elderly report an evaluation was carried out of a number of community alert schemes. This evaluation showed that these schemes had a positive effect on crime levels in the areas surveyed. The actual results recorded were: 17 per cent decrease in attacks on the elderly, 25 per cent decrease in burglaries, 21 per cent decrease in other crimes.
In addition, the community alert groups received £50,000 during 1996 to provide them with the resources to significantly expand the number of schemes in operation over the next couple of years. This has facilitated increasing to five the number of development officers employed by the schemes.