History of ComPaSS

The ComPaSS Unit was founded in 2001 in response to the statutory responsibility under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 for Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) to audit crime and disorder in order to inform three-year crime and disorder reduction strategies.

Since its inception, ComPaSS has continually evolved to meet the information and analytical requirements in support of the work of the partnerships. To this end a range of analytical and research products modelled on the SARA (Scanning; Analysis; Response; Assessment) model of problem solving have been developed.

Whilst, historically, CDRPs have been the main recipient, ComPaSS has also undertaken work on behalf of other community safety-related partnerships, agencies and organisations, and practitioners across a wide range of issues and initiatives. ComPaSS Unit has also provided a comprehensive range of practitioner-orientated tools and services through the ComPaSS website.

In 2006 ComPaSS made a commissioning application to the Safer and Stronger Communities Board. This application was granted and has provided ComPaSS with funding for 2007/8 and 2008/9 in addition to mainstream funding provided by the 'responsible authorities' that provide the central/core ComPaSS functions.