Violence Reduction Unit Evaluation, 2019 to 2020

This document describes an evaluation of Violence Reduction Units (VRUs) in the UK, which are initiatives funded by the Home Office to combat serious violence using a public health approach. The VRUs aim to coordinate organizations to address violence, particularly among individuals under 25, and to tackle related issues like domestic violence and modern slavery. The evaluation, carried out by Ecorys UK and Ipsos MORI, employed a mixed-method approach, including stakeholder surveys and data analysis, to assess the VRUs' structures, operations, and early effectiveness. Findings suggest that while VRUs have made strides in awareness and establishing a foundation for evidence-based interventions, they face challenges in data access, stakeholder engagement, and measuring intervention effectiveness. The evaluation underscores the need for ongoing assessment, sustainable funding, and strategic partnerships. It also notes the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on VRU operations and the importance of a strategic public health approach. Early outcomes are promising, but full effectiveness is expected to take 5-10 years. The document concludes that VRUs have begun to lay the groundwork for success, but improvements are needed in operationalizing the public health approach to violence reduction. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Home Office (Home Office)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Case studies; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: August 2020

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Links to published evaluations (DEBUGGING): No final report link found.
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes