StreetSnap is an innovative technological solution allowing councils and their partners to better record, utilise and remove hateful graffiti and visual representations of hate throughout their boroughs. The app allows users (from council officials to PCSOs and integrated partners) to track potential areas of higher hate crime and incidences of extremism effectively and efficiently within their communities. StreetSnap enables councils to communicate with ease across departments, teams and partners as well as better allocate resources and funds into areas where issues are identified to ensure public safety and support community cohesion
For more information on purchasing the StreetSnap app and training package please contact the team by emailing: streetsnap@swansea.ac.uk
National hate crime figures during 2022 increased by around 26% (Hate crime England and Wales, 2021-2022), however, hate crime and incidents are still significantly under reported. Hateful graffiti is classed as a hate incident, and depending on severity, a hate crime (Home Office, 2023). However, currently, there are no systems in place, let alone technology to drive the reporting and monitoring of this. Nationally, it is mandated that local Community Cohesion Officers, at an operational level categorise graffiti. This categorisation is deemed of utmost importance to the counter-hate and counter-extremism agenda (Community Cohesion Programme Workplan, (2022) Themes 3, and 5), yet there are no achievable ways for this data to be systematically recorded and no training is in place for Coordinators. The development of this monitoring instrument 'StreetSnap' to streamline processes is fundamental and has been made possible through Welsh Government SMART Partnership Funding. This funding has enabled a multi sector approach, joining Swansea University academics and technological expertise from Legal Innovation Lab Wales with Bridgend County Borough Council.
Since 2018, Bridgend Community Cohesion Lead, and the Partnership Community Safety Manager have been working alongside Dr Nouri to try to further understand and highlight the importance of hateful and extremist visuals. Previous delivery of training to some elected members of Parliament, line managers and frontline staff on when, why, and how to report, monitor, collate and remove hateful visuals highlighted a lack of connection and understanding of the way in which the presence of hate visuals counter this agenda (Nouri, 2022). This training further emphasised that there exists a knowledge gap around the importance of paying attention to hate visuals in relation to policy and partnership agendas, and a disconnect therefore in terms of the reporting, monitoring and removal processes of hateful visuals. The training was successful in establishing demand and demonstrated the need to truly imbed academic knowledge to advance the aims of the Bridgend Community Safety Partnership. As a compliment to the work already being delivered by Bridgend County Borough Council and the Community Safety Partnership. The StreetSnap project demonstrates transformational change at all levels within Bridgend County Borough Council, and to partnership organisations, though an academic, evidence-based training package and innovative technological solution; the development the StreetSnap app.
Tackling extremism, hate crime, and building resilience and community cohesion is an ongoing dominant issue for Councils across the UK (Local Government Association, 2022). Post Brexit tensions have given way to wider consideration of responses to community tension and the delivery of the community cohesion agenda (Foster, Williams & Burlap 2023). The impact of extremism on local areas can be significant and ranging. At its most extreme are rare, large scale terrorist attacks which wreak havoc, devastation, and loss of life. On a smaller, but no less significant scale are the pervasive, non-violent harms done to individuals, groups, and communities via the presence of visual representations of extremist ideologies, hate and intolerance communicated through the use of hate graffiti and stickering in the locale. The landscape of extremist threats in and to our communities is in constant evolution and as such a dynamic, joined-up, partnership approach to counter such challenges is essential to respond, understand and build resilience from within (Local Government Association, 2022).
The threat of extremism and terrorism is addressed through CONTEST, the Government's Counter Terrorism Strategy. In Wales this is supported through the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism Unit, whose aim is to 'work more effectively in its response to the threat of National and International terrorism and extremism' (Wales Safer Communities Network). Through PREVENT, at a local level, Bridgend Community Safety Partnership is already undertaking important work around counterterrorism in seeking to address the social harms of extremism; the impact on sense of identity, safety and belonging, and the economic impact on the community (Local Government Association, 2022). Also, its focus, is early intervention work which aims to counter harmful ideologies, radicalisation, and criminality.
The presence of graffiti in public spaces is an issue which local authorities have long sought to tackle as an act of illicit criminal damage, and a legal requirement under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003. Removal of the offending scrawl acts to reclaim the space physically and visually for the community and the local authority (Wilson, 2014; Halsey & Young, 2002). While graffiti is broadly understood as problematic due to the harm it causes to the community in terms of property damage and fear of crime illustrated through broken window theory (Wilson & Kelling, 1982) - knowledge of the differences in context, provenance, and forms of graffiti are not so evident. Aid in understanding the motivations of the author and the approaches which might be productive in combating and addressing the issue (Callinan, 2002) need to be at the forefront of removal and intervention procedures. It is important therefore, to distinguish between malicious graffiti as random vandalism and a crime against public/private property versus graffiti which although, is an act of vandalism and crime, also has a dark agenda of communicating division and hate towards other ethnicities, religions, cultures, genders, sexualities, registering as a hate incident and/or crime. The effect of this graffiti on the community is that it contributes to 'an ambience in which expressions of hate are considered an unremarkable aspect of the social environment' (Wilson, 2014). Tolerance of, and lack of action can transmit an implied message of silent acceptance, and implicit agreement within the local area. It is such graffiti or 'hate visuals' which are the focus of the StreetSnap project.
Hate crime is defined as “any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person's disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity” (Anti Racist Wales Action Plan, p.113). According to Home Office figures for hate crime in England and Wales, 2021 to 2022, there has been a significant rise in recorded hate crime (Hate Crime in England and Wales, 2021-2022):
More information on the background to this project can be read here through our most recent report.