BaoRen Publications

Although BaoRenCRRT is a very new venture, I have had the opportunity to write - or co-author - a number of publications. These include articles, training and reference documents or, in the case of "Dollars and Cents", an advice booklet for small businesses. If you would like further information about any of these items, you can contact me at the address on the IndexPage, or Email me on Alasdair_T_Ferry@quista.net .

1. Racial and Cultural Awareness
Adopted by all eight Scottish Police forces after the topic of CRR was initially allocated to Fife Constabulary by the Distance Learning Working Group at the Scottish Police College, Tulliallan Castle, "Racial and Cultural Awareness" is an easy to use introduction to the subject for Police Officers. I completed the package, after a year's research and writing, in June 1997 and revised it following the publication of the MacPherson Report into the murder of London teenager Stephen Lawrence. Divided into sections covering Cultural Awareness, Prejudice and Discrimination, and Legal Issues, this document allows the student to gain sufficient knowledge and confidence to 'ask the right question' in his or her dealings with people from Britain's minority ethnic communities. Recently added appendices provide some basic cultural information on the Jewish and Travellers cultures, to augment similar information on Pakistani, Chinese and Indian cultures in the first section.

2. EQUAL UNDER THE LAW - a Matter of Interpretation?
This article, published in POLICE magazine (the journal of the Police Federation for England and Wales) on 9th September, 1999, raises important issues associated with interpreting within the criminal justice system. The authors, Dr Kelly and myself, use real life examples to illustrate cultural and linguistic factors which can have a critical effect on the ability of our justice system to dispense justice in the multi-cultural context that is late 20th century Britain.

In an interesting development, the article was requested by the Scottish Executive (previously the Scottish Office) for inclusion in the material to be considered by the Justice Committee of the newly-formed Scottish Parliament which is chaired by Jim Wallace, MSP. The article also featured on BBC Radio Scotland's programme "Good Morning Scotland".

3. Dollars and Sense
National research, carried out on behalf of the Home Office in recent years has indicated that owners of small retail businesses, often from the minority ethnic communities were often unaware of the crime prevention support offered by the Police service, and experienced difficulty when attempting to do so. Having read these findings, I ascertained that no appropriate literature existed in English, let alone in the community languages. With the support of PC Ken Kingshott and PC David McEwan, Community Safety Officers in Cowdenbeath and Glenrothes, and members of local communities, a text was written and translated into Urdu, Chinese and Hindi. A series of booklets was designed and published, financed by a joint grant of £3000 from the Scottish Office Crime Prevention Unit, and illustrated with photographs taken in local stores.

The booklets are being distributed by Community Constables and Community Safety Officers and as part of Fife's repeat victimisation policy. After articles in various publications, including the local press, the Police Guardian and Police News, the Home Office Crime Prevention Digest, many requests for samples and information have been received. Information letters and leaflets have now been despatched to six local authorities and over thirty Police forces, from Exeter to Inverness. Plans are now under consideration by Northern Constabulary and Northumbria Police to carry out translations in Gaelic and Gujurati.

4. BE SAFE - Personal Safety for the Blind
A chance encounter at a door led to the development of an innovative project - crime prevention and personal safety advice for those of us who visually impaired, and from that perspective. The door of a local cottage was opened to me by a blind man - Mike Richard, now a good friend - and his potential for being victimised hit me like a bolt from the blue.

I contacted Fife Society for the Blind and the local self-help group, meeting in Dunfermline. As a result of their advice, I attended an awareness-raising course and worked with Mrs Judith Barton, the Rehabilitation Officer for West Fife, to write a script offering advice on Home Security, Personal Safety, Mobility and Shopping and Money Matters. The information is broken into easy-to-listen sections, interspersed with music and comments from visually impaired people who have experienced crime, or taken steps to protect themselves from it.

Funded by a grants from the South Fife Community Safety Panel and the Scottish Office Crime Prevention Unit, the tape was eventually distributed to over 25 interested organisations in England and Wales and to all 79 Scottish organisations catering for the needs of the visually impaired.

A publicity shot, showing (left to right) Judith Barton, me, Quill - Mike Richard's guide dog, Mike (who opened that first door) and Chris Cunningham (Chairman of South Fife Community Safety Panel).

Although Scotland is culturally very diverse (over 25 languages identified in Fife alone), many 'ordinary' people know very little about cultures other than their own. This is true of both the host and minority cultures. What is known is often apocryphal, anecdotal or 'tourist' guide information, yet one of the easiest ways of breaking barriers is to show an intelligent interest in someone else, by asking intelligent questions. This requires confidence however, which often relies on the possession of foundation knowledge - "I wouldn't know what to say." The following documents are brief, practically orientated (initially written for Police and Healthcare workers) and have been researched and prepared in partnership with members of the communities they describe.

5. Cultural Information - The Pakistani Communities
Scotland's largest visible minority ethnic community also possesses the highest percentage of its members born in the UK (>46%). This means that many are really Pakistani Scots, rather than Scottish Pakistanis (yes, there is a difference). Relatively little is known about the multitude of cultures and languages which are part of the identity. This short document attempts to get away from the tourist guide approach and deals concisely with life issues and the points of contact with service providers, to lay down a foundation knowledge. This foundation can be built on as a person working within the community is able to ask intelligent questions, demonstrating interest in their clients.

6. Cultural Information - The Chinese Communities
There have been Chinese people living in Britain for hundreds of years and some details of Chinese culture have been drawn into what is thought of as British culture. Yet the over-riding characteristic of Chinese communities in the UK, is their 'invisibility'. Chinese people very often go out of their way to keep a low profile and routinely accept abuse, because they are unwilling to 'make a scene'. It is difficult to gain an understanding of such a group, but this short paper provides a useful starting point, as well as drawing attention to potential difficulties which a service provider might encounter.

7. Cultural Information - The Indian Communities
The communities which make up the Indian grouping (the most numerical in the UK) are deliberately referred to in the plural. A Hindi proverb declares, "The water changes every three miles; the speech in ten." The diversity of the sub-continent is bewildering, yet its richness, and its long, shared history with Britain are compelling arguments to find out more. Leaving the coffee-table books aside, this reference may be used to build a foundation onto which to build that quest.

8. Cultural Information - The Jewish Community
Although small in numbers, the Scottish Jewish community is disproportionately influential and has amply repaid the hospitality of it host nation in culture and in civic contributions of every kind. Scotland played a unique role in the Kinder transport of the 1930's, when Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Europe were evacuated to Scotland and received in ordinary Scottish homes. Yet this exchange and the mutual benefit is often forgotten and the rise of anti-Semitism in may areas gives cause for concern. Prepared with the assistance of a member of the community, this paper may raise awareness of some cultural aspects of this ancient, persecuted people.

9. Cultural Information - The Travelling Community
No other minority group has been so little understood and so greatly maligned. Intensely private and with a history of very negative interaction with the establishment, Travelling People have defied efforts to integrate them into settled society, but have made great efforts to preserve their distinctive ways. Thanks to the assistance of Rev Tilly Wilson, a Church of Scotland minister and a Travelling person herself, this document was collated and may assist in raising awareness of this group.