The Community Accountability Programme (CAP) is an educational intervention designed as a restorative response to low-level shop theft. It helps participants understand the real impact of shop theft on workers, businesses, and communities while reducing pressures on law enforcement agencies. CAP is delivered through a structured programme following a police or security agency referral.
Dr. Emmeline Taylor
City, University of London
The CAP App assists officers to make proportionate and consistent decisions for referrals
Referrals can easily be completed in under 3 minutes
The structured, educational, restorative CAP supports behaviour change and reduces reoffending
Shop theft continues to present challenges for businesses, workers, communities, and the criminal justice system. Responses that rely solely on enforcement can place significant pressure on police resources while offering limited opportunity to address the underlying causes of low-level offending.
A balanced approach is needed, one that maintains accountability, recognises harm, and provides opportunities for early, proportionate intervention.
Shop theft causes more than property loss.
Its impact includes:
Where low-level shop theft is not addressed effectively, harm can persist and repeat.
Available data shows significant increases in recorded shop theft. However, recorded offences only tell part of the story. Many incidents go unreported, with some retailers lacking confidence that reporting will lead to a meaningful outcome.
This highlights the need for responses that not only address individual incidents, but also support accountability, reduce repeat offending, and restore confidence among retailers and communities.
For lower-level shop theft offences, the range of available outcomes within the criminal justice system can be limited. In some cases, this results in missed opportunities to address behaviour early and proportionately.
Educational interventions grounded in restorative principles offer a way to respond to shop theft that acknowledges harm, supports accountability, and encourages reflection and behavioural change.
Out of Court Resolutions (OOCRs) allow the police to process certain offences without court proceedings. They are intended to provide a timely and proportionate response to lower-level offending and are more commonly used when a participant accepts responsibility for their actions.
Referring agents such as Police Forces and Security Officers use the CAP App to determine eligibility and make a referral to the programme.
The participant receives details on how to book, pay for, and attend the programme.
RestorativU monitors and reports on attendance and completion of the programme.
Participants gain access to a hub of supportive services and resources.
The Community Accountability Programme is delivered online and explores the broader impacts of shop theft, including the impact on shopworkers, businesses, and communities. It aims to increase understanding of how individual actions can contribute to wider harm..
The Community Accountability Programme is designed to help participants understand the impact of the incident, take responsibility, and make positive choices for the future.