Poplar Harca Housing Association.

Poplar HARCA, a housing association that has developed an early-intervention approach to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, is to be the focus of the first in this year’s seminar series at the University of Essex’s Centre for Criminology.              

Andrea Baker, Director of Housing at Poplar HARCA, and Jamie Lock, Assistant Director of Anti-Social Behaviour and Safeguarding, will kick off the Crime, Rights and Justice series with a presentation on how their association has tackled the challenges it faces. 

Between them, Andrea and Jamie have a combined total of 50 years in housing management. 

Professor Nigel South, Director of the Centre for Criminology said, “The Centre is delighted to be starting the seminar series with an issue that affects so many communities and we are proud to welcome speakers from an organisation that’s been recognised as leading the way in its response.”

Poplar HARCA is a housing association that provides services to 9,000 households in four square miles of East London. Established in 1998, it has seen over £1 billion invested in new homes, infrastructure and community-led services. It has a reputation for innovation and regeneration, in addition to its crime and anti-social behaviour approach. 

The Centre for Criminology sits within the Department of Sociology at Essex and is a centre of excellence producing world class research. 

The seminar is open to the public and is taking place on Tuesday 20 October at the University of Essex. To book your place, please visit the Centre for Criminology