Understanding and Preventing ‘Cuckooing’ Victimisation

Small Grant investigating the mechanics, lived experience of, and potential preventative measures for, cuckooing. 

Report

Summary

‘Cuckooing’ involves taking over the home of a vulnerable person in order to establish a base for criminal activity, typically – although not exclusively – as part of County Lines drug dealing operations. This study aimed to investigate the mechanics of cuckooing targeting; gain an insight into the lived experience of cuckooing victims and perpetrators; and identify potential preventative measures for practical application.  Led by Dr Laura Bainbridge (University of Leeds), the study involved co-production and collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Police, Durham Constabulary, Humberside Police, Merseyside Police, Cumbria Police and the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership. Data were collected and analysed from publicly available documents, and semi-structured qualitative interviews with cuckooing experts, victims and perpetrators.

Key findings

Cuckooing Victims are Vulnerable

• Primary targets for cuckooing perpetrators are vulnerable people who suffer from drug or alcohol dependency, have a physical disability, a mental health condition, and/or a learning disability.
• Early intervention by schools, children’s services, housing providers, mental health services, and adult social care could reduce cuckooing victimisation;
• Effective partnership working between police, housing providers, mental health services, drug and alcohol services, adult social care, and the third sector is crucial to disrupting cuckooing victimisation.

Cuckooing Relationships are Complex

• Cuckooing often commences with adult grooming. Victims of cuckooing may be engaged in transactional, social, or sexual relationships with perpetrators and may not be viewed, or perceive themselves, as victims.
• Some victims of cuckooing have been criminalised for their role in the commission of drug offences or offences related to organised crime, including where they have been coerced or forced to cooperate with criminal operatives;
• Ongoing support from partnership agencies and wraparound services for victims of cuckooing would reduce the likelihood of repeat victimisation.

Cuckooing is Often a Hidden Crime

• Cuckooing activity habitually occurs behind closed doors and is difficult to detect.
• Professionals should exercise professional curiosity when engaging with vulnerable people and entering their homes;
• Public awareness campaigns may improve reporting of suspected cuckooing activity.

Cuckooing Responses are Not Force-Wide

• Promising police and partner initiatives to tackle cuckooing have been implemented in England and Wales. However, such initiatives are often short-term and rarely span an entire force area.
• Specific cuckooing legislation should define cuckooing and clarify statutory responsibility for its prevention and detection. New civil legislation, such as a Cuckooing Closure Order, could strengthen safeguarding mechanisms without unduly criminalising vulnerable victims;
• Introducing cuckooing flags/markers on all police and safeguarding IT systems could improve intelligence sharing and enable cuckooing statistics and trends to be monitored over time.

Report date: September 2024.

The research was conducted by Dr Laura Bainbridge (PI) and Dr Amy Loughery (Co-I), University of Leeds, in partnership with West Yorkshire Police, South Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Police, Durham Constabulary, Humberside Police, Merseyside Police, Cumbria Police and the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Partnership. For more information, please contact Dr Laura Bainbridge, l.bainbridge@leeds.ac.uk