Smart strategies: examining a framework for creating and running focused deterrence programmes

This paper examines the development and application of a nine-point framework that was created by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF) to guide and assist in the implementation of focused deterrence programmes to reduce violence in the United Kingdom (UK). It draws on interviews with YEF staff and site leads from five funded locations. Findings indicate that the framework provided valuable foundations for planning programme delivery and partner alignment, particularly during the early implementation stage, while allowing for some flexibility to account for local context. A central finding of this research is that implementation frameworks must balance fidelity and flexibility, preserving the core mechanisms of focused deterrence while enabling adaptation to local circumstances. Still, concerns emerged about perceived rigidity of the framework and limited initial guidance for programme design, which created challenges for the multi-agency collaborations. Overall, the framework supported consistency of approaches across sites and facilitated adaptation to local contexts, demonstrating that successful implementation depends on achieving an appropriate balance between fidelity to evidence- informed principles and flexibility in delivery, offering lessons for future focused deterrence violence reduction initiatives.