Local Crime Community Sentence
BACKGROUND
The Local Crime: Community Sentence (LCCS) project, which is run jointly by the Magistrates’ Association and the Probation Boards’ Association, involves probation staff and magistrates working in pairs, making interactive presentations to local community groups explaining how community sentences work to punish offenders and reduce re-offending.
Since the start of the project, over 8,000 members of the public nationally have taken part in presentations with over 5,000 completing evaluation questionnaires. In the latest evaluation results for 2006-7, more than 186 LCCS presentations were made to a total audience of almost 5,000 people.After attending a presentation, 58% preferred a community sentence to prison and 89% said that their confidence in community sentences had increased.
Numerous research studies which show the public believe prison is not an effective way of reducing re-offending and crime for non-violent offenders – instead they support investment in tackling the causes of crime and alternatives to custody.
Research commissioned by SmartJustice with Victim Support and conducted by ICM found that:
• Two-thirds (62%) of victims think that going to prison does not prevent re-offending and 8 out of 10 (80%) victims think that more constructive activities for young people in the community and better supervision by parents would be effective in stopping re-offending.
• Seven out of 10 victims also want to see more treatment programmes in the community for offenders suffering from mental health problems, and for drug addicts, to tackle the causes of non-violent crime.
And a recent Guardian/ICM poll showed that:
• 51% of those questioned want the government to find other ways to punish criminals and deter crime.
• Only 40% think the government should aim to send more convicted criminals to prison, against 57% who want to see other, non-custodial forms of punishment.
HUMBERSIDE'S LCCS SCHEME
Humberside joined the LCCS project in mid 2006 after receiving an initial grant from the Humberside Criminal Justice Board (HCJB). The first presentation was made on the 19th Feb 2007. Up to mid-May 2008 there have been 38 presentations delivered through the Humberside area and bookings are being taken for 2009. The project continues to receive funding from the HCJB along with support from Humberside Probation Trust and Her Majesty's Courts Service.
Humberside has 7 LCCS presenter pairs, each consisting of a JP and member of the probation service. The audiences have been very varied – Neighbourhood Watch; Discussion groups; Students; Young Farmers; Trainee Prison Officers; Victim/Witness support and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system. So far approximately 700 people have participated in the presentations which are FREE.
Humberside was the proud winner of a national award for work done on the Local Crime Community Sentence project. The award was presented b the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips.
If you would like to find out more or arrange a presentation email lesley.mole1@btinternet.com
Alternatively contact the Humberside Criminal Justice Board on +44 (0)1482 330311