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Attorney General visits innovative scheme in Newham
The Attorney General Baroness Scotland visited an innovative scheme in Newham this week (November 4) designed to break the cycle of re-offending among people who have spent under 12 months in prison.
Currently there is a high re-offending rate among these offenders and the Diamond Initiative, being piloted by the London Criminal Justice Board (CJB), aims to stop them re-offending by providing a one-stop-shop giving them more joined up support in areas such as help with drug or alcohol problems and education on leaving custody.
The pilot, which will be run in six London boroughs, will also test Justice Reinvestment. This concept, coined in the US, should show that by tackling the cycle of re-offending, the money saved from them not returning to prison can be reinvested in preventative measures.
The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland, talks to members of the Diamond team in Newham.
Multi-agency Diamond teams are based on safer neighbourhood teams and are made up of police officers and community support officers from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), and also include staff from London Probation and Newham Council. They will offer their support to the target offenders on their release from prison and help them to resettle back into the community.
Newham was the first borough to start the two year trial. Lambeth and Lewisham are now also operational with Hackney, Southwark and Croydon to follow shortly.
Baroness Scotland said: "This fascinating and innovative scheme being piloted by the London CJB strikes at the heart of an age old problem. The current system means large numbers of people released after less than 12 months in prison go on to re-offend because they lack the necessary support to stay out of trouble.
"The Diamond Initiative will build on existing regeneration work, and benefit from the willingness of local communities to engage with the rehabilitative process. It will also deliver a solution that will benefit society by reducing crime and the amount we spend on prisons"
Andrew Morley, Chief Executive of the London CJB, added: "To see the Newham Diamond team now operational is a real credit to effective inter-agency working. Our hope is that this project will show that, with the major criminal justice agencies working together, we can reduce re-offending and make our communities safer as a result."