Crime is a problem for too many of our communities. Its impacts are hugely traumatic for victims, as well as a costly waste of taxpayers’ money. How are we going to work together effectively with our key partners to reduce offending? Reducing re-offending has to be a priority: if we can help first time offenders not to re-offend we avoid storing up more trouble for the future. Working effectively with offenders should also help us to make our communities safer and will enable us to tackle social exclusion. Charting our next steps starts with us asking our wide range of partners what they think.

 

On 27 November, NOMS held national a Partnerships Event in London. Four consultations to inform the Government’s programme of work on reducing re-offending were launched. The conference was well-attended by over 120 delegates, including Ministers, senior officials, regional and Welsh delivery partners, and many frontline partner agencies.

 

To help us build on existing good practice and engage the efforts of public services such as the probation, police, and prison services more effectively, these consultations are asking partners what they think our priorities should be and what we should focus on at local, regional, or national levels to further reduce re-offending. As part of this process, we aim to make sure our key partners, including education, health, housing, and other professionals in the public, private and third sectors, continue to work with offenders and their children and families.  

The four consultations are firmly linked together and cover distinct issues associated with re-offending:

This consultation aims to review progress and inform the government’s strategic approach to reduce re-offending for the next three years. It provides partners and communities with an opportunity to help shape and agree new priorities at all levels (local, regional, and national) to reduce re-offending. The new Strategic Plan will be published in spring 2008. This will set out the contribution that reducing re-offending can make to the wider Crime Strategy and overall crime levels, and emphasise the support that can be provided by partners at a regional level – such as how Local Criminal Justice Boards, working with Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs/CSPs in Wales), can support this agenda. Importantly, the reducing re-offending plan will build on progress that has already been made and on existing work with partners.

 

Throughout December and January, further consultation events will be held in the regions and in Wales. We want the plan to be informed by the views of organisations and individuals, including local communities and partners on the frontline, about what our priorities should be. Please get involved if you have the opportunity; the Partnerships Unit would welcome your views. Full copies of the consultation paper and response form can be found online at: http://www.noms.justice.gov.uk/news-publications-events/publications /consultations/RRSP_2008-2011

NOMS is also consulting on the development of a new Third Sector Action Plan. This will explore the opportunities for strengthening the full role of the third sector in reducing re-offending, including through better joint commissioning and partnership working. It aims to identify actions that will further play to the strengths of the third sector and support them in shaping and providing services to offenders. Further details about this consultation can be accessed online at: http://noms.justice.gov.uk/news-publications-events/publications/consultations/BWC_third_sector_08

NOMS and the Youth Justice Board are asking for your views on the developing role of faith based organisations in reducing re-offending in their Faith Alliance consultation paper ‘Believing We Can’. Further details about this consultation can be accessed online at: http://noms.justice.gov.uk/news-publications-events/publications/consultations/BWC_third_sector_08

 

The period of consultation for these three publications starts on 27 November 2007 and ends on 18 February 2008.

 

The Ministry of Justice and the Department of Health have also launched their consultation on the proposed Improving Health, Supporting Justice strategy. This aims to improve the management of offender health for offenders in custody and the community, and is a key plank of the overall programme of work to reduce re-offending. The consultation period starts on 27 November 2007 and ends on 4 March 2008. Further details about this consultation can be accessed online from: www.dh.gov.uk