The chairs of the Cleveland and Durham Local Criminal Justice Partnership, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Barry Coppinger, and the Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner for Durham, Ron Hogg have signed an innovative new plan at the Crown Prosecution Service offices in Middlesbrough.
The Cleveland and Durham Local Criminal Justice Partnership brings together agencies with responsibility for delivering criminal justice, and services for victims and people who have offended. The partners have agreed a clear vision: ‘County Durham, Darlington and Cleveland are areas where people have confidence in a local criminal justice system which supports victims, rehabilitates offenders and reduces re-offending, and delivers value for money’.
The innovative new plan has three core objectives to be delivered by 2021:
1. An end-to-end service for supporting Victims and Witnesses.
2. An end-to-end system for rehabilitating offenders and reducing re-offending.
3. The most efficient and integrated local criminal justice system in the country.
Too often victims are let down by the system because they are passed from one agency to another and not properly supported. This has an impact both on their ability to cope and recover from crimes, and on the likelihood of justice being done. The plan will address this by creating seamless services for victims.
People who commit offences often have many problems in their lives, in particular with accommodation, substance misuse, relationships, self-esteem, finances and employment. Instead of endlessly putting them through the cycle of the criminal justice system, partners are going to work together to address the underlying issues of offending, which will help to prevent crime and result in fewer victims.
Ron Hogg, said: ‘This is a key moment for the partnership. Not only is this the first time that partners across the criminal justice system have formally signed up to a joint improvement plan, but it also includes other public services – including local councils and the health service – which provide services to support victims and people who have offended. It is a demonstration of a strong appetite to work together to deliver our shared aims. We will build on existing services so that victims and witnesses receive the support they need, and redouble our joint efforts to rehabilitate offenders. And above all we will increase confidence.”
Barry Coppinger said: “This plan is about better coordinating the work of criminal justice partners in Cleveland Durham to deliver improved services for victims, better rehabilitation of offenders and make the criminal justice system process more efficient and effective.
“We have established a small joint team to work with partners and we look forward to progress over the next 12 months.”
Bronwen Elphick, Chief Executive, Durham Tees Valley Community Rehabilitation Company said: ‘We are delighted to be able to sign up to this plan where all local partners are working to reduce crime and support victims in our communities. The umbrella of the Local Criminal Justice Board provides a strong base for all agencies to work on this agenda together and make our communities safer places to live.’
Tim Allen, Acting Director of Wear and Tees Reform Prisons said: ‘We recognise that men and women in our prisons who come from, and will return to, our communities will benefit from greater partnership working. This plan will assist us to deliver our aims of reducing re-offending and increasing public safety through improved partnership working.’
