Agenda item

Report of the Chief of Staff, Office of the Durham Police Crime and Victims’ Commissioner, and Chair of the County Durham and Darlington Reducing Reoffending Group.

The Chairman introduced the Chief of Staff, Office of the Police, Crime and Victims’ Commissioner, Alan Reiss to give a presentation to Members in respect of the County Durham and Darlington Reducing Reoffending Group Update (for copy see file of minutes).

The Chief of Staff explained that reducing reoffending was not the responsibility of one agency and that many worked in partnership, including the police, courts, national probation service (NPS), prisons and departments within local authorities such as public health, housing, education and enforcement.  It was added that the Reducing Reoffending Group was one forum to look at designing efficient systems.

Members noted statistics that showed that 60% adults that were sent to prison for less than 12 months reoffended within 12 months, and 46% of all those released from prison reoffend within 12 months.  It was highlighted that 45% of all “acquisitive” crime is carried out by regular users of heroin or crack cocaine. 

Councillors were referred to a “strategy on a page” (for copy see file of minutes) setting out the vision of the Group and two outcomes as set out in the Council’s Sustainable Communities Strategy of preventing intergenerational offending and preventing repeat offending.

Councillors noted three objectives, looking to tackle the issue at source being:

·       Identify those at risk of offending and ensure appropriate support is in place to break the cycle of intergenerational offending

·       Implement early intervention strategies with the aim to divert individuals from the Criminal Justice System and promote positive outcomes for victims

·       Ensure critical pathway evidence informs needs-based solutions using integrated offender management principles

Members noted that there are a number of “critical pathways” which support reductions in reoffending.  These include accommodation, employment, drugs, alcohol, mental health and relationship support.  A key part of the work of the group is ensuring that these are available and effective at each stage of the criminal justice system.

The Chief of Staff explained that there were a number of areas that were important in enabling the relevant agencies to work together effectively including: communication, especially of the impact of a decision of one partner on another; performance management, in having timely data with local measures being developed; and knowledge and skills across the workforce.

The Chairman thanked the Chief of Staff and asked Members for any questions.

Councillor J Allen, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities noted that it was important to break the cycle of reoffending and to support victims.  She added that often children within a household with offenders can be victims and that it was vital to support those children to help combat intergenerational crime and give those children help in terms of resilience as well as good mental health and wellbeing.

The Chief of Staff noted that was exactly right, and Durham Constabulary worked with the Council’s “Stronger Families” programme and other agencies to help provide wrap around support, and that it had been highlighted at the last Safe Durham Partnership (SDP) meeting that more referrals were needed.  It was added that at the County Durham Partnership (CDP) had received a presentation from the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Young People’s Services on the issue of child neglect. 

The Chief of Staff added that it was important to have a strong partnership approach and to support children early.  Councillor J Armstrong noted that there was a need to try and identify those young people, understanding issues of capacity, however there was a need to stop the cycle.

The Chairman asked as regards the “buy-in” from partners, and if there were any methods to help in this regard.

The Chief of Staff explained that in working with a wide range of agencies, there were issues in terms of differing geography, funding and reporting lines and that the role of the PCVC helped in terms of bringing people together.  The Chief of Staff added that he believed that we were getting buy-in from partners, with good attendance at quarterly meetings.  He added that the members of the Reducing Reoffending Group felt there needed to be better penetration into those organisations, however there was good buy-in at the higher levels.

The Head of Planning and Service Strategy, Transformation and Partnerships, Peter Appleton noted the Reducing Reoffending Group reported back to the SDP and noted the robustness of the partnership arrangements.  Members noted that it was important for communications to be simple and that there was a learning process for partners to go through.

Councillor T Nearney added he felt early intervention was important and asked as regards the community trigger and community remedy.  The Chief of Staff noted that those specifically dealt with issues of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and that prevention work carried out via the County Durham Youth Offending Service (CDYOS) looked to divert young people away from becoming first time entrants to the criminal justice system (CJS).

The Chairman noted that there was a “hard core” of offenders within communities that were unresponsive and some people felt that these offenders were to an extent “getting away with it”.  The Chief of Staff added that there were issues in general, such as confidence in the CJS and the sentencing that is given.  Members noted that there was a need for communities to help the police in being able to develop strong cases based on evidence to enable the Crown Prosecution Service to secure convictions. 

The Chief of Staff added that prisons also had a role, with not just being in place to offer a punishment but also to help rehabilitate, getting to the root cause of behaviours and circumstances to help support those individuals to change.  Chief Superintendent A Green added that 60% of children seen by the CDYOS had been witness to domestic violence and that Operation Encompass was Durham Constabulary working with DCC and schools to improve the support for children affected by domestic abuse.  Chief Superintendent A Green added a service directory was being built up, mutual gain was being extended to help communities be more robust, and that each layer was being looked at to all direct efforts in the same direction with high impact interventions to help feed into prevention more.

Resolved:

(i)    That the report and presentation be noted.

(ii)   That the Strategy on a Page be noted.

(iii)  That the Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive a further update at a future meeting.