Staffordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis visited a Stoke-on-Trent scheme which helps breaks the cycle of offending.
Reducing re-offending is one of four key priorities under the Commissioner’s Safer, Fairer United Communities strategy.
Mr Ellis visited the Restart project, run by Christian charity Saltbox, in Burslem on Thursday, 26 November. Restart offers mentoring and supported accommodation and trains ex-offenders in practical skills to help them find employment and prevent re-offending.
The scheme last year used a £5,000 grant from the PCC’s Proceeds of Crime Fund to buy a minibus to transport clients who volunteer to carry out painting, decorating and maintenance work in the community.
Nationally, 50 per cent of all crime is committed by “career” offenders who, typically, by the age of 40, will have cost the public £500,000 each. In Staffordshire alone, the costs of offending is £250 million a year so breaking the cycle of offending through projects like Restart is crucial.
Mr Ellis said: “This is about being tough on crime and criminals but finding and applying practical, value for money methods to reduce re-offending, helping to make communities safer.
“I’ve seen first-hand how Restart is making a real difference by working intensively with offenders to help turn their lives around and become a benefit to society.”
Saltbox Chief Executive Lloyd Cooke added: “Saltbox is delighted that its Restart service is making such an impact in helping to rehabilitate local ex-offenders. In 2016 we will have worked with over 250 men and women, many of them career-criminals, supporting them with housing, mentoring and training.
“We really appreciate the support we receive from other partners, and the visit from the Police and Crime Commissioner is a timely morale booster form both staff and clients.”
The Commissioner has set out plans for a fully integrated system where criminal justice and community safety services provided by different agencies are aligned towards common goals.
The very first Staffordshire-wide strategy which creates a joint approach to reduce offending and make communities safer has been developed. Meanwhile, a multi-agency Offender Management Board, developed for Staffordshire, brings together a broad range of partners to jointly commission services and align budgets to prevent and reduce offending.
The PCC has allocated £500,000 to commission offender-related services across Staffordshire which will be complemented by further funding and resources from partner agencies. The board’s purpose is to ensure that offender programmes are delivered in a co-ordinated way in appropriate communities across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
