|
Justice Minister visits Hertfordshire |
Justice Minister David Hanson MP saw at first hand the benefits of Community Payback, when he visted Margaretsbury Recreation Ground in Stanstead Abbots on Thursday 7 May.
The Minister was seeing for himself some of the day-to-day work of the Probation Service, which manages offenders sentenced to be punished within the community.
In a visit hosted by Hertfordshire Probation, the Minister met around half-a-dozen offenders, all of whom had been sentenced to Community Payback, which is designed to both punish and to ensure the community receives some recompense. Where possible, basic training is incorporated to increase an offender's chances of getting a job.
The work at the recreation ground in Stanstead Abbots involved clearing nettles and brambles and carrying out renovation work.
David Hanson said: "Prisons are the right place for many offenders, but for some less serious offences tough community punishments can be more effective at cutting re-offending than short prison sentences.
"The offenders I met in Hertfordshire were being punished by having their free time taken away, but they were also giving something back to the community."
Members of the public and local organisations are encouraged to become involved in choosing projects for offenders, and last year Hertfordshire benefited from around £500,000 worth of unpaid work under the Community Payback scheme.
Since December offenders working in the community have been required to wear high-visibility jackets so the public can see justice is being done.
As part of his visit to Hertfordshire Probation, David Hanson also met probation staff at their Hertford HQ.
Tessa Webb, Chief Officer at Hertfordshire Probation, which, like other Probation Areas across the country, aims to become a Trust in 2010, said: "We were delighted to explain to the Minister the work we do here and to show him the very positive contribution that offenders can make to the community in carrying out a punishment of unpaid work.
"Staff also briefed Mr Hanson on other areas of our service, such as providing reports to the courts, planning offenders' supervision and their access to further education and employment. They also explained how we facilitate programmes such as anger-management and drug and alcohol treatments that are designed to enable offenders to stop committing offences, such as drink driving and domestic violence."
Tessa added: "Public protection is at the heart of everything we do in Probation, and we talked to Mr Hanson about the work we do with police, local councils and a wide range of community organisations to manage offenders living in the community and make Hertfordshire a safer place to live."
David Hanson said: "I have been very impressed by the improved performance in Hertfordshire and the determination of the staff I met to deliver effective supervision of offenders. I thanked staff for their hard work and congratulated them on continuing improvements in the safe management of offenders."
ENDS
Background note:
David Hanson's visit follows the launch of the nationwide Justice Seen, Justice Done campaign to raise awareness of Community Payback. To suggest a Community Payback project for Hertfordshire visit www.hertfordshireprobation.gov.uk and follow the link on the home page.
Contacts:
Hertfordshire Probation Communications Officer Barbara McSweeney on 01992 504444
Ministry of Justice Media Officer Yasser Mehmood, tel 020 3334 3538
|
|
Last Updated on Wednesday, 03 March 2010 17:17 |
