Neighbourhood Crime & Justice
Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime Review
Last year a major review examining how to better engage communities in the fight against crime and raise public confidence in the Criminal Justice System was carried out which involved an in-depth, eight-month study headed by Louise Casey, former head of the Government’s Respect Task Force.
The review made over 30 common-sense proposals to reduce crime, create safer communities and increase public confidence. The findings were strongly influenced by the views of nearly 15,000 ordinary members of the public and front-line staff.
The starting point for the review was that without public action, support and confidence, the police and other criminal justice agencies cannot make communities safer. However, for the public to play their part, they need to see and experience services that tackle crime effectively, give them confidence and back them up.
Its conclusion was that radical change was needed to get the public more engaged in tackling crime and to halt the erosion of community spirit.
Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Coordinators
Bolton is one of 60 areas across the country which have signed up to become Neighbourhood Crime and Justice pioneer areas. Each area has appointed a dedicated person - a Neighbourhood Crime and Justice (NCJ) Coordinator who will take forward the proposals set to give the public a greater say in the way their streets are policed and how offenders are dealt with.
Bolton’s Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Coordinator is Tony Kenyon and he can be contacted on 01204 338 498 within Bolton’s Community Safety Services Team. Tony works with a team of Safer Communities Officers who are working on putting in place some of the proposals from the Casey Review.
The coordinator will work to:
- open up the criminal justice system so that there are clear and public consequences for criminals that the public get to know about, including more visible community payback
- ensure that services and support for victims and witnesses are up to scratch