1. Art and Diseño

CRIMINAL JUSTICE BULLETIN
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP FOR A MODERN CJS
A bi-monthly newsletter for criminal justice partners
Issue 5 / 12 September 2014
MESSAGE FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE
BOARD
CONTENTS
I am pleased to have this
opportunity to raise awareness
on the work of the police and
my role as the national policing
lead for criminal justice. I lead
on development on policing
practice and professionalism in
criminal justice matters on
behalf of all forces. The role of
the police is far wider than
bringing offenders to justice
and involves difficult and
challenging decisions across
the UK. Forces are also
responsible for the
monitoring of some offenders
on their release from custody as well as liaising with
police worldwide in pursuit of international criminals.
p.1 – Message from Board; Chris Eyre (Chief
Constable Nottinghamshire Police)
p.2 – Cross-agency activity
p.3 – Local Perspectives
p.4 – Notices
p.4 – Request for Help
Annex A – PCC’s prisoner rehabilitation
project
Annex B – Forward plan of key dates
Each criminal justice agency understands the
tremendous challenges ahead to provide a system to all
that is consistent across all police, court and CPS areas
and is resilient to future developments.
The government has developed a Strategy and Action
Plan to ensure that the criminal justice system is lean,
modern and responsive in an era of significant austerity
and enormous change. The police are actively delivering
a number of work streams or central pillars which taken
together will enable us to deliver our elements of the
Action Plan.
My business area develops national best practice with
the College of Policing and has specific portfolios that
respond to issues across the following areas:
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There are many enablers to support the Action Plan
which include the development of digitisation across
policing, such as body-worn video, court video systems
and app-based products to capture evidence at the
earliest opportunity, and a digital process in which to
deliver case files to the CPS and the court room. The
digitisation and simplification of the criminal justice
system will also ensure that scarce police resources can
be used more effectively for the benefit of victims and
communities.
Victims and witnesses are at the heart of the criminal
justice system and will receive better support and
information through the use of modern technologies and
proposals to make processes more efficient such as
police-led prosecution of simple and uncontested
matters in the magistrates’ courts and case management
initiatives led by the judiciary. I am currently working
with partners in the CPS, HMCTS and the judiciary to
reform the criminal justice system through four distinct
initiatives; Transforming of Summary Justice (TSJ),
the magistrates’ Summary Disclosure Review (SDR),
File Quality, and the Early Guilty Plea scheme (EGP).
Enforcement
Charging and Out-of-Court Disposals
Custody and Movement of Prisoners
Integrated Offender Management
Bail Management
Victims and Witnesses
File Quality and Performance
Foreign National Offenders & Prisoners
Extradition & Mutual Legal Assistance
Interpreters and Language Services
Virtual Courts and Integrated Prosecution
Community and Restorative Justice
Digital Evidence Programme Board
Criminal Procedure & Investigations Act Disclosure
I maintain oversight of each portfolio which in turn has
an individual ACPO lead. I also report on the progress
of each portfolio to the Chief Constables Council and the
Criminal Justice Board which is chaired by the Minister
of State for Policing.
Chris Eyre QPM - National Policing CJS Lead (and
Chief Constable, Nottinghamshire Police)
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CROSS-AGENCY ACTIVITY
LCJB/P & PCC Conference – 21 October 2014
Victims and Witnesses
Questions for the CJB
A one-day conference for LCJB/Ps and PCCs is being
held on Tuesday 21 October 2014 at the Ministry of
Justice (MoJ) HQ in London, 10.00am to 4.00pm. The
aim is to provide local and national CJS colleagues with
an opportunity to engage in a range of topics, including
presentations on key areas of CJS reform such as
Digital Reform, Transforming Rehabilitation, Restorative
Justice and Transforming Summary Justice. There will
be opportunities to engage directly with CJB members
and senior policy leads, information stalls on a variety of
subjects such as the CJS online community, hate crime,
TrackMyCrime and NHS England's Liaison and
Diversion Programme. LCJB/Ps are reminded that in the
last edition, LCJB/Ps were asked to submit questions to
the CJB for a Q&A session, which is scheduled to take
place at the end of the day. Questions need to be sent to
[email protected] by 26 September fro
inclusion in that session.
Neighbourhood Justice Panels
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has been working with 15
areas to test Neighbourhood Justice Panels (NJPs) over
the last two years. NJP meetings bring local victims and
offenders together before a panel facilitated by local
volunteers, to deal with incidents of low level crime and
antisocial behaviour, including neighbourhood disputes,
noise nuisance and littering. The test period has now
concluded and, in response to the recommendation in
the Process evaluation of the NJP, MoJ supported the
NJP test areas to cascade lessons learned through a
series of workshops. Thank you to those who attended
the workshops. If you were unable to attend but are still
interested in the lessons learned, a User Guide to NJPs
(available from our online community) was developed by
local practitioners to share their experience and learning
on implementation of NJPs. It also contains a set of
principles, practical implementation tips and frequently
asked questions. The guide is aimed at assisting
practitioners to establish local NJPs or review existing
schemes, and may assist practitioners responsible for
commissioning restorative justice practices in their area.
For queries contact
[email protected].
LCJB/P Stalls
Around the country many LCJB/Ps have identified and
implemented local initiatives to improve their services.
The conference is an ideal opportunity to share and
promote those initiatives with cross agency colleagues
and LCJB/Ps are invited to host a stall at the conference.
If your LCJB/P would like to take up this offer, please
contact [email protected].
CPS makes service to victims and witnesses an
organisational priority
The Crown Prosecution Service now has dedicated
Victim Liaison Units (VLUs) in place for every area
across England and Wales. VLUs are responsible for
Direct Communication with Victims (DCV), the Victims’
Right to Review scheme, complaints, and for overseeing
the service to bereaved families. Under the new scheme,
DCV communications to victims provide a clear and
concise explanation of decisions, but also invite victims
to contact the VLU if they would like more details. VLU
staff follow a tailored training programme including
sessions from Victim Support, and on communicating
with victims and witnesses.In addition, between
September and December this year, CPS will conduct a
telephone and online survey with 10,000 people who
came forward with a victim or witness statement in the
last year. The ten-minute questionnaire covers the
perceived quality and timeliness of the service they
received, and how satisfied they were with their
interaction with the CPS.
The results will be analysed in the new year. For more
information contact [email protected].
Serious Organised Crime Strategy
On 14 July, Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary
Mike Barton co-hosted the last in a series of regional
workshops to promote the Serious and Organised Crime
Strategy and local multi-agency working. Over 800
representatives from agencies including local authorities,
PCCs, prison and charities participated in the
workshops. Themes emerging from the workshop
include agreement that “local conditions should dictate
local response”, strong support for local profiles of
serious and organised crime and a powers toolkit that
can be shared widely. There is a clear preference for
using existing structures such as Community Safety
Partnerships. Local partners have also requested
guidance from government on roles and responsibilities
in tackling cyber crime and support to encourage better
information sharing between local partners. A detailed
programme of work that addresses these and other local
delivery issues in the Serious and Organised Crime
Strategy is being finalised, including publication of
guidance on the production of local profiles.
If you would like further details about this work please
contact [email protected].
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CJS Equality and Diversity
been identified (criminal legal aid and going to court) and
explore what further opportunities there are to simplify
some of the language frequently used in the CJS. The
group also worked closely with experts from within and
outside the CJS to advice on wording/content, language
and format. Draft initial versions of parts of the guidance
were produced at the end of August 2014 and a testing
and editing phase will begin in September/October 2014.
Publication is expected by January 2015. For more
information please contact
[email protected]
At the November 2013 CJS Equality event on
disabilities, representatives suggested that the Ministry
should develop ‘Easy Read’ versions of guidance to
make the CJS easier to understand. The Criminal
Justice Board agreed that this should be progressed and
published a commitment in July 2014 in the
Implementation Update to the Strategy and Action Plan.
A working group was established in May 2014
comprising key CJS partners to oversee and support the
development of Easy Read guidance where gaps have
LOCAL PERSPECTIVES
Derbyshire Community Safety Unit commissioned ‘The
Art of Brilliance’, workshop, to be delivered to lookedafter children in identified areas, and nineteen secondary
schools across the region. The workshops aim to inspire
young people to focus on pro-social thinking habits,
attitudes and behaviours. The workshops use positive
psychology techniques to help young people cope with
peer pressure which can influence their decisions in a
negative way. Pupils learn how to take responsibility for
their own behaviour, understand how it affects people
around them, learn to set goals and build selfconfidence. The Art of Brilliance was delivered in nine
schools and with looked after children in identified hot
spot areas This was successful resulting the Art of
Brilliance being commissioned to deliver to a further ten
schools. Derbyshire Councillor Dave Allen said: “We
know that low self-esteem often leads children to risk
their own welfare with negative behaviour such as
underage drinking and even crime. This has a knock-on
effect for entire communities, which is why this kind of
intervention work benefits everyone.”
The Chairpersons of the panel and practitioner groups
report frequently to the LSCB on progress, success and
challenges. The effectiveness and impact of the work is
qualitatively evaluated and demonstrates that it delivers
a low cost in-house service with high benefits to
vulnerable young people. For more information contact
[email protected].
A unique partnership between the Probation Service and
South Wales-based domestic abuse charity Atal y Fro
(formerly Vale of Glamorgan Women’s Aid) has received
an award from the Howard League for Penal Reform.
The charity helps women seeking to break away from
the cycle of domestic violence, provides counselling for
children, and recognises that women too can sometimes
be the violent partner in a relationship. It supports
couples who wish to stay together safely or separate
amicably. With the help of Wales Community
Rehabilitation Company, Atal y Fro has been providing
innovative, specialist programmes to help men tackle
violent behaviour in a safe, supportive environment. Men
convicted of domestic violence can reduce their risk of
reoffending by taking part in an Integrated Domestic
Abuse Programme (IDAP), which consists of weekly
group sessions lasting for nine months. Attendees are
encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour and
take positive steps towards changing it. A less
structured, four-month programme is also available,
providing a safe environment for men to discuss their
issues. A number of men have graduated from the IDAP
and gone on to become mentors for the group. Contact
[email protected] for
further information.
North Lincolnshire’s multi-agency Harmful Sexual
Behaviour (HSB) project was chosen as overall winner in
the Community Sentences: Young People category at
The Howard League for Penal Reform Community
Programme Awards 2014. The HSB project consists of
a multi-agency team that manages all cases of HSB
involving young people aged 10 and over. It also
consists of a panel of senior managers from a range of
organisations and a practitioner group of HSB-trained
professionals. The panel coordinates the approach from
identification through to review, whilst practitioners work
together undertaking AIMs assessments and
interventions based upon the Good Lives model. Fasttrack assessments are delivered in tandem with statutory
plans focusing on the young person primarily as a Childin-Need. Training on Local Safeguarding Children Board
(LSCB) is made available for key partner agencies.
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West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Bill
Longmore has begun creating a prison-based
manufacturing and sales project. Offenders will have the
opportunity to develop and enhance their employability
and life skills by producing items that will be marketed
and sold externally. All profit will be reinvested back into
the three custodial centres in West Mercia. Paul West,
recipient of the Queen’s Police Medal and former Chief
Constable of West Mercia police, has written an article
about the project which is available at Annex A.
Thames Valley LCJB has been supporting a domestic
abuse initiative in Buckinghamshire since January 2014.
The initiative resulted in fast-tracking domestic abuse
trials which are listed within two/three weeks of plea.
Police have been providing initial disclosure in all cases
with CPS reviewing prior to first hearing. Magistrates are
adopting a firm approach to case management to ensure
that trials are effective. Witness Services advise that
they have to provide less support for victims as trials are
listed earlier and have provided positive feedback from
victims that the case has been concluded quickly and
effectively. The initiative is being extended across the
Thames Valley at the end of the year. For more
information about the scheme, contact
[email protected].
NOTICES
 Transforming Rehabilitation: Following the
 PCC Competed Fund: The Ministry of Justice
successful stand up of the National Probation
Service and Community Rehabilitation Companies
on 1 June, the transition period has progressed well.
The Ministry's TR programme is continuing to
support staff to embed the new structures and
monitoring any impact from the reforms on the wider
CJS. After the first stage of evaluation, there is
healthy competition in all of the 21 Contract Package
Areas with over 80 bids representing small and large
businesses, employee mutuals formed by probation
staff and third sector providers. The Programme is
entering into detailed discussions with bidders and
remains on course to award contracts by the end of
this year. More information is available at
[email protected].
announced the results of the PCC Competed Fund
2014/15 at the beginning of July 2014. Additional
funding of £12.5m has been awarded to successful
PCCs to help support priority victims of crime to
cope and recover. For more details about the
projects being funded, please click here. Contact
[email protected] for
information.
 An updated forward look of key dates useful to
LCJB/P local planning and delivery can be found at
Annex B.
REQUEST FOR HELP
CJS Partnership Communications: Cross CJS
colleagues are developing a strategy to increase
membership and usage of the online community “Local
Criminal Justice Partnerships”. The aims are to turn it
into the foremost channel of communication between
local partnerships and with national agencies and
improve cross agency communications and collaboration
on CJS reform projects. In line with open policy making
across government and enabling a digital CJS, the CJS
Local Partnerships team will be seeking to identify what
local and national, cross agency colleagues want from
their online community. The long-term goal is for open
and frank discussions to be driven by LCJB/Ps and other
community members. As part of the consultation, the
CJS Local Partnerships team would also like views on
potentially using the online community as an alternative
to the function of “the distribution list” that LCJB/P
Business and Performance managers currently use.
Please fill in the attached survey or email us with your
views at [email protected]. The
CJS Local Partnerships team will be hosting a market
stall at the forthcoming LCJB/P & PCC Conference
which will provide delegates with further opportunities to
contribute views on their expectations of an online
community. Please encourage your colleagues to sign
up to the online community to participate in this
discussion and future ones. Contact
[email protected] for further information.
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The Criminal Justice Bulletin is a bi-monthly publication.
The next edition will be published week commencing 3 November and a commissioning email and
template for contributions will distributed in advance.
If you would like to share thoughts on the Criminal Justice Bulletin, please email the editor at:
[email protected]
Working together to: reduce crime and re-offending, protect the public,
punish offenders, provide reparation, be fair and just, increase public confidence
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Annex A
PCC’s self-funded skills development and prisoner rehabilitation project
by Paul West QPM
When the Coalition Government created the title Police ‘and Crime’ Commissioners, it intended to convey
a broader scope for their remit than just policing. That is why it is refreshing to see some PCCs actively
seeking to embrace the wider aspects of their role through innovative long terms crime reduction schemes.
A case in point is in my former force area, West Mercia, where a prison-based project, now in its infancy,
bears testimony to the creative thinking of PCC Bill Longmore. Bill’s long-held belief is in the value of
working with offenders to help them develop new skills so they have an alternative to a life of crime.
There are three men’s custodial establishments in the West Mercia force area: a maximum security
Category ‘A’ prison; a multiple security Category ‘B’ to ‘D’ prison; and a young offenders’ institution. In
visiting all three establishments as part of his programme of induction visits, Bill discovered that the
government’s austerity programme has brought about a reduction in the number of training opportunities
for prisoners and that most of the facilities were vastly under-used. He quickly identified this as a lost
opportunity.
A very productive meeting with the three Deputy Governors followed. Since then, Bill’s project board has
met on two occasions. All parts of the prison estate in West Mercia, including at the Governor level, are
enthusiastic about Bill’s vision for a prison to fund its own skills development, manufacturing and sales
operation.
The business model that he proposes involves achieving external sales of a range of products
manufactured in the three custodial centres, with all profits being re-invested in the prisons to fund
equipment and staff for further skills-based training programmes. The independent not-for-profit company
will initially be run by a volunteer Board of Executives and Non-Executives with appropriate business,
manufacturing and marketing skills and experience.
Bill’s next step is to identify carefully selected partner suppliers and sales outlets, and agree with them a
broad range of manufacturing lines. Care will be taken to ensure that the project does not unfairly
compete with non-prison based manufacturing companies already trading in the same or similar
marketplaces.
Building on the primary aim to make better use of existing prison manufacturing facilities, an additional aim
could be to identify prisoners who have skills that are currently not catered for - artistic ability, for example.
These prisoners could then be provided with the necessary equipment and materials to produce high
quality items for external sale and to provide tuition and mentoring for fellow detainees who wish to
develop similar skills.
He also sees the project as having deeper benefits. “This initiative isn’t all about prisoner rehabilitation
and re-integration into the world of work. It’s just as much to do with developing a sense of achievement
and self-worth amongst the long-term and lifer prisoner community, many of whom feel complete
worthlessness and a sense of detachment from the world outside the prison walls.”
Bill plans for the project to be fully established and sufficiently mainstreamed to continue operating well
beyond the end of his term in office, irrespective of who is elected as West Mercia’s Police and Crime
Commissioner in May 2016.
Paul West QPM is the former Chief Constable of West Mercia Police 2003-2011. He now runs Policing
First, an ethically-based company with a unique business model, involved in UK and international policing
development and supporting a range of community-based educational, healthcare, skills development and
community safety projects and charities.
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Annex B
Forward look table of key dates useful to LCJB/P Planning & Delivery (2014/15)
Date
Description
Impact and/or action required from LCJB/Ps
SEPTEMBER
w/c 8
September
Publication of September edition of Criminal Justice
Bulletin with its supplementary newsletter Criminal
Justice Reform
w/c 15
September
Announcement will be made about the location of 2 Female No action. Further information available at:
Rape Support Centres which will meet the Coalition
[email protected]
Commitment to establish 15 new centres by March 2015.
LCJB/Ps to distribute to board members and
wider CJS colleagues and encourage them to
sign up to online community “Local Criminal
Justice Partnerships".
Announcement will also be made about the training
No action. Further information available at:
company who will deliver training to 200 Independent
[email protected]
Sexual Violence Advisor about the court processes in the
criminal courts between December 2014 and March 2015
w/c 29
September
Publication of MoJ consultation on The Role of
Magistrates.
No action, for interest/information only
OCTOBER
1 October
New nationally commissioned national Homicide Service
to begin operating
No action, for interest/information only
First
Monday of
October
Implementation of Criminal Procedure Rule amendments. No action, for interest/information only
Details can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/criminal
7 October
LCJB/P Roadshow visit to London Criminal Justice
Partnership by Jo Rowland, Head of CJS Efficiency
Programme
9 October
LCJB/P Roadshow visit to Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire and
and Cambridge LCJB/Ps by Peter Handcock, CJB
Cambridgeshire LCJB/Ps to submit questions
member.
in advance. Await notification from CJS Local
Partnerships Team.
17 October
Deadline for article contributions to the November edition Submit your LCJB/P contribution via the
of the Criminal Justice Bulletin
submission form to
[email protected]
21 October
LCJB/P & PCC Conference, Ministry of Justice
Headquarters (London)
London LCJB/P to submit advanced questions.
Await notification from CJS Local Partnerships
Team.
Act on various communication from CJS Local
Partnerships Team.
NOVEMBER
w/c 3
November
Publication of November edition of Criminal Justice
Bulletin with its supplementary newsletter Criminal
Justice Reform
LCJB/Ps to distribute to board members and
wider CJS colleagues and encourage them to
sign up to online community “Local Criminal
Justice Partnerships".
4 November LCJB/P Roadshow visit to Cleveland and Durham by Ben Durham and Cleveland LCJB/Ps to submit
Connah, MoJ Deputy Director in Justice Reform
questions in advance. Await notification from
CJS Local Partnerships Team.
10
November
LCJB/P Roadshow visit to Surrey and Sussex by Mary
Calam, CJB member.
Surrey and Sussex LCJB/Ps to submit
questions in advance. Await notification from
CJS Local Partnerships Team.
14
November
LCJB/P Roadshow visit to the North West (Greater
Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria, Merseyside and
Cheshire) by Peter Lewis, CJB member.
LCJB/Ps hosting roadshow to submit questions
in advance. Await notification from CJS Local
Partnerships Team.
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DECEMBER
2 December LCJB/P Roadshow visit to South West (Avon &
Somerset, Gloucestershire and Devon & Cornwall).
Name of CJB member/senior leader TBC
12
December
LCJB/Ps hosting roadshow to submit questions
in advance. Await notification
from CJS Local Partnerships Team.
Deadline for article contributions to the November edition Submit your LCJB/P contribution via the
of the Criminal Justice Bulletin
submission form to
[email protected]
JANUARY 2015
w/c 5
January
Publication of January edition of Criminal Justice Bulletin
with its supplementary newsletter Criminal Justice
Reform
LCJB/Ps to distribute to board members and
wider CJS colleagues and encourage them to
sign up to online community “Local Criminal
Justice Partnerships".
FEBURARY
N/A
N/A
N/A
MARCH
26 March
LCJB/P Roadshow visit to Kent by the Rt. Hon. Steve
Penning MP (Minister of state for Policing, Criminal
Justice and Victims) and Antonia Romeo, CJB member.
Kent LCJB/Ps hosting roadshow to submit
questions in advance. Await notification from
CJS Local Partnerships Team.
APRIL
First
Monday of
April
Implementation of Criminal Procedure Rule amendments. No action, for interest/information only
Details can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/criminal
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