A new service is giving local residents the chance to choose where antisocial behaviour offenders carry out immediate justice reparation work.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire (OPCC) has teamed up with SocietyWorks to create a new dedicated web page powered by FixMyStreet Pro where people can pinpoint locations that are in need of a clean-up.
These suggestions will then be assessed and, if suitable, will be targeted for community reparation work by offenders who are referred into the Immediate Justice scheme.
The free online reporting service – hosted on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website – asks users for a location, a photo of the area in question, and a few simple details.
Angela Dixon, Managing Director at SocietyWorks, said: “The technology behind FixMyStreet Pro was built to make it as easy as possible for anyone to help care for their community by reporting local street-based problems to the correct authority.
“We support this innovative use of the software that further enables a positive feedback loop of civic engagement and participation.”
The launch comes as a day of action on antisocial behaviour was carried out near the Hyson Green Asda on August 1st, where more than half-a-dozen offenders from the Immediate Justice scheme carried out a clean-up, including litter picking and graffiti removal.
One of the service users at the day of action said it made him feel good to give something back to the community by completing the work.
The 20-year-old said: “I committed fraud after finding a phone on the streets, so I’m here today to give something back and help the community.
“We’re picking up litter and cleaning graffiti to try and make the local area a better and more welcoming place.
“I haven’t been involved in the court system before so feared the worst but once the Immediate Justice scheme was explained to me, I jumped at the chance to give something back and show that I was sorry.
“Taking part in the scheme made me take a step back and realise just how much of a difference I can make by volunteering in the future.”
The Immediate Justice project, which is being led by the OPCC, launched in early January and aims to ensure people who commit antisocial behaviour or low-level offences are made to clean up local streets or take part in other positive community activities – as soon as possible from their offence.
Nottinghamshire’s OPCC is one of 16 PCC areas selected to pilot the antisocial behaviour Immediate Justice projects.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Gary Godden said: “Improving neighbourhood policing and providing the teams on the streets with the tools they need is one of my key priorities.
“This initiative provides a unique way of dealing with people who commit antisocial behaviour, or low-level offences and ensures they can reflect on their actions while being able to give back to the community within days of their behaviour
“We want to show communities in a very visible way that antisocial behaviour is being treated seriously and with urgency, whilst also acting as a deterrent to others.”
In its first six months in operation, the scheme has seen over 200 referrals from more than 30 force-wide departments and 31 different types of antisocial behaviour.
It is only available to eligible first-time or low-level offenders and gives them an alternative to going to court or paying fines – by spending a set amount of time repairing the harm they have caused to communities.
Reparatory activities have taken place across Nottinghamshire, in locations ranging from public spaces, parks, alleyways, and community centres – the options are extensive.
Persistent offenders will still be dealt with through robust criminal justice outcomes.
Superintendent Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “At Hyson Green Asda we’ve had concerns about increased levels of Crime & Anti-social behaviour so offenders haven taken part in reparative work in the area by litter picking and cleaning graffiti, putting right the harm they’ve caused in the city and throughout the force area.
“Immediate Justice came about from the Government’s antisocial behaviour action plan, it was to empower our communities in response to crime.
“It gives a chance for offenders to put things right by taking part in these initiatives, while enabling us as a force to establish the root cause of offending.
“The feedback for the scheme has been really positive. The service users have been able to reflect, and the community are incredibly supportive as they can see the work taking place and a difference taking place.”
The project followed the award of funds from the Home Office to tackle antisocial behaviour and is running until the end of March 2025.
To ensure swift action is taken in response to the antisocial behaviour, Immediate Justice placements are to be completed within 48 hours of the police completing the referral to the service.
Offenders who are referred to the scheme are supervised by criminal justice interventions service provider Red Snapper Managed Services Ltd, as they go out to carry out work in neighbourhoods across the city and county.
Jonathan Hussey, Operations Director for Red Snapper, said: ““Immediate Justice is a way for offenders to give back to the community, while also making them think twice about the effects their behaviour has on others.
“It’s not just about punishment; it provides a great opportunity for the offenders to learn new skills and develop themselves.
“Here at Hyson Green Asda, there was quite a lot of litter and graffiti, so it’s been great to see the clean-up operation in action while things such as the park were made more useable for locals.”
The scheme has the potential to be beneficial for all - the victim knows that justice has been served, the offender has a chance to make good their wrong and reflect on their behaviour, while the local communities get the benefit of cleaner and safer communities.
To report an area near you for a clean-up, or to find out more, visit www.immediatejusticenotts.co.uk
Mansfield 103.2 Afternoon News - 211124
