Highland Community Planning Partnership launches the new Community Justice Plan for Highland

Highland Community Justice Partnership
Members of the Highland Community Justice Partnership Signing off the new 2017/18 plan. R-L (front) ; Joanna MacDonald, Head of Adult Social Care, NHS Highland; Bill Alexander, Director of Care and Learning, Highland Council; Margaret McShane, Highland Community Justice Partnership Manager; R-L (back) Antony Gardner, Group Manager, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service; Supt. Colin Gough, Police Scotland; Malcom MacBean, Victim Support; James Maybee, Criminal Justice Social Work Manager, Highland Council; Cllr Matthew Reiss, Highland Council; Roddy Bailey, Skills Development Scotland.

Issued by the Highland Third Sector Interface 

The Community Justice Partnership in Highland are delighted to announce the formal launch the Community Justice Plan for Highland, which came into effect on 1 April 2017.

The Plan was launched at an event held in Police Scotland HQ, Inverness on 17 May 2017 where Karyn McCluskey, CEO of Community Justice Scotland spoke about the new approach.

All statutory members of the Community Justice Partnership including Police Scotland, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, Scottish Prison Service, Local Authority, NHS Highland, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service were all represented at the event along with representation from the Third Sector.

This is an opportunity to think and act differently throughout Highland in the way we deal with people with an offending history and the victims of crime in an effort to reduce reoffending and ultimately reduce levels of victimisation.

A spokesperson for Scottish Prison Service said - “SPS, and locally HMP Inverness, very much welcome the opportunity that this new model of community justice presents to build on the already solid collaborative working practices that exist in the Highland area. Working together in the transition year has already opened up new ways of engaging with our local communities, led to a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of all agencies and allowed some innovative work to be piloted regarding aligning resources. All of this is vital to support the proactive transition from prison to community for those in our care, enabling them to participate as responsible citizens in communities where individuals feel safe and supported.”

A spokesperson for Victim Support Scotland said - “Victim Support Scotland welcomes the introduction of the Community Justice Partnership in the Highlands. Partner agencies working even more closely together will ensure that the needs of the victim are taken into account when planning interventions with offenders, which will reduce the instances of victimisation and re-
victimisation. Understanding that victims must have access to dedicated services whether in the community or whilst giving evidence in court is paramount to understanding their needs and we look forward to contributing.”

Bill Alexander, Highland Council's Director of Care and Learning said: "Community Justice is everybody’s business, and the new Highland Community Justice Partnership will bring local agencies together, to work with communities to reduce offending and the impact that it has.  We are in a good place in Highland, and our communities are generally safe places, but we all share the objectives to reduce crime through engaging with communities about ‘what works’, through programmes that divert people from offending.  We seek to better support victims, and to work with them to identify gaps in services.  The new community small grants scheme that we launched today, will also provide tangible support to many groups, who want to engage in grassroots activity."

If you would like to see a copy of the Community Justice Plan for Highland, it will be available soon on the Community Planning Partnership website: www.highlandcpp.org.uk and the Highland Third Sector Interface website: www.highlandtsi.org.uk or for hard copies or additional information you can contact the Community Justice Partnership Manager by e-mail: cjmanager@highlandtsi.org.uk
01349 864289.

Highland Community Justice Partnership

Attendees at the Launch Event, 17th May 2017 Including Karyn McCluskey (front centre) from Scottish Community Justice

 

17 May 2017