NCJA annual report highlights community justice efforts in the North of Scotland
The Northern Community Justice Authority (NCJA) has published its latest annual report, highlighting some of the projects changing communities for the better in the north of Scotland.
The NCJA covers the local authority areas of Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Highland, Moray, Orkney and the Shetland Islands.
Membership of the authority is made up of elected councillors from all seven authorities.
Its role is to bring together a range of partners with the purpose of reducing re-offending, improving the management of offenders and making communities safer.
The NCJA’s annual report for 08/09 sets out some of the highlights of the work being done in each local authority area.
The NCJA is currently working on a three-year area plan for 2008-11 which has the overarching aims to: contribute to reducing reoffending, increase community safety and public protection.
The annual report sets out the aims of the NCJA, performance information, details of collaborative/partnership working and community and offender outcomes.
Financial and partnership information is included, as is detail of where the authority believes it needs to improve.
NCJA Convener, councillor Anne Robertson, said: “Over the past year we have been working hard with a range of statutory and voluntary agencies to identify solutions to the issues of re-offending in our communities.
“I have visited the prisons in our area at a time of unprecedented prisoner numbers and seen the day-to-day pressures faced by prison staff.
“The Northern CJA fully supports the desire to see fewer people sent to prison to serve short and often ineffective sentences. We are keen to see greater use of effective community sentences with offenders paying back communities they offended against.
“In recent months I have visited a number of community service by offenders schemes and was impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm shown by the staff supervising these projects. I was also impressed by the positive response of many offenders who welcomed the opportunity to carry-out meaningful work in their communities.”
Some of the initiatives throughout the seven local authority areas which were highlighted in the report are:
Promoting Community Service
During 2008/09 the Community Justice Authority published a Community Service bulletin highlighting the good work being done across the seven local authority areas. Aberdeenshire recently promoted the work of Criminal Justice Social Work and particularly Community Service in its council newsletter. In Orkney, local newspaper ‘The Orcadian’ produced a full page feature on community service across the islands.
Highland Community Service
The Alness (Ross-shire) Community Service scheme has introduced an excellent work programme to help service users learn new skills, enhance their self esteem and, most importantly, encourage the successful completion of their Orders. It demonstrates how Highland is engaging positively with the Scottish Government proposals for ‘community payback’ by providing high quality and innovative services. Community Service in Alness has raised in excess of £17,000 for local charities, 33 offenders have secured employment and nine have progressed to further education.
Moray Youth Intervention
In Moray 'Operation Avon' is a multi-agency approach to tackling substance misuse. The initiative combines the resources of Grampian Police, NHS Grampian and Moray Council in a bid to reach young people in the community who are drinking alcohol, mixing with other young people who are drinking alcohol, or becoming involved in anti-social behaviour. The aim is not to punish those caught with alcohol, but to provide early intervention aimed at steering them away from this behaviour using a range of measures.
The Orca Project
The ORCA project was launched on the February 20, 2009 at the Aberdeenshire Alcohol and Drug Action Team meeting. The project was jointly developed by Turning Point Scotland, Aberdeenshire Criminal Justice Addictions Team and Grampian Police. Covering North Aberdeenshire, ORCA offers intensive support to low tariff/high volume offenders who have an alcohol or poly drug problem.
Victim Support
Victim Support Scotland (VSS) is the lead voluntary organisation helping people affected by crime. It provides emotional support, practical help and essential information to victims, witnesses and others affected by crime. The service is free, confidential and is provided by volunteers and staff through network of community and youth justice services and court based witness services. VSS is an active participant in Northern CJA business ensuring that the interests of victims are served across the area.
HMP Aberdeen Employment Partnership
HMP Aberdeen and Job Centre Plus employment partnership have found the positive attitude of prisoners very encouraging. There have been 10 work trial placements so far with six out of the 10 still in work. A success story was one prisoner employed by a hotel chain as a Kitchen Porter who has risen to become their Hospitality Manager. Another who went to work for a gas company in Aberdeen was promoted to a post in London.
Islands Authorities – additional funding
All Northern CJA local authority Criminal Justice Social Work services applied successfully for additional funding directed at substance misuse. The islands authorities of Orkney, Shetland and Eilean Siar directed this extra funding at alcohol misusing offenders providing alcohol related programme work and practical support. The new support worker in Eilean Siar has proven to be of enormous benefit to the substance misuse service, by following up any non-attendance of Throughcare Addiction Service referrals.
Voluntary Sector
A number of voluntary sector organisations are commissioned to provide Criminal Justice Services within the Northern CJA area and they work in close partnership with local authorities and other agencies. These organisations include, Sacro, Apex Scotland, Turning Point Scotland, Barnardos and Action for Children.
For further information on the Northern Community Justice Authority, call (01224) 665781, email NorthernCJA@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or visit: www.northerncja.org.uk
The annual report can be found at: http://www.northerncja.org.uk/Site/Home.asp
- ENDS -