According to a report released yesterday, sex offenders living in neighbourhoods across England and Wales are not being properly supervised.

The report, ‘Managing Sex Offenders in the Community’ by Her Majesty’s Probation Inspectorate, was critical of various aspects of this vitally important work carried out nationally. This is in contrast to the management of Sex Offenders in County Durham by the joint Police and Probation Public Protection Unit (PPU) which has received praise in the past for its successful practices.

The PPU, based at County Durham Probation Services headquarters at Aykley Heads, was established in November 1999 and combines five Probation Officers, five Police Officers (including one Sergeant) and one Youth Engagement Officer, to provide a multi-agency approach to managing dangerous offenders in the community. A Community Psychiatric Nurse will be joining the team in 2006.

Earlier this year the County Durham PPU received recognition for its effective public protection arrangements. Durham was one of six areas visited by a Home Office team, led by Professor Hazel Kemshall of De Montford University who is an expert in community and criminal justice studies. The team found Durham’s PPU provided a ‘gold service’ in respect of risk assessment and management. The report also praised the ‘fully integrated joint working partnership’ between the various bodies with a public protection role.

For more information, and a full copy of our Press Release, click on the link below.

Full Press Release

The County Durham Probation Community Payback Launch event took place at Wheatley Hill Community Centre at the end of July. Over 80 people attended a morning event which included speakers from the Probation Service and an ex-offender. They told the gathered crowd about the history of unpaid work in the County Durham Area and how it had helped a variety of organisations so far.

The group were then treated to demonstrations of graffiti removal, chipping, strimming and Carpentry before before enjoying a free buffet provided by the community centre.

    
Demonstration of graffiti removal and a speech by Assistant Chief Officer, Hazel Willoughby.

In the afternoon, Wheatley Hill Community Centre opened its doors to the local community for free a ‘Fun Day’ which included a bouncy castle, raffle, tombola, music from a local band and a number of exhibition stands from Criminal Justice partners such as the Prison Service, Smart Justice and Victim Support. The Prison, Me No Way Trust also brought a mock prison cell which shows what life is like for inmates.

Gloria Hird, Wheatley Hill Community Centre Manager, said of the day: “It was a great success and we are pleased to be able to support County Durham Probation Service with their launch of Community Payback. A great deal of Unpaid Work by offenders has been carried out here at the centre and we are very grateful as without it the work could not have been done due to cost implications.”

If you would like further information on Community payback please email us at:
info@durhamprobation.gov.uk

Alternatively, if you would like to suggest a project you can use our online suggestion form:
www.durhamprobation.gov.uk/cpayreq.htm

Alternatively, call a number below for the area you are interested in.

Durham, Consett & Chester-Le-Street
0191 3887951

Darlington
01325 486231

Peterlee
0191 5862480

Bishop Auckland& Newton Aycliffe
01388 602182

Community Payback is a Home Office programme that is being launched in six of the 42 Probation Areas in England and Wales - County Durham, London, Hampshire, Kent, Suffolk, and Merseyside.

The programme will invite local people to decide on the compulsory unpaid work offenders serving community orders should perform. Work that can be completed ranges from graffiti removal, litter clearance, repairing and redecorating community centres to environmental work such as grass cutting, wood chipping and general green area maintenance.

Home Office Minister, Baroness Scotland, who is launching the campaign in Merseyside, says: “The campaign is reaching out to all parts of the community, with faith groups, businesses, voluntary groups and local authorities being asked to nominate projects they would like to see developed through community orders. Once the work has been completed it will be branded with the ‘Community Payback’ logo to show where offenders have positively contributed to improving their own neighbourhoods.”

Hazel Willoughby, County Durham Probation Area Assistant Chief Officer for Unpaid Work, adds: “Communities have already benefited from over 200,000 hours of unpaid work in the north east last year - but this work often goes un-noticed. This is why residents from across County Durham are being encouraged to join forces and help make their community a better place to live by becoming actively involved in the selection of unpaid work projects. These projects involve work which would otherwise not be carried out and combine both hard work and learning new skills.”

The County Durham Probation Community Payback Launch event will take place at Wheatley Hill Community Centre on Thursday (21st July) and will be two fold with a reception for civic heads, community groups, businesses, unpaid work beneficiaries and the media taking place between 10.00am & 1.00pm and a ‘Community Fun Day’ continuing until 5.30pm.