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New reforms to help reduce reoffending

3rd of February 2012

New plans to support the rehabilitation of offenders and the reduction of reoffending were outlined today. Justice Minister, Lord McNally, said the Government would remove some of the barriers which stop offenders who have served their sentences from getting back into honest work and help them to avoid drifting back into a life of crime.

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Community triggers on their own won't work

2nd of February 2012

This week’s insistence by the Home Secretary that the harm caused by persistent anti-social behaviour must not be overlooked is echoed by the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group. However, much more needs to be done.

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Five arrested in south London raids targeting council home fraud

1st of February 2012

A multi-agency operation saw five people arrested as part of a crackdown on council home fraud.

The coordinated operation resulted in three arrests for immigration offences and two arrests for fraud. The operation was launched after a number of pieces of fake documentation identified by Southwark Council including counterfeit passports, birth certificates and Home Office letters had been used to support claims for council housing.

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1st of February 2012

A 10 million pounds cash boost to train thousands of new volunteer leaders for national youth groups like the Scouts, Guiding and Police Cadets was announced today.

Over the next two and a half years Youth United - a coalition of the major youth volunteering organisations - - will recruit and train up 2,700 new adult volunteers to run 400 new youth groups in communities across the country that will mean over 10,000 more young people will be able to join a pack or troop.

Crime maps extended

31st of January 2012

The interactive website police.uk now features incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour recorded at all train stations and railway networks across England and Wales.

Communities will also start to see incidents that occurred on or near a range of additional local sites including shopping areas, nightclubs, hospitals, parks and parking areas.

From May 2012 the public will also be able to use police.uk to see what happens after a crime has occurred in terms of a police action or a justice outcome.

31st of January 2012

Policing Minister, Nick Herbert, has revealed that the cost of elections for Police and Crime Commissioners is expected to rise to £75m – an increase of 50% on the original estimate.

Mr Herbert made the announcement in response to a question yesterday in Parliament.

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Home Secretary triggers action on ASB

30th of January 2012

In a major speech delivered in London this morning the Home Secretary updated on the government’s “radical programme of police reform.” Within this she announced that the ‘community trigger’ will be piloted from this summer and that the next phase of crime mapping will be activated from tomorrow.

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Bill to make allocation of housing association homes fairer

27th of January 2012

In the last couple of days Mr Frank Field MP has introduced a new ‘Ten Minute rule’ bill promoting “fairness” in the allocation of housing association properties. The key proposals are:
• That [‘bad’] tenants/families get housed, but only after those families who, work hard, and whose children do not cause a problem, have selected the houses they would like.
• To give tenants [neighbouring the allocated property] the right to be told about the conduct of new tenants and have the right to object.
• New tenants will have to be told why the previous tenants vacated their tenancy.

Mr Field summarised his proposals thus ……….. “My Bill will put housing associations on the same footing as owner occupiers wishing to sell. A homeowner, plagued by anti-social behaviour, has to inform potential buyers of such information, or face the possibility of being sued for misrepresentation. The same law will apply for housing associations.”

Mr Field's bill was granted a second reading on 30 March although it is thought unlikely to become law due to pressures on parliamentary time.

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Government acts against metal thieves

26th of January 2012

Cash payments for scrap metal will be banned and penalties increased, the Home Secretary Theresa May announced today, as the government stepped up action against the growing menace of metal theft.
In a statement to Parliament, the Home Secretary said the government intends to lay an urgent amendment to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to:
• create a new criminal offence to prohibit cash payments to purchase scrap metal; and
• significantly increase the fines for all offences under the existing Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 that regulates the scrap metal recycling industry.

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CHP combats hate crime in Chelmsford

24th of January 2012

Chelmer Housing Partnership has demoted the tenancies of three residents for 12 months after their children committed a hate crime against a CHP tenant with learning difficulties.

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