Vital support is helping break the cycle of offending
Additional funds will tackle abusive behaviour, says Alison Hernandez, Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner
COMMISSIONING services for victims of crime in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is a big part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s job and often this is the work that is most visible when it comes to support.
While this is clearly a vital part of criminal justice, what is often overlooked is the challenging work that is done to support those who actually commit the crimes.
This is, understandably, a slightly contentious area. There are some who think the only form of support criminals need is a hard bed in a cell at one of Her Majesty’s prisons. But how can we ever expect to break the cycle of criminality without working with offenders to help them to change their ways?
One method that can have extremely positive results for both offender and victim is Restorative Justice, a process which sets up a dialogue between the two, helping the person affected by crime understand the reasons behind an offence and giving the opportunity for a heartfelt apology.
Another example of a service like this that is funded by our office is Circles South West. This charity, which this year was shortlisted for a prestigious Howard League for Penal Reform award for its work with young people, works closely with sexual offenders to provide specialist support and accountability to prevent these people reoffending.
And we know this work is effective. An independent evaluation of Circles South West said the charity’s work “should be considered a valuable part of a community-led, strengths-based and restorative approach to reducing the risk of future sexual abuse”.
With this in mind, I was delighted to learn earlier this month that Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has been awarded £417,395 from central Government to work with the perpetrators of domestic abuse.
This will also be topped up by £215,959 in match funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and our long-running domestic abuse partners at Cornwall Council, Plymouth City Council, Torbay Council and Devon County Council. The successful bid was entirely down to the hard work of all those partners involved.
This multi-agency project will work with perpetrators of domestic abuse and their families to break the cycle of violence and helping people identify how they can change.
As well as working with those who afflict violence, the project will also help some key workers and members of the public to identify the signs of an abusive relationship and give them the skills to help intervene when it is safe to do so.
I am proud to be involved in this and to continue working alongside such passionate partners. This additional funding will help us develop a programme of work to better understand perpetration and develop a series of interventions to prevent further harm.
We know that this is an incredibly difficult time for those affected by domestic abuse and it is more important than ever that support is available.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, support is available through any of the following channels:
Plymouth Service – 0800 458 2558 sanctuary-supported-living.com
Cornwall Service – 0300 777 4777 or firstlight.org.uk
Devon Service – 0345 155 1074 or splitz.org
Torbay Service – 0800 916 1474 sanctuary-supported-living.com
National Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0808 2000 247
Victim Support 24/7 – call 0808 1689 111 or live chat at victimsupport.org.uk Victim Care Unit - 01392 476900 Those affected by crime who would like practical and emotional support, which could include referrals to Circles South West and Make Amends should contact the Victim Care Unit on 01392 476900 or online at www.victimcaredevonandcornwall.org.uk.