Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Stephen Bett, is asking people across the county to have their say on a list of options for ‘community remedies’, which will be used to tackle offenders of low-level crime and anti-social behaviour.
Briefly, it’s said to be for a first-time offender, who has committed a low-level offence and who expresses regret for their actions, undertakes reparative work to put right the harm they have caused. By low-level the PCC and police mean low-level criminal damage, low value (unspecified) theft, minor assaults (without injury) and anti-social behaviour.
Community Remedies will be available from autumn 2014 if a police officer deems community resolution appropriate and will allow victims of low-level crime to have a say on the punishment of the offender.
The remedies are likely to include measures such as repairing damage to property, cleaning up graffiti or receiving another punishment proportionate to the crime. Victims can also ask the offender direct questions, receive a written or face to face apology or, in situations such as neighbour disputes, request third-party mediation. Or, an offender might sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract – where they agree not to behave anti-socially, or else face more formal consequences.
The consultation runs in August, at http://www.norfolk-pcc.gov.uk/news/community-remedy-consultation-launched.
