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Community Payback helps combat anti social behaviourThe much loved Watergate Forest Park, near Lobley Hill in Gateshead has been transformed, following an extensive clearing and restoring project undertaken by offenders on Community Payback. Community Payback in Gateshead has the flexibility of being able to respond quickly to community concerns due to a partnership between Northumbria Probation Area, Northumbria Police, Gateshead Council, Gateshead Housing and Gateshead Youth Offending Team. After a nomination from a country warden, a project was put in place to help make the park a safer and cleaner place for local people to enjoy. The park is subject to a lot of vandalism and anti social behaviour, offenders work unpaid on a weekly basis at the park as part of their community orders to help tackle these problems. They have repaired footpaths and fencing, removed broken glass from areas used by young people as drinking dens and cut back undergrowth. This has improved the surroundings for local people as well as reduced the opportunity of further criminal damage. This project is part of Northumbria Probation’s Community Payback scheme, which gives local people, local authorities and community groups the opportunity to put forward their suggestions for work projects which will benefit communities. The scheme sees work completed which might otherwise not be possible. It punishes offenders by depriving them of their free time and reduces reoffending by teaching them new skills and helping them to rehabilitate. The work carried out by offenders has already proved to be very successful, over the last year, offenders carried out over 22 thousand hours of community payback in Gateshead. Inspector Michael Robson, of Northumbria Police who heads the Gateshead inner west team, said: "It's important that the local community see those responsible for causing damage learning from their mistakes by repairing community facilities like this. "Hopefully the young people involved will realise the consequences of their actions in damaging park property and think twice before doing it again. Watergate Park is there to be enjoyed by everyone, so it was a shame that it was defaced in this way." Steph Boyne, Gateshead Community Payback manager said: "This is a perfect example of how offenders on unpaid work sentences can add real value to communities through Community Payback. If we can help to make the environment more pleasant for people then they can make full use of the places which are rightfully theirs.” February 02, 2010 | latest headlinesCommunity Payback helps combat anti social behaviour More than just surviving the Criminal Justice System New public protection figures demonstrate success in Northumbria Revamp for Jubilee Estate embraces community spirit Offenders carry out town centre revamp Community Payback revives Holley Park Gaining Trust in Northumbria Probation Crime & Justice Adviser Louise Casey visits Sunderland to see Community Payback in action |
