| August 09 |
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Another parliamentary recess arrives and if you believed all you read I would be writing this from the comfort of a beach as a result of 12 weeks break from Parliament in session.
The reality for me and many MPs is quite different. Rather than writing this from the beach I am writing it on the laptop sitting in the car, squeezing it in between going to meet some constituents.
The diary is quite full and whilst I certainly intend to spend some time with the family over the summer, like most MPs I will also be using the time to catch up on work in my constituency.
In addition to my parliamentary work, I also have my responsibilities as a Justice Minister. Along with my colleagues in the Home Office, I have been keen to promote a scheme to make sure that those who commit crime payback to the community.
Most of you will know of community sentences but how many of you are aware that they have changed in recent years.
Now known as community payback the unpaid work element is much more demanding and rather than simply being a few hours at the weekend, courts can require offenders to give up full days to work on projects in need of help.
In addition, since December last year most of those on community payback are required to wear fluorescent yellow jackets with Community Payback printed on them so that the public can see when the work is being done.
It is part of the government’s agenda to promote Justice Seen, Justice Done. I have talked to lots of people in the last few weeks about the justice system and one thing is clear – they want to have confidence that people are punished for their offences and they feel confident if they can see it.
We know that the reoffending rate is significantly lower for those who are given community work rather than sent to prison. Prison will always be essential for the most serious and violent offenders.
So for many community payback is a better punishment but it must not be an easy one.
It is not just the toil of those who commit crimes that is expected these days.
We recently launched a scheme called Community Cashback. Some of the money retrieved from the ill gotten gains of criminal activity is returned to the community through this scheme.
Each local justice board area (in our case Hertfordshire) is being allocated £95,000 to fund community projects — £4 million across the country.
The public can nominate projects in their area where the money could be spent. It needn’t be a lot of money but it should be something that will benefit the community.
Once the nominations have been received it will be up to the public in Hertfordshire to vote for the best proposals.
So if you have an idea of where offenders could be helping out – clearing a river bed, painting a community or charity facility, helping a local charity with repairs then let me know.
If you have a suggestion on how this cash might help to reduce anti social behaviour or prevent crime then submit your ideas at www.cashback.cjsonline.gov.uk or let me know .
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