Successful crime-fighting pilot to be expanded

A successful Justice sector frontline pilot, which saw a dramatic drop in total crime in the Hutt Valley, will benefit three other areas, Justice Minister Judith Collins has announced.

“I’m pleased to announce that a ‘Flagship Programme’ to reduce crime and re-offending has been rolled out to Papakura, Hamilton and the East Coast,” says Ms Collins.

The Flagship Programme is based on the very successful Hutt Valley Innovation Project.

“From June 2011 to September 2013 in the Hutt Valley total crime is down 23 per cent, violent crime is down 21 per cent and youth crime is down 36 per cent. Prison sentences are decreasing and fewer new cases are being managed by the District Court,” says Ms Collins.

“The Hutt Valley Innovation Project ran between September 2012 and December 2013 with frontline service providers in the Hutt Valley formally collaborating on 10 initiatives to provide better services for the community.

“As a result they have found better ways to target the causes of crime and support high risk families.”

Ms Collins says the key to the Flagship Programme is increased collaboration between Police, Justice, Corrections and other service providers to focus on the specific needs of communities and vulnerable families.

“The Flagship Programme is about bringing agencies together to identify local solutions to local problems such as: alcohol in Papakura; reintegration of youth offenders in Hamilton; and family violence on the East Coast,” Ms Collins says.

“In addition to localised initiatives, the three areas will focus on joint case management, better service delivery, drivers licencing, youth violence and local causes of crime.

“The programme’s potential to reduce crime and reoffending has been proven in the Hutt Valley and it’s fantastic the Justice sector will be tailoring it to fit the local needs of a further three communities.”

The initiatives in Hamilton, Papakura and the East Coast are now underway and we expect to see impacts on the ground in the coming months.

ENDS

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