TOP JUSTICE AWARD FOR TEAM THAT CUT OUT CRIME

2 Nov 2005 11:45 AM

Issued on behalf of: Criminal Justice System

Hardworking and innovative people working in the criminal justice system were rewarded today when Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland announced the winners of the Government's second annual Justice Awards.

The overall winner of the Justice Awards was the Sherwood Persistent and Prolific Offenders Project in Nottinghamshire who cut the reoffending rates of prolific offenders they were working with by 55%. The team, made up of police officers, probation and Prison Service staff, work to reduce drug-related acquisitive crime.

Offenders are receiving better-targeted drug treatment and staying in treatment programmes longer. The Sherwood team received the Justice Shield from Baroness Scotland, who said that it was a "superb example of the whole criminal justice system working together to reduce crime and prevent reoffending by a very challenging group of offenders."

Other winners who received recognition for their contributions to the criminal justice system included:

* Veronica Powell, 76, from Manchester, who set up the first Victim Support office in the city in 1983, and has worked professionally and as a volunteer with witnesses for over 20 years. She has helped an estimated 4,500 victims or witnesses of crime and their families. * Sharon Berry, HMP Dartmoor, a prison worker, who developed a scheme helping prisoners record bedtime stories for their children to listen to at home. She set up the scheme on her own initiative in 2002, editing the tapes in her spare time. The scheme has been so successful it is being replicated across the country.
* Saf Ibrahim from Bristol, a senior Crown Prosecutor. He has been instrumental in recruiting more people from BME communities into the public services. When he joined Avon and Somerset CPS, Saf was the only non-white employee. Thanks to his efforts in the Community Engagement Group, over 10 per cent of staff in Avon and Somerset CPS are now from BME communities.

The awards were presented by Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland at a ceremony hosted by BBC Crimewatch's Fiona Bruce at the Institute of Directors in London. The Lord Chancellor and Attorney General also attended as guests of honour.

Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs and Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer said:

"The winners of these awards have demonstrated extraordinary levels of dedication and professionalism in what is often a challenging and difficult environment.

"The criminal justice system can only function with the support and commitment of people like these who work towards the strengthening of our country's justice system.

"They deserve our gratitude and recognition, and I take the opportunity to congratulate them on their success today."

Attorney General Lord Goldsmith QC said:

"These awards recognise outstanding service in helping us reduce crime and protect victims. Each award is a story of commitment and dedication. The work of these 11 individuals and teams is truly exceptional. I want to thank them all personally for their contributions to the Criminal Justice System.

"Although the work they do differs widely, they are united in their professionalism and the amazing success they have achieved."

This year also sees the launch of the Lord Justice Kay Award. The award was set up in memory of the late Lord Justice Kay, a prominent member of the National Criminal Justice Board, who died last year. The award takes the form of a grant awarded to a criminal justice system employee to carry out a project designed to improve joint working across the criminal justice system. The award was presented to Emily Macaulay, Devon and Cornwall Police, by Lady Kay, for a project to look at how racist and homophobic hate crimes are reported and prosecuted.

Criminal Justice Minister Baroness Scotland of Asthal said:

"There are many thousands of unsung heroes in our criminal justice system, who make a real difference to the quality of life in our communities every day.

These awards are a chance to thank just a few of those people. They reward those who have gone the extra mile to fight crime and make our criminal justice system work.

I am delighted to be presenting Justice Awards to these outstanding people who work at the front line. I congratulate and thank them for their commitment to their work, and hope this recognition will also show others the rewarding career opportunities available within the justice system."

Fiona Bruce, compering today's event, said:

"Tackling crime and helping those affected by it is rarely a straightforward process.

These award winners have shown such determination, compassion and innovation in their work, and thanks to them the country is a safer and more just place to live."

The winners have been chosen from more than 300 nominations in categories including caring for victims and witnesses, working with young and adult offenders and commitment to diversity.

More than 400,000 staff and volunteers work in the Criminal Justice System to support victims and witnesses, bring cases to justice and rehabilitate offenders - often in very difficult circumstances.

The winners of the five individual awards are as follows:

1. Outstanding achievement in caring for victims and witnesses: Veronica Powell, Victim Support, Greater Manchester

2. Outstanding contribution to tackling youth crime (young people under the age of 18): John Andrews, Rainer, Northamptonshire

3. Outstanding contribution to working with offenders (adult and young offenders): Sharon Berry, Storybook Dads, HMP Dartmoor, Devon and Cornwall

4. Outstanding contribution to engaging communities: Saf Ibrahim, Crown Prosecution Service, Avon and Somerset

5. Long service award for continued commitment and dedication: Paul Sanders, West Midlands Police

The winners of the five team awards are as follows:

6. CJS Innovation Award: HMP Bronzefield, London

7. Outstanding commitment to diversity: Partnership Development Unit, Cheshire Police

8. Outstanding achievement in caring for victims and/or witnesses: Victim and Witness Information Partnership, North Yorkshire Police and Crown Prosecution Service.

9. Outstanding contribution to working with offenders: The Sherwood Prolific and Priority Offender Project, Nottinghamshire

10. Outstanding achievement in engaging communities: The No Way Trust, Humberside

11. Partnership of the year: best example of joint working across the CJS: Community Service Unit Team, Dorset

The winner of the Lord Justice Kay award is:
Emily Macaulay, Devon and Cornwall Police

Notes to editors:

1. The Justice Awards, as well as celebrating the efforts and successes of staff and volunteers in improving the Criminal Justice System, are also a move to demystify the criminal justice process, open it up to the public and encourage people to become involved. More information on the awards can be found at:
www.cjsonline.gov.uk/justiceawards. Finalists were announced on Monday 17 October as part of Inside Justice Week, which took place across England and Wales from Monday 17 October until Sunday 23 October 2005. A range of local justice-related events were run by the 42 Local Criminal Justice Boards. For details please see the Inside Justice Week website at: www.cjsonline.gov.uk/insidejustice.

2. The CJS consists of approximately 400,000 members spanning the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Magistrates Courts, Crown Courts, Criminal Defence Service, Public Defence Service, Prison Service, National Probation Service, National Offender Management Service and Youth Offending Teams. Voluntary sector organisations working with victims, witnesses, defendants and offenders are also part of the CJS and are eligible for nomination.