The People Zones are benefitting from work carried out by offenders undertaking ‘Community Payback' work in the community where they have offended. Local residents are seeing tangible improvements, which in turn is improving the quality of life in communities.
In a further boost to crime cutting activity, this work is also helping to boost employability skills and create safer public spaces.
As part of his ongoing crime prevention drive, the Commissioner has supported more than 1,700 hours of unpaid work across the force's three People Zones through a unique partnership with Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Service.
The Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland PCC provided £2,240 to support the rejuvenation of the front land at New Park's Team Hub within New Parks People Zone and a further £1,500 to support Fearon Hall's Planter Project in the Bell Foundry People Zone.
The funding covered materials such as planters, soil and paint. Work is undertaken by people required to undertake unpaid work as part of a court order.
Mr Matthews said: "Once again, we have been ahead of the curve in Leicestershire in supporting this reparative activity. I am proud of the strong partnership we have developed with the Probation team which has made these opportunities possible.
"Crime prevention and rehabilitation are strong themes in my Police and Crime Plan. Providing meaningful ways for people to learn new skills and improve their employment prospects is essential if we are to discourage future involvement in crime and restore pride on our streets.
"Local people are supportive of reparative justice and the participants themselves are also grateful for the chance to learn new skills. We know that brighter, cleaner and more welcoming public spaces can deter criminal behaviour and encourage local people to protect them. This project has proved an excellent investment."
Mark Challinor, Operations Manager for Leicestershire Unpaid Work added: "The OPCC's Community Development Officers have worked hard to help get this Community Payback Scheme going and helped to establish regular work in communities where previously we had struggled to gain sustainable projects.
"We are now able to allocate individuals sentenced to unpaid work onto projects which are in their local communities which meets one of the main objectives of restorative justice."
Offenders taking part in Community Payback are from the community in which projects take place. They are able to give back to their local community for the harm they have caused while also gaining employability skills and qualifications throughout the project.
The work that is undertaken contributes towards long term sustainability within the community and produces opportunities for other people to get involved. The development of vegetable patches and gardens is allowing all residents to grow vegetables and plants and utilise their own skills to maintain the garden while building relationships with others and taking pride in their communities.
Ends
Background information:
People Zones are designated geographic areas where the PCC is working together with residents and partners including Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations to tackle inequalities, build on the strengths of the community, create connections and empower people to play an active role in making their area safer.
There are currently three People Zones across the force area: Bell Foundry, New Parks and Thringstone & Whitwick.
The Community Payback work began in November 2022 - six months prior to the roll out of a national pilot designed to hold perpetrators of anti-social behaviour to account for their actions by engaging them in unpaid work in their communities.
Other recent Community Payback projects supported by the Commissioner include the Big Autumn Clean Up on the Bell Foundry People Zone in September last year which saw drug paraphernalia and a knife removed and an ongoing planter project in Thringstone. Further projects are either ongoing or being considered across all three People Zones. For example, Thringstone Primary School has secured funding for a project where Community Payback participants are supporting the school to clear the grounds to make room for a sensory garden and learning opportunities.
