Offenders targeted by new scheme in Warrington (From This Is Cheshire)

Offenders targeted by new scheme in Warrington

10:00am Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A PROBATION chief has promised to crackdown on the town’s prolific offenders and help slash crime stats.

Steve Collett, probation boss said targeting the most active criminals would be one of the priorities of the new Cheshire Probation Trust when it comes into force next month.

Mr Collett said the campaign can have a big impact on the crime rate and make communities safer.

The Trust will replace the Cheshire Probation Area on April 1 after their application was approved by the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Collett, currently chief officer of Cheshire probation area, will become the chief executive of the trust, which will be one of 35 trusts across England and Wales.

The building blocks of the trust will be four delivery units based on the boundaries of the unitary authorities – Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, and Halton and Warrington.

Mr Collett said 10 per cent of offenders are estimated to account for half of all crime.

He said: “The idea behind the prolific offender schemes is that the police and ourselves work with the offenders who are the most prolific in terms of reoffending.

“We try and target the top 25 to 50 offenders depending on the size of the locality.

“Our figures are very good locally. We are reducing reoffending by between about 35 per cent and 55.

He said the best programmes have seen a fall in crime by 50 per cent.

Creating a safer community and reducing the number of victims will be the driving force for the county’s new trust.