8 Ways rolls out across Force
01/02/2013
A scheme which aims to reduce re-offending and
cut crime is now live across North Wales.
The ‘8Ways – Change your Life’ initiative is
an Integrated Offender Management (IOM) approach which targets
those offenders who commit most crime within communities across
North Wales, which started as a 12 month pilot covering Conwy and
Denbighshire last year.
‘8Ways’ is a joint initiative between North
Wales Police and Wales Probation who, through the scheme, work in
conjunction with other statutory and voluntary agencies in focusing
on individuals and tackling their offending behaviour.
Its target group is prolific offenders,
particularly those who have committed offences of acquisitive crime
and who have received sentences of less than 12
months.
It aims to address offending by this cohort of offenders through
intensive programmes of rehabilitation and enforcement action.
The team work with offenders who are at high
risk of re-offending to support changes in offender behaviour and
remove the issues which can influence their offending. This support
can range from assistance in finding accommodation, obtaining
training and employment, through to treatment for substance misuse.
If offenders commit further crimes, they will be swiftly caught and
brought to justice.
Sergeant Jonny Hill from North Wales Police
said: “The term ‘8Ways’ refers to the eight categories where help
can be provided and these are drugs, alcohol, accommodation,
children and families, Finance benefit and debt, mental and
physical health, attitudes thinking and behaviour and education
training and employment.
“A team of police officers work in partnership
with staff from Wales Probation, Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol
workers to look at the underlying causes affecting offenders’
behaviour and work with them to help address their issues”.
He added: “Without help to break the cycle of
crime, many offenders spend large parts of their lives revolving
around the criminal justice system, causing harm to themselves,
their families and their communities as well as costing the
taxpayer huge amounts of money.
“8Ways aims to break that cycle. Our aim is to
work together to reduce re-offending and cut crime, tackle social
exclusion of offenders and their families, improve services such as
education and health for offenders and get to the root of their
offending.”
The pilot scheme has returned some significant
results for the team, including fewer arrests, fewer crimes and a
reduction in the overall cost of crime.
The project is now live across North Wales
with teams working out of Bangor, Colwyn Bay, Flint and
Wrexham.
Sgt Hill added: “Engaging with the ‘8Ways’
project is about helping to change people’s lives for the better.
The project will also benefit the community, firstly by addressing
those who persistently cause problems within the community and
secondly, help reduce the cost of this offending which in turn has
an impact on public spending.”
Hannah Griffith is the Team Manager for the
Wales Probation element of the IOM scheme for the counties of
Gwynedd, Ynys Môn, Conwy and Denbighshire. She said: “Initial
developmental work on IOM took place in Wrexham, Flint, Gwynedd and
Ynys Môn prior to the launch of the ‘8 Ways.’ The North Wales IOM
scheme enables Wales Probation staff to work alongside North Wales
Police colleagues in jointly managing the offenders in our
communities who present the highest risk of offending and warrant
intensive engagement.
“Probation and police officers are co-located
in offices across North Wales and meet regularly with key partner
agencies to assess, share intelligence and co-ordinate our
resources to deliver an intensive case management approach to
respond to the risks and needs of an individual.
“The IOM scheme also provides the opportunity
for us to work with non-statutory cases such as individuals who
serve short prison sentences who often present a high risk of
re-offending but would not otherwise be subject to supervision,
monitoring and support.”
Further information is available via the Probation Wales
website