Help desk plan to cut re-offending

A PROJECT has been launched at Oldham Magistrates’ Court to cut re-offending.

It is one of the first courts to open a public help desk which will be manned by volunteers.

The US-style scheme is targeted at defendants who have problems which may contribute to their criminal behaviour such as drug and alcohol addiction, homelessnes and debt.

They will be able to find out about the help available and be referred to an appropriate organisation. It is also open to other court users such as family, victims and witnesses.

But this will not be an alternative to a court sentence.

The private room was opened by District Judge James Prowse as Inside Justice Week got under way this week.

He said that crown courts dealt with the 5 per cent “headline-grabbing crimes” such as murder and rape which did not directly affect most people.

However, magistrates handle crimes such as burglary, shoplifting and vandalism which affect everyone directly or indirectly.

Judge Prowse wants to break the cycle of re-offending by tackling underlying problems and said: “We have an unique opportunity when dealing with these people to engage with them.

“They are often disarmingly frank in court about what’s going on in their lives, what’s nudging them in the direction of crime.

“It is very wrong to simply sit back and say that’s somebody else’s problem.”

The help desk has been set up without any extra funding and will be staffed by volunteers from Addiction Dependency Solutions and Voluntary Action Oldham.

Mark Hoath, legal adviser at the court, said problem-solving courts had had starling results in the US where they were set up.

People will be able to use the service before they go into court or be formally referred from court at any stage.

However, he stressed: “Help desk referrals will in no way take the place of any sentence.

“A sentence will continue to be imposed with the level of severity which it deserves.

“However, if a defendant can receive an appropriate punishment for his or her crime together with advice and assistance, even treatment, to remove one of the factors which contributed to their offending, we can work towards a society with less crime.”