A joint initiative by Cleveland Police, Probation Service North East and the Office of the Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner has won a prestigious, national award.
Cleveland Divert was winner in the Learning and Development Programme of the Year category at the Skills for Justice – Inspire Justice Awards.
An expert panel of judges was impressed by the project’s impact on cutting re-offending.
Cleveland has one of the highest adult re-offending rates in England and Wales at 32.1%. That’s 7.2 percentage points higher than the national average according to the Ministry of Justice. The rate for successful Divert participants is just four per cent.
Between April and September 2023, 73.1% (177) of the 242 referrals to Divert successfully completed the programme.
Kevin Parry, Project Implementation Manager at the Probation Service North East Region, accepted the award on behalf of Divert.
He said “I’m absolutely delighted. I think I speak for the whole team by saying that we’re in a little bit of a shock that a small team from the little geographic area of Cleveland has been successful in such prestigious national awards. ”
Prison is not always the answer
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said: “I’m so proud of Cleveland Divert and the good work, which it does in our communities.
“The programme shows that prison isn’t always the answer. Well-run, targeted rehabilitation schemes in the community can often be more effective in stopping re-offending and protecting the public than locking people up in jail.”
Chief Inspector Jon Tapper from Cleveland Police’s Offender Management Team said: “I am very proud of the work being done in Cleveland to divert people away from the criminal justice system. Having this work recognised nationally is a fantastic achievement.
“We’re committed to tackling criminals and arresting offenders but it’s crucial we look at longer-term solutions to reduce crime.
“By addressing offenders’ behaviours, we can divert them away from crime and help prevent re-offending.”
The day after the win, Divert was awarded a Certificate of Excellence at the Ruth Cranfield Awards. That was in recognition of Divert’s work rehabilitating offenders.
The Inspire Justice Awards is the UK’s only awards programme dedicated to recognising the achievements of the entire justice sector.
Organised by Skills for Justice, BT, PeoplePlus, UNISON, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, HM Courts & Tribunals Service and SFJ Awards support the awards.
Divert was set up in 2019 to provide out of court resolutions for adults.