ACS

Sixty areas across the country have signed up to become new neighbourhood crime and justice pioneer areas, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.

Delivering a key recommendation of the Casey Review, and supported by £5.6 million, the new pioneer areas will each appoint a dedicated person - a Neighbourhood Crime and Justice (NCJ) Co-ordinator to ensure that Community Payback in the local community is visible and tough, that victims of crime are supported to reduce re-offending and that the public know the rights that the new national Policing Pledge gives them.

The new coordinators will be a powerful force to take forward the radical vision set out in the Casey Review and Policing Green Paper to give the public a greater say in the way their streets are policed and how offenders are dealt with. The new coordinators will work to:

* let the public know their entitlement in the new Policing Pledge so that they know their rights, know who their neighbourhood policing team are, how they can hold them to account and the minimum level of service they should expect;
* open up the criminal justice system so that there are clear and public consequences for criminals that the public get to know about, including more visible Community Payback; and,
* ensure that services and support for victims and witnesses like separate seating arrangements at court are up to scratch.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "The public have told us what they want from policing and the justice system - services that listen and act on their priorities. But sometimes the criminal justice system can feel remote and appear more interested in supporting offenders than punishing them or protecting communities. We are determined to take action on this across Government.

"I am grateful to all of the 60 pioneer areas for signing up to take action to open up the criminal justice system so that the public can see the tough consequences for those that break the law and also drive forward the action needed so that the public know what their rights are from the police and other agencies when they are suffering crime and anti-social behaviour. The new neighbourhood crime and justice coordinators will be a dedicated resource to act on the public's behalf to make sure that justice is done and seen to be done in their local communities."

Justice Secretary Jack Straw said: "I'm determined to continue the transformation of the justice system into a service for victims and witnesses - one where people know it is on the side of the law-abiding majority. To do this we must open up the system further, making it more transparent and showing people through clear examples such as tough, visible Community Payback. The pioneer areas will be a vital part of this - and they are another step in the reforming of the justice system for the benefit of all."

To view the list of Neighbourhood Crime and Justice Pioneer Areas click here.