Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Kevin Hurley, is to begin a public consultation into new methods of dealing with offending. In a survey launched today, members of the public have an opportunity to tell us what they think should happen to people who have committed low-level crimes or anti-social behaviour in their area.
The survey feeds into a Community Remedy document which will give victims a greater say in the way their reports of crime and anti-social behaviour are dealt with. This document is a list of actions which would be appropriate for an offender or someone who has engaged in anti-social behaviour to undertake as an alternative to the court process. Victims will see justice more quickly, and offenders will face immediate and meaningful consequences. These actions must be rehabilitative, reparative or punitive.
The document will be developed in consultation with police colleagues, local authorities, community representatives and members of the public.
Kevin Hurley said:
“The arrival of PCCs has given the public direct democratic control over the priorities set for their local policing. In Surrey, people wanted a zero-tolerance approach to crime and anti-social behaviour. 18 months on, arrests in Surrey are up by 15% and crime is down by 8%. The introduction of the Community Remedy document gives the people of Surrey an input into what happens next. This is their opportunity to be involved in what they think offenders should do to make amends for their anti-social behaviour and pay back their debt to the community. This can only be a good thing and I encourage people to get involved.”
The survey will be available online for four weeks, and the Community Remedy document will be released in October. Once released, victims of low-level crime or anti-social behaviour will have the opportunity to select an action from the list, where appropriate.
For more information on Community Remedy and to fill out the survey, please click here: www.surrey-pcc.gov.uk/communityremedy.