Police build bridges with young people

YOUNG people in Cheshire have a more positive opinion about the police than those in the country as a whole.
This has been shown by a consultation carried out by Dominic Rogers, the Youth Ambassador for Cheshire.
However, the consultation showed that, like the UK as a whole, young people’s perceptions of the police become more negative as they get older.
Some 89 per cent of 10-13 year olds in Cheshire have a positive opinion but among 14-16 year-old, the figure has fallen to 73 per cent.
Nationally, 70 per cent of 10-year-olds had a positive opinion compared with 38 per cent of 15-year-olds.
Dominic believes hard work by Cheshire Police to continually improve their relationship with young people has led to the better figures in the county.
Over the last five years, the arrest rate for 10-17 year-olds has dropped by almost 50 in Cheshire, partly as a result of using restorative justice.
Dominic said: “I’ve had the opportunity to witness Restorative Justice take place, and seen the impact it had on the victim and the offender. Restorative Justice can give the victim the chance to tell the offender exactly how their actions made the victim feel. This is beneficial because it lets the offender see first-hand the devastating impact their actions have had.
“Both myself and the Constabulary understand the adverse effect that a criminal record can have on someone’s future – that’s why I think it’s important that we look into these alternative methods. In some cases the appropriate action is that of arrest, however in others restorative justice may be more effective.”