Help for offenders trying to go straight

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A PROGRAMME to be run at Warrington’s Risley Prison and Thorn Cross Youth Offending Institute will offer help for offenders trying to turn over a new leaf.
The Sycamore Programme will work with offenders, helping them to change their attitudes when it comes to committing crime and bringing them face-to-face with victims.
Cheshire Police and Crime commissioner John Dwyer has awarded the programme £15,000 – £5,000 each for Risley and Thorn Cross and also for Styal Young Offending Institution.
Mr Dwyer believes people offend for a variety of reaspms but often don’t realise the impact their actions have on the people they target.
He said: “Offenders who repeatedly commit crime create misery for many victims and damage the community where they commit their crimes.
“If we are to have safer, stronger communities, then we need to minimise re-offending and support offenders to help them to turn their lives around.
“One of the criteria for my Crime Prevention Fund was to tackle re-offending and I am committed to reducing the levels of re-offending and will continue to look into a variety of ways that this reduction can be achieved.”
Mr Dwyer added: “It’s vital that we reduce re-offending. I think an effective way to do this is by bringing victims and offenders together through Restorative Justice like the Sycamore Tree programme, so offenders understand the catastrophic impact their actions have.
“I look forward to seeing the impact this project has on the lives of those involved.”
The cost of re-offending is high. Forty six per cent of adult offenders are reconvicted within one year of release.
The government estimates the financial cost to be £13 billion per year.
open up more opportunities for prisoners to turn their lives around and contribute to safer communities.”
Picture: Stephen Hawkins (right) from the Prison Fellowship receiving the cheque from John Dwyer.


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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