About us
Civic Society Alliance
Offenders already face multiple barriers which can mean they are more likely to re-offend. Being excluded from the communities they live in can only increase this potential.
The Civic Society Alliance works with local authorities, other partners and local people to improve support to offenders, and ensure that they have equality of access to provision and services. This includes access to key services such as housing, Jobcentre Plus facilities and healthcare.
Local crime reduction partnerships (new window) established in 1998 have already shown just how much local services can contribute to reducing crime by:
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taking ownership of the problems of resettlement and reintegration of offenders in their communities
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focusing on finding offenders' accommodation
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tackling drug problems
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working with prolific and other priority offenders.
The Civic Society Alliance actively promotes the use of volunteers and mentors. It also seeks to ensure that offenders know how to access leisure activities, which interest and engage them, such as sport, music or horticulture.
Civic Society Alliance in action
The Community Payback partnership set up in Teeside between local authorities and the probation service has had an early success with the first offender securing a job with a local authority under the scheme.
Under the partnership, offenders on community sentences who successfully complete a neighbourhood improvement programme are awarded certificates which guarantee them an interview for advertised employment with the local authority.
Teeside probation have set an outcome target of getting offenders into employment with local authorities. This partnership clearly shows the important role that a local authority can play, not only in local delivery of services, but also as potential employers.
