§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to promote to the public the(a) use, (b) effectiveness, (c) range of initiatives and (d) suitability of community based sentencing. [98878]
§ Hilary BennIncreasing confidence in the Criminal Justice System is the subject of a Public Service Agreement target (PSA 10). The creation of the National Probation Service and the establishment of the Youth Justice Board have provided clearer structures, substantial changes in practice based on evidence of effectiveness in reducing crime and new community-based sentences. A task force, based within the Home Office, has recently been established to further interdepartmental work towards the PSA target.
To increase the use, effectiveness, range of disposals and suitability of community based penalties, the National Probation Service and the Youth Justice Board are working with the courts to ensure sentences are targeted appropriately. This includes ensuring that accredited programmes and recently introduced disposals, like drug treatment and testing orders and the intensive supervision and surveillance programme (ISSP), are used appropriately and their potential to reduce reoffending and protect the public fully exploited.
Ways are also being developed to increase sentencers' awareness of new assessment techniques that act as a guide to the suitability of community sentences and accurately reflect risk factors that sentencers must take into account. The implementation of new disposals, or changes to existing sentences such as the "enhancement" of community punishment (formerly community service), will include effective communications.
As it becomes available both the National Probation Service and Youth Justice Board regularly publish relevant information on reconviction data, practice and policy developments and performance. The National Probation Service is currently reviewing the communications capacity of the 42 local probation areas and increasing national resources for communications, including work with the media. This, and future work, will be evaluated against and informed by surveys of public and sentencer perception.