Big Society and Safer Communities

Wednesday 23rd March 2011, Guoman Charing Cross Hotel - London, 09:15 - 16:00

Creating Safer and Stronger Communities in the Big Society

Overview

According to the British Crime Survey, published 21 October 2010, the overall level of crime recorded by the police in the year ending June 2010 decreased by eight per cent compared with the previous year. However, the Home Secretary, Theresa May stated that “there are still too many offences which ruin lives, whether they are recorded or not, and that means more needs to be done to bring down crime.”

The Home Secretary made clear in her speech to the Police Federation on Wednesday 19 May 2010 that in the “Big Society we will tackle these root causes of poverty and criminality… In the Big Society … criminals will live in fear of the people – because there is nowhere for them to hide.”

The Big Society launched by the Prime Minister, July 2010, aims to give more power and responsibility to communities. The plans will support local areas so they can take an active part in tackling local problems and contributing to tackling crime by making decisions that affect their communities. With the introduction of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners, police forces will become more accountable to the communities they serve. This will ensure that police forces focus their resources on tackling the crime and anti-social behaviour which matters most to their communities.

Furthermore, many argue that if people can be engaged in their community setting, share responsibility, and design services which address their needs, they are less likely to fall into the Criminal Justice System (CJS) in the long-term.

A number of Big Society initiatives are already underway as part of the Ministry of Justice Rehabilitation Revolution initiative. This is designed to help move the MoJ from a reactive department to a problem-solving department - which intervenes early to prevent later, and more costly, difficulties.

Agenda

This timely and informative forum will offer delegates the opportunity to discuss and examine the role of the Big Society in building safer and stronger communities.

09:15	Coffee and Registration
09:45	Chairs Welcome and Address Sharon Hunter, Fellow, OPM (CONFIRMED)
09:50	Morning Keynote: Big Society and the Criminal Justice: Role of Voluntary Groups and Social Enterprise in reducing re-offending Breaking the Cycle: Green Paper proposals Payment by results Big Society in the criminal justice system Building the civil society Voluntary sector contribution to criminal justice Social enterprise and mutuals Rupert Bailie, Big Society Policy Advisor, Ministry of Justice (CONFIRMED)
10:10	Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour in the Big Society The Woolwich Model - How citizens can tackle anti-social behaviour concludes Tackling low level of anti-social behaviour through the introduction of conflict resolution Importance of community safety skills: giving the capacity to respond to anti-social behaviour Build up a culture of intervention beyond the police and equip citizens and public servants more generally Empowering communities to intervene Equipping communities with the skills and training to tackle low levels of anti-social behaviour Ben Rogers, Visiting Fellow, Royal Society of Arts & Director, Centre for London, Demos (CONFIRMED)
10:30	Questions and Answers Session
10:50	Safer Communities in the Big Society: The Role of Local Authorities What does the Big Society mean for Calderdale Delivering services that public want Working in partnership with other providers to combine knowledge and skills to deal with anti-social behavior Working closely with residents to gather information and solve issues Robin Tuddenham, Director - Safer & Stronger Communities, Calderdale Council (CONFIRMED)
11:10	Case Study: Engaging the Community around Crime and Disorder in Enfield Engaging communities in consultation - The Enfield approach Branding the Safer & Stronger Communities Board (Enfield CSP) Using our consultation results and involving scrutiny Working with the business and voluntary sectors Community based projects Rod Bennett, Community Safety Information Manager, London Borough of Enfield (CONFIRMED)
11:30	Questions and Answers Session
11:45	Coffee and Networking
12:05	Big Society in Action: Inspiring Choices, Reducing Re-offending Providing offenders with positive choices to make positive changes Improving employability outcomes for offenders Breaking the cycle of offending Supporting people from social exclusion towards positive and sustainable futures Effective peer led services which support people from social exclusion towards positive futures Case studies Rob Owen, Chief Executive, St Giles Trust (CONFIRMED)
12:25	Special Keynote: Big Society: Creating Active, Safer Communities Giving communities a voice to express their views Supporting communities to deliver their own solutions to local problems Next steps for community empowerment Sharing best practice Baroness Newlove, Government’s Champion for Active, Safer Communities (CONFIRMED)
12:45	Questions and Answers Session
13:00	Lunch and Networking
14:00	Restorative Justice in the Big Society Importance of restorative justice in the Big Society Re-empowering communities and victims Reducing re-offending through restorative justice Transparency in restorative justice Lizzie Nelson, Director, Restorative Justice Council (CONFIRMED)
14:20	Big Society in Action: Tackling Youth Crime through Early Intervention Preventing crime and anti-social behaviour by providing mentors to children with behavioural difficulties Activities to boost children’s self esteem Working in partnership to deliver an early intervention mentoring model Responding to the needs of the community Making the vision of the Big Society a reality Gracia McGrath OBE, Chief Executive, Chance UK (CONFIRMED)
14:40	Questions and Answers Session
14:50	Coffee and Networking
15:10	Working in Partnership with the Voluntary and Community Sector to Reduce Re-offending How can the voluntary and community sector: Offer real choice to citizens? Deliver personalised early interventions? Overcome organisational barriers to personalisation? Improve outcomes through service user participation? Rt Hon Anne McGuire MP for Stirling, Former Minister for Disabled People(CONFIRMED)
15:30	Policing in the 21st century: Reconnecting Police and the People? Enhancing accountability and confidence in police services Establishing clear governance and accountability What will the Big Society mean for policing? Role of volunteers in the police force Impact of financial cuts Dr. Tim Brain, Former Chief Constable of Gloucestershire and Visiting Professor, University of Gloucestershire (CONFIRMED)
15:50	Questions and Answers Session
16:00	Chairs Summary and Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Audience

Delegates will include, community safety managers, police authority members, police members, community cohesion co-ordinators, youth justice officers, youth workers, heads of criminal justice boards, restorative justice co-ordinators, community partnerships managers, neighbourhood coordinators, probation officers, heads of crime and reduction partnerships, restorative justice coordinators, resettlements officers, heads of reducing re-offending, parol officers, and will be drawn from central government, local government, police authorities, health authorities, local criminal justice boards, education, academia and the voluntary and community groups and social enterprise.