Offenders clean graffiti and collect litter at Hyson Green day of action

A day of action targeting antisocial behaviour in Hyson Green saw offenders clean graffiti and collect litter as part of a community reparation scheme.

Around a dozen offenders from the force’s Immediate Justice scheme carried out a clean-up at Asda on Radford Road, which included removing graffiti and sweeping up rubbish at a neighbouring children’s play park.

Immediate Justice, which is a collaboration between Nottinghamshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, ensures those who commit antisocial behaviour and low-level offences are made to give back to their community within days of their offence.

It is only offered to eligible offenders as an alternative to prosecution through the criminal justice system.

Officers from the City Central Neighbourhood Policing Team supported staff from Asda, the force’s youth outreach team, and Red Snapper Managed Services, who supervise the service users, on August 1.

Reflecting on their behaviour, one 20-year-old service user who committed fraud after finding a mobile phone said he jumped at the chance to give something back and show he was sorry.

He said that taking part in Immediate Justice made him realise that he could make a difference in his community by volunteering, which he now hopes to continue in the future.

During the targeted day of action, members of the public saw an increased high-visibility police presence in the area to robustly address reports of aggressive begging and alcohol and substance misuse.

Officers asked one man who approached various members of the public in the supermarket car park to move on during an afternoon that largely passed without incident.

Nottinghamshire Police has increased high-visibility patrols in Hyson Green after being awarded a £1.5m grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, known as the Hotspot Response Fund.

Uniformed officers spend two hours patrolling an area, engaging with the public and addressing the concerns of businesses before moving on to another. Academic research shows that frequent and short patrols are the most effective deterrent to reduce crime.

The youth outreach team were also available throughout the afternoon engaging with young people to offer them a space to raise their concerns or find out more about diversionary activities.

A new service that allows members of the public to choose areas for offenders to clean was also launched by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire during the day of action.

Superintendent Chris Pearson, Nottinghamshire Police’s project lead for Immediate Justice, said: “It is really important that we show communities in a very visible way that antisocial behaviour and criminal activity are treated seriously and with urgency, whilst also acting as a deterrent to others.

“The Immediate Justice project allows us to do just that whilst also empowering communities across Nottinghamshire to have an active voice in suggesting areas that would benefit from a thorough cleaning.

“The feedback we’ve had from members of the public has been really positive, and service users have told us the scheme enables them to give something back and reflect on how they might behave in the future.

“We are taking the concerns in Hyson Green seriously and are putting in effective measures to deter criminal activity. I would encourage residents to report criminal or suspicious activity to Nottinghamshire Police as soon as possible, so officers can attend at the earliest opportunity.”