Criminals’ crime cutting cash

For the first time Dorset’s residents are to have a say in how cash seized from criminals is spent on tackling crime in their communities.

Four million pounds is now available nationally through the Community Cashback fund, with a maximum of £95000 allocated to Dorset, to be spent on crime-busting initiatives proposed by residents.

All proposed initiatives must aim to tackle local crime, anti-social behaviour or address a community’s needs as well as involving residents and representing good value for money. 

The proposed initiatives will be listed on a dedicated website. Residents can then vote on which initiative they would like to see funded via the website, at Safer Neighbourhood meetings or through Citizens panels.

The Dorset Criminal Justice Board (DCJB) will then allocate the £95000 between three of the proposed initiatives. 

The Home Office has also announced the latest figures for payments made to police and other frontline agencies under the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme.

The scheme means that 50 per cent of the total money recovered through asset recovery is repaid to agencies including the police, courts, Crown Prosecution Service, Serious Organised Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs to go directly back to into their frontline work.

The figures show that a total £23.6 million recovered between January and April 2009 will be paid back, with a total £7 million to be shared between all police forces in England and Wales.

The Home Office figures also show the value of assets recovered from criminals this year has risen to an all-time high of £148 million for 08/09. This is up from last year’s £137 million.

Although the DCJB will be responsible for submitting bids to the fund, members of the public are able to propose and/or have their say on projects which have been proposed by other community members.

The website is accessible at http://cashback.cjsonline.gov.uk. The DCJB has its own Community Cashback page, accessible through the main site.

Mr. Martin Baker QPM, The Chief Constable of Dorset Police and member of the Dorset Criminal Justice Board said

"Dorset Criminal Justice Agencies are nationally recognised for the seizure of criminal assets through the proceeds of crime act and it is only right that the people in Dorset should have a say on how cash from criminals is spent in their community."

"I would encourage people in Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth to have their say on the local projects and in turn hope that this will send a strong message to the public that the Criminal Justice System in Dorset cares about what they think and is on their side.

"In turn we hope that this might encourage more members of the public to help in making Dorset even safer by picking up the phone to report a crime, support the criminal justice system and encourage others to do the same."