Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Hayes, is seeking public input on a range of sanctions for low-level crimes as part of the new Community Remedy system. The Community Remedy aims to provide alternatives to formal prosecution for first-time, low-level offenders through out-of-court settlements that give victims a say in the punishment. Hayes wants to develop a menu of Community Remedy options based on the views of local people. The public consultation will gather feedback on appropriate sanctions for crimes like minor assaults, petty theft, criminal damage and anti-social behavior.

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HAMPSHIRE’S top
crime-fighter, Simon
Hayes, wants your views
on a range of sanctions
for low-level crimes.
The Community
Remedy (Anti-Social
Behaviour, Crime and
Policing Act 2014), intro-
duced by the
Government, is designed
to provide a range of
more effective measures
through out-of-court set-
tlements.
Its supporters say the
new law places victims at
the heart of the criminal
justice system because it
gives them a say in the
punishment of the offend-
er.
Working closely with
victims and the police, the
aim of Community
Remedy is to administer
fair, open punishments,
delivering more rapid jus-
tice for the victim, with
the offender facing imme-
diate consequences for
their crime.
Speaking about
Community Remedy,
Simon Hayes Police and
Crime Commissioner for
Hampshire, said: “This
new legislation fits well
with my police and crime
plan.
“I pledged to address
the impact of anti-social
behaviour in our commu-
nities by working in part-
nership to reduce it.
“Under Community
Remedy and with the pub-
lic feedback, I will devel-
op with the Chief
Constable a Community
Remedy menu that is vic-
tim-focused and reflects
the wishes of local peo-
ple.”
Community Remedy
will only be used for first-
time offenders when low-
level crimes can be better
dealt with out of court,
either as part of an infor-
mal community resolu-
tion, or with a more for-
mal conditional police
caution.
This approach will only
be used when the victim
is in full agreement, for
crimes like criminal dam-
age, petty theft, minor
assaults and anti-social
behaviour.
Police will then invite
the victim to choose an
appropriate sanction
from the Community
Remedy menu.
Once this has been
agreed, the offender will
then be given the option
to either accept that pun-
ishment, or choose to face
the more formal police
action.
In order to contribute to
the public consultation go
online to the
Commissioner’s website
which can be found at
www.surveymonkey.com/
s/79VL3XNcommunityre
medy.
The consultation will be
running until Sunday,
September 14.
Hard copies of the sur-
vey are available from the
commissioner’s office and
can be ordered by tele-
phoning the office on
01962 871595.
By Dermot Martin
newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk