The Community Remedy was introduced as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act in 2014, to give victims of low level crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) a greater say in how their incident is dealt with.
What is the Community Remedy?
The Community Remedy is a list of potential options that can be used when dealing with an offender, who has admitted their part in anti-social behaviour (ASB) or low-level crime.
When is the Community Remedy suitable?
The Community Remedy can be used when an offender admits to their part in the incident or crime and is willing to be dealt with by either community resolution or conditional caution. The offence type and the offender’s previous history must be suitable and this is the decision of the police officer who deals with your incident.
Both community resolution and conditional cautions are out of court disposals where an offender can agree to certain conditions to repair the harm caused and/or prevent any future offending. A community resolution is an informal agreement between victim and offender and the agreed conditions are not enforceable by the police. A conditional caution is a formal out of court disposal where failure to adhere to the agreed conditions may result in a formal prosecution for the original matter.
I am a victim, how do I have my say?
You will be asked your opinion on which options, from the Community Remedy, you think would be most appropriate to the offender in your incident. The police officer dealing with your incident will make the final decision as to what is appropriate ensuring it is proportionate to the offence committed and will have a positive impact for you, as the victim, and the offender. The officer dealing with your incident will be able to give you further details, including availability in your area.
Community Remedy Options
The list below is the Community Remedy options currently available in North Wales.
- Apology
Face to face - Offender will meet with the victim and apologise for their actions.
Written - If the victim does not feel that they can see the offender face to face the offender can write an apology to them.
2. Enter an Agreement
Anti-Social Behaviour Contract (ABC) - The Anti-Social Behaviour Contract is a written agreement between the offender and a local agency designed to prevent an individual from behaving anti-socially.
Parenting Contract - The Parenting Contract has the same principle as the Anti-Social Behaviour Contract where there is an agreement regarding the offender’s future behaviour. The contract is signed by a parent or guardian because the offender is under 18 years old.
3. Mediation - A third party brings both the victim and the offender together to discuss their issues and reach a common agreement for example, resolving an ongoing neighbourhood dispute.
4. Paying Compensation - The offender will reimburse the victim for the items stolen or damage caused to their property.
5. Reparation
Reparation to the community - The offender has to carry out unpaid work in the local community. One example is the offender removing graffiti from a public wall.
Reparation to the victim - Offender repairs the damage that they have caused, for example causing damage to a garden fence by kicking a panel through. The offender uses their own funds to fix the fence.
6. Structured Activity - If the offender appears to have underlying issues such as substance abuse or behavioural issues the offender could be placed on an intervention programme to try to solve their underlying issues.