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Author: DOJ Team

The Aspire Project; working with young men in the Justice System

Posted on by DOJ Team

The Programme works across NI supporting people and communities to end the harm from paramilitary influence in the here and now whilst also working to break the long-term cycle of violence and criminality.

 

An important part of that is helping young men who are in the Criminal Justice System. Since 2017, our partners at the Probation Board have been leading the award-winning Aspire project to reduce criminality and risk-taking behaviour in young men aged 16-30.

 

Probation works closely with other organisations including NIACRO and ASCERTNI and restorative justice agencies to support their needs. 

 

Their team of dedicated Probation staff work closely with service users to achieve the best possible outcome.

 

Please see some key statistics below:

 

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls

Posted on by DOJ Team

During November and December 2022, the annual ‘16 Days of Action’ campaign called on global organisations, individuals and communities to unite in eliminating violence against women and girls.

 

Violence against women and girls can have devastating consequences for not only the person directly affected, but also their family, friends and communities. Research shows that women and girls experience paramilitary violence in different ways to men and boys, which has meant it is not always well documented or understood.  The Programme is working to address this through a number of projects and research and also through involvement in both the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, led by The Executive Office (TEO) and the Gender Equality Strategy, led by The Department for Communities (DfC).

PSNI’s action plan to tackle VAWG

 

Programme Director, Adele Brown said: “The Programme has to continually evolve based on evidence we are collecting and that includes understanding how paramilitarism and organised crime affects women. The wider focus across the Executive on gender equality and gender based violence is closely linked to what we are trying to do.  We will be sharing with colleagues and partners the data and best practice that we have gathered as part of the Programme’s public health approach to reducing violence, to help to inform this important and closely linked work.”

 

Click here to read more about TEO Ending Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.

 

Click here to find out more about the DfC Gender Equality Strategy.

 

Click here to read the PSNI VAWG Action Plan.

PSNI host successful problem solving workshop

Posted on by DOJ Team

Last November, PSNI staff from across their organisation attended a ‘Problem Solving Champion’ Workshop funded by our Programme.

Sylvia Chenery from ACA Applied Criminology Associates, pictured with PSNI Chief Inspector Joanne Gibson. Sylvia is a Criminologist who specialises in Problem Solving.

Chief Inspector Joanne Gibson said: “Problem solving plays a key role in police effectiveness and each attendee took away the knowledge and skills to help them engage with communities.

 

“The participants were so enthused at the end of the two-day workshop, and I know they’ll go back to their day jobs full of new ideas and knowledge to help them in their role.  I see their role as key to working in partnership and local problem solving is so important for communities.

 

“Our hope is that they will act as ‘champions’ within the police and will continue to promote and cascade the importance of Problem Oriented Problem Solving to those they work with, and continue to embrace the ethos of Prevention First”.