Greater Manchester Probation Trust

Local Crime Community Sentence

 
 
The Local Crime Community Sentence project (LCCS) is a joint venture by magistrates and probation officers to increase the knowledge and understanding of community sentences.

This is a lively and interactive presentation where members of the audience are invited to express their own opinions about the sentencing of offenders. Its aim is to increase awareness of what takes place in the criminal courts and to provide a greater understanding of how the system works.

We are looking for community groups, colleges and Sixth Forms in Greater Manchester who think that they would benefit from such a presentation. The presentation ideally suits up to 40 people in order to be rewarding for everyone involved. However larger numbers are not a problem as we can adjust the programme to suit any audience.

The project involves a magistrate and a probation member of staff giving a presentation to community groups. The presentation includes a description of an offender and a crime they have committed, and a discussion about the possible sentencing options. It’s an opportunity for your group to 'be the judge', sentencing a serious crime and deciding whether the offender goes to prison or is given a community sentence.

How often has a headline like "Thug Walks Free After Attack" enraged your sense of fairness and damaged your confidence in the Criminal Justice System?

However, when you then read a little further you find out that actually the offender has been given a sentence which means over a two year period he has to do 300 hours of unpaid work for the community, has a curfew of 12 hours a day for three months and has to attend and cooperate with programmes to deal with his offending behaviour.
 
Local Crime Community Sentence (LCCS), gives the community the opportunity to find out more about the Sentencing process in Court and Community Sentences in particular.
 

A Magistrate and a Probation Officer lead you through a case:

  • How it came to court
  • What were the circumstance
  • Who was the victim
  • What about the offender
  • What does the Law say
 
You have the opportunity to say what you would do given all of the information, and not just the headline. Presentations take about an hour and are interactive.

A community sentence is a form of punishment in the community which is supervised by the probation service.
 
For more details about LCCS and about how to arrange a presentation, please contact one of the following:
 
General enquiries: Linda Dransfield, LCCS Co-ordinator, 0161 872 4802, linda.dransfield@manchester.probation.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries about hosting a presentation in Bury: Glenn Parkes, 0161 764 9514, glenn.parkes@manchester.probation.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries about hosting a presentation in Trafford: Richard Monkhouse, 07761 211466, mailto:rgm2@btinternet.com
Enquiries about hosting a presentation in Manchester: Assia Shah, tel: 07970 183155,
assia.shah@manchester.probation.gsi.gov.uk

The project is backed by the Magistrates’ Association and the Probation Boards’ Association, and a local steering group has been established to co-ordinate the work, comprising senior managers, Board members, local JPs, the national LCCS co-ordinator Jim Leach, local co-ordinator Linda Dransfield, and representatives from districts. Those taking part will receive training in presenting the materials.