20 November 2012
A report published today shows how a long term project involving organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, has helped make Jersey a safer place.
The Building a Safer Society Strategy (BaSS) Annual Report for 2011 shows a fall in crime, in the perception of crime, in young offending, re-offending, truancy, alcohol consumption, and problematic drug use in Jersey.
The initiative brings together work done by many different agencies in Jersey. Its aim is to increase community safety by working with people at different stages of life to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse.
Early intervention
BaSS helps families by offering support early on and reducing the risk of substance misuse, criminal activity and anti-social behaviour. It promotes activities like the community sports programme to occupy young people productively and it helps offenders understand the consequences of their actions and minimise harm to the victim.
Initiatives specifically funded by BaSS are overseen by the Home Affairs, Education Sport and Culture and Health and Social Services Departments. The Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Ian Le Marquand, said its success shows the benefits of investing in longer term community initiatives.
He said "It can be difficult to justify spending money on programmes where the results may be a long time coming, but we know that there’s a strong correlation between negative childhood experiences and offending in later life.
“The Council of Ministers has put significant investment into this multi-agency programme and it’s clear that it is bearing fruit and helping to create a safer society for all of us.”
Download Building a Safer Society: Annual Report 2011 (974kb)
gov.je