Finalists 2007

Individual award finalists

Outstanding achievement in caring for victims: Pravina Patel, volunteer, Victim Support Harrow, London; Since joining Victim Support in 1992, Pravina has been an outstanding volunteer, making a very real contribution to victim and witness care as a BME worker, a community volunteer and seven years at the Old Bailey in the Witness Service. Her specialism is working with victims of rape and violent crime.; Although Pravina officially retired in 2005, she continues to offer tireless support to these organisations in a variety of ways and has been praised by recent Victim Support reports for her continued commitment. In the last year alone she has supported 365 people at various stages through the Criminal Justice System.; Pravina has played a key role in extending services in Harrow to various communities, some of which have previously been hard to reach. By establishing drop-in centres in hospitals and community centres, she has enabled women to visit and receive vital support and services in confidence and safety.; There are many examples of Pravina's dedication, and her ability to respond to the needs of the victim, One in particular related to the support of a woman in a violent relationship with no member of her family or wider community willing or able to help her. Pravina set about applying for benefits for the woman so that she and her child could live independently. When the woman wanted to give her husband another chance, it was Pravina who arranged for him to go to a drug and alcohol group, and applied for him to go to a rehabilitation centre. The woman's letter of thanks speaks for itself: "I had no idea that meeting you at the Hospital would change my life for the better. I have no words to thank you."; Yvonne Rhoden, Detective Constable, Violent Crime Unit, Metropolitan Police, London; Yvonne has delivered changes to the way the Metropolitan Police responds to forced marriage and honour-based crime, and in doing so has saved lives.; As a senior police officer, her work has involved solving these very real problems facing the police and society at large. Since 1999, Yvonne has been at the forefront of developing policy and good practice in policing honour-based violence across London. Her measures have been so successful that she has also taken part in developing a national guidance on forced marriage for police forces, which has been taken up across the country.; Yvonne reaches out to police forces and community groups, offering training and advice so that victims know that they can seek help. She has campaigned to get her message across at prestigious international conferences organised by the United Nations, the NSPCC, and Women's Aid among others. In addition, she is also a member of a number of working groups where she provides valuable advice to practitioners helping them in their work in honour-based crime.; Yvonne's efforts have inspired trust and confidence in affected communities regarding reporting crime, enabling countless women to access justice.
Outstanding achievement in caring for witnesses: Robert Halls, Kent County Council Community Warden; Robert Halls is an exceptional employee for Kent County Council who was able to provide an outstanding service only two weeks into the job, having a considerable impact on victims and the community as a whole.; A fire took place at a local prominent racing stables where four valuable racing horses were killed. The incident had a profound effect on the area, and Robert spent a great deal of time with them, gathering evidence and reassuring a shocked community. He encouraged witnesses to come forward, a considerable task as many were initially reluctant and fearful of reprisals, explaining the courts process, witness protection, and suggesting Crimestoppers if they wished to give evidence anonymously. Robert's enthusiastic intelligence-gathering led to the arrest of four suspects, although at this stage they provided alibis. Undeterred, Robert looked for further evidence and managed to disprove the alibis, which resulted in the suspects being charged.; The inspector in charge of the case praised Robert's excellent work, without which, they believe, the case could not have been progressed. He has since spent more time with the community as they recover from the crime. Robert's valuable work has increased levels of confidence in the Criminal Justice System, and regarding reporting crime.; Sue Younger, Manager of the Young Witness Service, Nottinghamshire; Sue has managed the Young Witness Service in Nottinghamshire since it's inception in 2003. Prior to beginning her work, there was no child-focused court support, but within a period of three months assisted by her deputy manager, Sue set up the whole operation, establishing protocols with criminal justice agencies, recruited volunteers and helped devised and facilitate training. Her Local Criminal Justice Board was amazed and impressed by the speed and professionalism with which Sue had been able to launch a quality Young Witness Service.; Sue is committed to sharing best practice throughout the country about care for young witnesses. She has organised a national conference showcasing the Witness Service, speaks regularly at various events across the country and is now acknowledged as a national voice for young witnesses. Her drive and enthusiasm led to an impressive expansion of services, from taking on 63 witnesses in 2003 to 251 in the year 2006/07.
Outstanding contribution to tackling youth crime: Andrew Lamb, Youth Advocate, Sunderland, Youth Offending Service; Andrew is an energetic advocate for young offenders, showing a real and genuine commitment towards changing lives. A painter and decorator by trade, he undertook an intensive plastering training course, which enabled him to pass on a variety of skills to young offenders through the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) at Sunderland Youth Offending Team.; He has succeeded in engaging some of the most challenging young offenders who have been assigned to the ISSP - a direct alternative to custody - where they gain developing new work skills in painting and decorating, plastering and tiling. Andrew has negotiated use of local college facilities to conduct initial training, and also takes the young offenders into the community to work on worthwhile projects, such as re-decorating the house of a terminally ill cancer patient, a women's centre and crèche, and a community centre.; Andrew's work with the young offenders has had a positive effect on the local community, changing attitudes towards the young people, who have contributed to local services. Taking part in worthwhile projects has given the offenders a sense of purpose which makes them want to succeed. Besides their practical skills, they have gained confidence and self-esteem, and in addition Andrew introduced to concepts of victim awareness as part of the programme. The scheme has led to reduced reoffending, and several of those who have taken part in the scheme have been nominated for accreditation from the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.; Nathan Ward, Enrichment Manager, Medway Secure Training Centre, Kent; Nathan has worked tirelessly over the last six years as Enrichment Manager for the Secure Training Centre, demonstrating consistent commitment to his work which impacts on young people who have offended or are at risk of offending.; Nathan produced a DVD detailing the dangers of knife crime for schools, which proved to be an excellent starting point for discussions within classes. Its impact was such that it was featured on BBC South East, and has since been distributed to every Secondary school and secure establishment in England and Wales.; He has been instrumental in setting up local Duke of Edinburgh Award groups in the Medway area, involving young people in the activities and pioneering the use of the Duke of Edinburgh Award in custody, an approach that has been so successful that it will now be developed internationally. Nathan has been behind many other activities that have inspired young people and steered them away from crime. These include organising a production of Oliver! with the young offenders who performed in front of the local community, and initiating a national magazine for young people in secure institutions, giving them the opportunity to express their views and talk about their experiences in a way they never could before.
Outstanding contribution to working with offenders: SMelanie Nunn, Probation Officer, National Probation Service, Devon and Cornwall; Melanie is an example to us all, of an exceptional and dedicated professional doing her job in the most difficult of circumstances.; Melanie was the probation officer charged with overseeing the release and resettlement of a large number of offenders, mostly from one family, who were convicted of numerous sexual offences including rape, buggery and torture, of their own children and grandchildren over a period of thirty years. Her challenge was exceptionally difficult, given her duty to settle the offenders effectively, while taking into account the high-running feelings of the local community. The details of the case were indeed so horrific that many of Melanie's colleagues had to take early retirement after dealing with the case.; Melanie has supported the majority of these offenders over a number of years. It was not possible for them to be resettled in Devon and Cornwall, and the problem was compounded by the fact that the offenders had to be relocated at some distance from each other so there was no chance of networking. Melanie liaised with other areas around the country, attending various meetings to persuade colleagues to accept the offenders in their area, despite initial extreme reluctance. Throughout all this, Melanie has been constantly vigilant in her work, and has been a fixed point for both the practitioners and the offenders, helping to make the resettlement a success.; Mohamed El Shakarwy, Imam in the Chaplaincy Service, HMP the Mount, Hertfordshire; On joining HMP The Mount in 2002, Mohamed saw that some prisoners felt uncomfortable about attending the Bible-based offending behaviour course, at that time the only one available at the establishment.; Using his knowledge of Islamic, Christian and Jewish traditions through his theological studies, Mohamed set about developing an offending behaviour programme which was appropriate to people of all faiths, and for those who had none. Focussing on the story of Joseph, the course covers issues surrounding imprisonment, release, forgiveness of family and reconciliation. The course also has a strong Restorative Justice element, and Mohamed has developed this area further, going out with offenders to visit victims' families to effect reconciliation and closure.; Mohamed has developed the course in his own time, using his own money for materials, and accrediting the course through the Open College Network. It has proved a massive success within the prison, with the course built in to the sentence plans of many of the prisoners. Over 331 prisoners have graduated from the course, and Mohamed is presently training staff to teach it in seven other prisons.
Outstanding contribution to engaging communities: Philip Cowlishaw, Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), Dorset Police; Since he began his work as a PCSO in 2005, Philip has made a massive contribution to the lives of those living on Cranford Heath, one of Europe's largest housing estates which had been suffering from high levels of anti-social behaviour and associated criminal damage. Philip has worked hard to improve the quality of service provided to the public, improving relations between the police and the local community.; Identifying that youths drinking and taking drugs in public was a key concern of the community, Philip promptly went to meet them and began to involve them in projects such as cleaning up the local park. This gave them the opportunity to take part in improving their surroundings, increased confidence on the estate and led to a reduction in anti-social behaviour. Another example of Philip's positive approach include tackling nuisance bike-riding by sending two offenders to Dorset Police Station to learn cycle safety.; His extensive knowledge of the estate and its people means that Philip has been instrumental in 34 arrests, and he regularly comes into the community to give talks to a variety of criminal justice topics. With Philip Cowlishaw, Cranford Heath has an approachable and effective Community Support Officer who has transformed relations with the police.; Glen Banks, Project Co-ordinator, HMP Wellingborough, Northamptonshire; Glen established the Drugs and Crime Project in 1999, an innovative programme of role-play and testimonies from prisoners showing prison life in reality performed in HMP Wellingborough for members of the community.; Glen delivers the project to schools, groups of magistrates and other community groups at evenings and weekends, and over 300 presentations have been delivered so far. In particular, over 21,000 students have seen the project, which has often had a profound effect on the audience. Over the years many children have written to Glen thanking him for organising the events, and prisoners have also benefited, those taking part have an 80 per cent parole success rate and are less likely to reoffend. Four of the ex-prisoners who took part in the Drugs and Crime Project have continued community work where they have been resettled. Such is its success that the project is now being replicated in prisons around the country, as far as Aberdeen in one instance.
Outstanding commitment to diversity: Mostapha Bouker, Deputy Race and Equality Officer, Her Majesty's Prison Belmarsh, London; Mostapha Bouker has been outstanding member of staff from the day he joined HMP Belmarsh. His energy and insight has been particularly useful when Her Majesty's Prison Service - and HMP Belmarsh in particular - has had to grapple with new challenges surrounding race, diversity and the provision of facilities for prisoners of different faiths.; Working as Deputy Race Equality Officer, Mostapha has worked hard to challenge negative attitudes and behaviour towards Islam and Muslims, often in his own time and using his initiative. As a practising Muslim himself, he has been able to provide sound advice about the practice of faith in a custodial setting, and this has been particularly relevant at Belmarsh, where issues surrounding faith are particularly sensitive due to the type of prisoner it houses.; Mostapha works hard during the festivals of Ramadan and Eid to ensure they run smoothly and that no prisoners encounter difficulties. He shares the festivals with the prisoners, and was able to break down barriers and suspicion by involving a prison officer who was prepared to pray with the prisoners.; Thanks to Mostapha's many efforts, a recent Annual Visitor Survey showed the highest ever recorded levels of confidence in the operation of race equality systems at Belmarsh.; Sergeant Brian Hughes, Cheshire Police; Brian Hughes has transformed relations between the police and the Polish community in Crewe.; The large migrant work population had created significant mistrust among the residents of Crewe and the police. Brian worked in partnership with South Cheshire college to provide an "English as an Acquired Language" course to the Polish community, specifically using the law and order module to create a healthy relationship between the police and Polish residents, removing the language barrier and confusion that had previously marked police contact. This led to the establishment of the Polish Association in Crewe, which included Polish volunteers and representatives from relevant agencies, in particular recruitment agencies. It was Brian's persuasive skills which led to the abolition of tying working contracts with housing by recruitment agencies, giving Polish workers freedom of choice in employment.; Brian has also helped to secure a £309,000 grant to finance "Webbies", a centre for the Polish community in Crewe with relevant facilities, and has set up a dedicated crime reporting line in Polish, "Polska Niebieska Linia". His hard work and dedication is an example of how the Criminal Justice System can serve all members of the community effectively and inspire confidence.
Long service award for continued commitment and dedication: Anthony Hindle, Section Officer, Special Constabulary, West Yorkshire Police; One of the longest serving officers in West Yorkshire Police, Anthony Hindle joined as a special constable in 1969, and rose to the rank of Divisional Commandant. After a six-year career break he returned as a special constable, and in 2002 was promoted to Section Officer.; Anthony's career has been nothing if not eventful! He has made over 1,000 arrests during his time as a Special Constable, four of which were arrests for murder. He assisted with the Yorkshire Ripper enquiry locating one of the victims while off duty, and has sustained several severe injuries, including being stabbed with a spear. Anthony has also received many awards over the years and in 1999 was named "the Bravest Cop in Britain" by the News of the World.; It is worth remembering when looking at this remarkable career of dedication and excellent police work that Anthony has always been a volunteer. But such is his dedication that he regularly gives up his weekends to provide advice and support. His superiors are full of praise for a man they describe as a truly dependable and outstanding colleague.; Reverend Canon Peter Vowles, Chair of District Committee, Victim Support Greater Manchester; The Rev. Vowles has been concerned with victim care from the beginnings of Victim Support in the 1970s. After seeing the success of the first Victim Support service in Bristol in 1974, Peter liaised with the criminal justice agencies in his then parish in Hull to set up a Victim Support service for Humberside in 1978. When he moved to St. Ann's Parish in the centre of Manchester, he again was instrumental in bringing agencies together and setting up Victim Support, initially in East Manchester and Rochdale in 1984, with the rest of the city following over the next few years. He has been chair of the Management Committee for Victim Support Greater Manchester since 1984.; Rev. Vowles has been at the forefront of fundraising activities is never afraid to lead on new initiatives. He set up a pilot Witness Service scheme at Manchester Crown Court in 1990, successfully negotiating a pension scheme for its staff. He attends regular meetings with the Lesbian, Gay and Transgender communities in Manchester, and helped set up an evening surgery in the heart of the gay village. Alongside this considerable workload, he also helps out in the main Victim Support office on a weekly basis, undertaking general office duties, and contacting victims, offering emotional and practical support.
Volunteer of the year: Avril Ainsbury, Volunteer, the Community Justice Centre, Merseyside; Avril has been working with communities in Liverpool since 1970. For 22 years, she was involved with the Croxteth Gems project, supporting various members of her local community. After leaving in 2004, she has been an exceptional volunteer working variously as a Custody Suite Visitor, Offender Mentor and Victim Support and Witness Service volunteer.; Avril involves herself with a host of projects supporting individuals going through the Criminal Justice System. She became a community member of a Youth Offending Referral Panel in 2002, helping produce behaviour contracts with offenders for the duration of their order and helping them to prevent reoffending. She also started mentoring young offenders in 2005, using art and poetry to improve their self-esteem. One of Avril's young offenders has won an art competition and is now making jewellery and planning to start her own business.; Working at Victim Support and the Witness Service, she provides a consistent service for victims and witnesses throughout the criminal justice process. Avril's continuity of care has produced excellent results, and both the people she cares for and her colleagues are full of praise.; Jackie Goulding, Victim Support Volunteer, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; Jackie is an exceptional volunteer, supporting the victims and their families of some of the most serious homicides and sexual assaults in Hampshire. She combines a very high standard of emotional support with the practical advice and action which serious crimes need.; Examples of Jackie's dedication as a volunteer can be seen through her work with a mother on solutions to her daughter's behavioural problems following an assault, and liaising with a coroner when negligence on the part of others was suspected. She also provided information on benefits and provided long-term emotional support to a frail, elderly bereaved mother.; Another aspect of Jackie's work is her participation in working groups to improve training and conditions for volunteers. She was a key figure in re-writing volunteering policy in her area, and subsequently joined the Board of Trustees. Going about her work in a quiet, unassuming way, she never asks for recognition and is completely focussed on improving services for victims of crime.

Team award finalists

Outstanding achievement in caring for victims: Operation Calendar Team, Police, Gwent; This operation began in 2004 and involved the investigation of the organised abuse of children and adults within the family setting.; With 125 children potentially at risk the assessment was a difficult task. It involved very delicate and careful planning so that the operation would not be compromised.; Initially the victims were hostile and were reluctant to speak with the police or social services. Trust was gained over several visits and the team ensured that the victims had confidence in them and the judicial process.; The trial took place in 2006 following a two-year investigation. Victim's fears were allayed through pre-trial visits to courts, regular contact and considerable extra support.; This resulted in 50 indictments for the defendants who received sentences ranging from life imprisonment to 10 years. Above all it ensured the safety of over 125 children and provided them with the opportunity to speak out against their abusers and see justice done.; Lincolnshire LCJB Victim and Witness Volunteer Panel; Formed in 2005, this panel of four comprises of victims who have been affected by serious crime. Despite personal misfortune they bravely decided to share their experiences to benefit other victims.; They offer their spare time to fulfil the vision of a victim friendly Criminal Justice System. By shadowing CJS agencies on the front line, they are able to make recommendations for improvement, whilst recognising the difficulties staff are faced with.; The panel are involved in domestic violence issues and witness care and in doing so provide an excellent consultation mechanism to aid the humanising of the Criminal Justice System.; They have demonstrated high moral integrity, outstanding altruism and enormous citizenship commitment and their contribution brings enduring benefits right across the system.
Outstanding achievement in caring for witnesses: Brighton Trials Unit, Sussex Police; The unit was set up in 2003 to undertake the majority of Crown Court work for the County. Around 80 trials per month are handled by the court, and in 2003 ten of these were ineffective due to witness non-attendance. Thanks to the work of the 20 Witness Care Officers in the team this has been significantly reduced.; The team have undertaken a shadowing workshop at the Witness Service helping witnesses to see the reality of a court environment, especially for vulnerable witnesses and they have also worked with the Sussex Young Witness Service to improve knowledge and lines of communication. Victims' trust has been increased further by training visits to the unit from the Sexual Offences Liaison Officer and representatives from the Anti-Victimisation Unit.; On the now rare occasions that there is an ineffective trial due to a witness issue, a thorough assessment takes place of the reasons with a view to constantly improving the service. As a result the unit has become a centre of excellence for witness care.; The Major Incident Team and Witness Assistance Unit, Merseyside Police; In 2006 a member of a prominent Liverpool gang was fatally shot as he left the visitors hall of HMP Altcourse. This was the culmination of a violent feud with an rival gang.; Witnesses refused to co-operate with the police investigation for fear of reprisals, and further problems arose because one of the suspects was an inmate at the prison and a leading gang member.; Key witnesses were traced and their evidence was significant in building a case against eleven people who had been charged in connection with the murder. However, these witnesses and their families were subject to threats and intimidation throughout, which made it necessary to implement robust tactics to maintain the integrity of the witnesses and the jury.; Three witnesses were vulnerable in particular as they were serving prisoners, necessitating a multi-agency approach to support them. They were segregated and relocated to other parts of the country and the success of managing their safety enabled them to give evidence.
Outstanding contribution to tackling youth crime: Multi-agency Community Problem Solving Group, the Community Justice Centre, Merseyside; To tackle intimidating youth gang behaviour in one area of North Liverpool, the City's multi-agency Community Justice Centre (CJC) pulled together a Problem Solving Group (PSG) in May 2006.; The group comprises Anti-Social Behaviour Unit staff, Neighbourhood Police and residents' representatives, joining forces to tackle the problem. With families too afraid to use local shops, challenge those damaging their property or venture out at night through fear of retaliation, it was clearly going to be a tough problem to solve.; The PSG instigated a combination of physical security measures, outreach youth workers and Dispersal Orders issued via high visibility policing with fixed penalty notices for disorder. This tactical and holistic approach started to deliver results and reassure residents who began to come forward with reliable information that successfully identified 12 core problem youths aged 11-15. These youths were called to the CJC with their parents and signed up to Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).; A mix of inter-agency communication and co-operation ensured these contracts were adhered to and in January 2007 police reported a 70 per cent reduction is Anti-Social Behaviour calls in the area, with residents reporting they felt "safer in their homes."; Spark 2 Life Programme, Wandsworth Police, London; Spark 2 Life has been highly successful in assisting the police tackle the issue of youth crime in Wandsworth area of London. Led by Dez Brown, himself a reformed offender and now youth pastor, who is supported by Lorraine King, a specialist teacher from Wandsworth Council, the project goes into schools and community centres, targeting children with bad behaviour and high levels of absenteeism.; Through the programme Dez recounts his own experiences of crime, challenging how teenagers within the Borough perceive knife, gun and drug culture.; The result of the scheme has been an immediate and unprecedented fall in youth Crime and a greater confidence in the Criminal Justice System as a whole. It has personally altered the lives of many people, and in the case of one school, helped lift it out of Special Measures.
Outstanding contribution to working with offenders: Suffolk County ISSP Team Allotment Project, Youth Offending Service; Growing fruit and flowers may not be the most obvious way to reduce crime but this Project proves that in some cases it really can work.; The project works with persistent and serious offenders subject to intensive supervision orders. These are offenders who often have no familiy support, or have been subjected to abuse or neglect, and are therefore particularly hard to engage. The programme gives them a chance to develop practical skills and see genuine results.; Flowers are given to local elderly residents and a unit for people with learning disabilities receives the vegetables they grow. Offenders also learn skills like paving and turf-laying and help with local conservation projects.; These are especially hard to reach offenders, and yet this project has seen two thirds of those who attend offending less, and nearly a third not re-offending at all.; The Warbarth Project, National Probation Service, Devon and Cornwall; The Warbarth project works on the simple premise that being employed reduces re-offending. Its aim is to help offenders to sell themselves to potential employers, and hopefully start new careers away from crime.; Providing bespoke advice to offenders and ex-offenders on seeking work, Warbarth has doubled its own target by giving advice to over 400 A quarter of these have found jobs and six even started their own businesses.; Warbarth's four advisors operate from various locations around Devon and Cornwall, including libraries, community centres, cafes and sports centres. They also visit local prisons to talk to offenders who are close to release.; The Project is a key element in the local multi-agency strategy to turn prolific offenders back on the straight and narrow.
Outstanding contribution to engaging communities: Breckfield and North Everton Neighbourhood Council (BNENC), Voluntary Organisation, Merseyside; This community based voluntary organisation provides practical help, advice, support and training to residents in the fifth most deprived ward in the UK.; More than 750 residents have been given help on issues ranging from crime prevention to child protection or drug awareness training. A one-to-one service is available for local youngsters at risk of getting involved in low-level crime.; The council draws on a range of expertise, including an arson reduction officer and a witness intimidation co-ordinator, and Its facilities include a private memorial garden, where people can go to remember loved ones if they feel unsafe on their own at the local cemetery.; Services provided by the council were used by over 15,000 local residents in the last year alone, reflecting the value of its work to the local community.; Thanet Community Payback Team, National Probation Service, Kent; St Peter's Village in northeast Kent is becoming famous for its village tour which shows off the village's heritage and history of fighting for Britain. Less well known is that much of the work behind the tour is down to offenders working with the team at Kent's Probation Service.; Offenders have put in over 2,000 hours on projects like clearing St Peter's churchyard, resulting in the lowest ever levels of vandalism around the church, and surprisingly leading to the discovery of 37 First World War graves and monuments that were hidden for a generation. Offenders have developed civic pride while helping the community to see justice working, and the free tour run by villagers has been commended by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Outstanding commitment to diversity: The Pennine Division Hate Crime and Diversity Unit, Lancashire Police; The Pennine Division Hate Crime and Diversity Unit are responsible for investigating and providing much needed support for victims of race hate crime.; The unit's work has included a series of school workshops and anonymous discussion boards that engage with young people and help to tackle a wide range of issues including bullying, drugs and gang membership.; They have also created a "Who R Ya" phone line located in the terraces of the local football club, Burnley FC, which can be used to report racist abuse directly to the police.; The dedication of the unit's staff has led to extremely successful investigations of race hate incidents, and has resulted in the Pennine Division being credited with the highest detection rate for UK race hate crime in 2006.; West Yorkshire Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel, Crown Prosecution Service; West Yorkshire's Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel is the first of its kind run by the Crown Prosecution Service, and was set up to scrutinise cases with a racial, religious, homophobic or transphobic element.; Cases are selected at random and scrutinised for strengths, weaknesses and any trends in decision making or case management. Learning points are then fed back to the Crown Prosecution Service, the police and Victim Support. Staff are then charged to ensure that lessons are learned and procedures altered, always with the views of the community in mind.; This process provides a valuable tool in increasing confidence and accountability in the way cases are handled. The success of the panel can be seen in a marked increase in the prosecution of race hate crimes in the area, and a decrease in the attrition rate.
Partnership of the year: Best example of joint work across the CJS: Domestic Violence Measures, Her Majesty's Courts Service and partner agencies, West Yorkshire; Domestic violence victims in West Yorkshire have been getting extra protection from the courts since January 2007 thanks to a new approach to offenders, led by Her Majesty's Courts Service with the participation of various criminal justice agencies.; Offenders are now subject to an exclusion requirement which identifies specific "no-go" areas for them as part of a community order. This is backed up by police training on how to apply the power effectively and the exclusion being fast-tracked on the police computer system to officers on the ground. Other agencies also contribute, including Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors specifically requesting the court to consider exclusions, and Probation Officers gathering views and details for exclusions as part of pre-sentence report visits to DV victims.; This innovative requirement requires all agencies to go "the extra mile" in ensuring the exclusion is specific and proportionate as well as effective and enforceable. It has been a tremendous success due to close and co-operative inter-agency working.; The Cold Case Rape Investigation Team, Police, Crown Prosecution Service and Forensic Science Service, London; Since 2003, the Metropolitan Police, Crown Prosecution Service and Forensic Science Service have worked together on pioneering techniques to investigate unsolved "cold case" rapes.; New investigation strategies and expert fingerprint analysis, together with DNA advances, specialist lawyers and changes in criminal law have all contributed to achieving this task.; Combining science-led process with a strong ethos of victim, the cold case teams have revisited cases dating back to 1987 and, since September 2003 30 men have been convicted of 62 offences in London as a result of this work. The conviction rate for the team is 82 per cent.