Police initiative sees arrests of repeat offenders drop

Arrests for more than 150 repeat offenders in Berkshire have dropped by nearly 40 per cent after they became involved in a police initiative.

The Integrated Offender Management (IOM) programme is used by Thames Valley Police and Thames Valley Probation Trust and their partners tackle persistent offenders who keep committing crime and cause the most harm to the community.

The programme involves supporting the probation service and other agencies in securing housing, employment or help with drug and alcohol addiction to help stop repeat offending.

Between January 1 and June 30 of this year, arrests for the 312 people being managed in the IOM programme dropped by 41 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year, with the cost of crimes committed dropping by £362,996.

Of these, 163 were from Berkshire, with arrests falling by 38 per cent and £191,231 saved on the cost of crimes.

All offenders in the programme are closely monitored and, if they do not take the support offered and begin to reoffend, they will be arrested and put back into custody.