Out of court disposals: offenders will be made to take responsibility for their actions

National Policing Lead on Out of Court Disposals, Chief Constable Lynne Owens said:

“We recognise that the current out of court disposals framework has developed organically over a number of years and is complex as a result. Any reform must aim to simplify it in order to assist public understanding and reduce bureaucracy. The pilots seek to test a new approach which gives officers and staff the discretion to deal with cases appropriately. It will engage the victim in the process and require offenders to take responsibility for their actions.

“We will be working closely with the Ministry of Justice and other stakeholders over the next 12 months to fully understand the impact of these changes and build an appropriate evidence base. We will then, depending on the outcome, look to make a sensible recommendation regarding wider roll out.

“I am grateful to my colleagues in West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Leicestershire for agreeing to take part in this pilot. It has been a significant commitment in terms of training their workforce in the new approach and amending their existing processes to accommodate it. I look forward to working with them to get a clear understanding of whether this approach really delivers for the public they serve.”