Dated: 7 December 2020
POLICY TITLE: Community Resolution
OWNING DIRECTORATE: Criminal Justice
CONTACT DETAILS: Head of Prosecution Support, tel: 101
EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT: Complete
AUTHORISED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE (APP) NATIONAL GUIDANCE: AVAILABLE
AIM OF POLICY: To ensure that Northumbria Police complies with guidelines in the implementation of community resolution to offenders of low level criminal actions, meaning that a person may avoid the consequences of formal criminal justice sanctions.
BENEFIT OF POLICY: Enables staff to understand and apply their obligations when determining the appropriate response to low level criminal actions.
REASON FOR POLICY: To ensure staff understand their obligations and to comply with national guidelines.
Northumbria Police will deal with low level crime via Community Resolution where the relevant criteria apply.
Northumbria Police acknowledges that there can be significant consequences for persons subject to formal criminal justice sanctions (such as cautions). Community Resolution is a proportionate response to low level criminal actions. It is victim led, although not victim driven, and allows officers to apply their professional judgement in deciding upon an appropriate resolution which may involve the offender carrying out some form of reparation.
A proportionate disclosure period will apply in respect of offences subject to Community Resolution. Details of offenders dealt with by Community Resolution will be recorded on the Information System (IS) and the record will be retained for three years, subject to the offender being offence free for this period. In the event of the offender committing a further offence, they will have to be crime free for a rolling three year period before a record of a Community Resolution is removed from the IS.
SOURCE DOCUMENT: N/A
GROUPS AFFECTED: All officers and staff
ACCESS AND DISCLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: None
