An Award-winning scheme successful in preventing re-offending has just been given funding to continue for four more years.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Cleveland has contracted with Cleveland Divert to continue its work until March 2029.
Probation Service North-East runs the ground-breaking, deferred prosecution scheme in partnership with Cleveland OPCC and Cleveland Police.
Divert steers people away from the criminal justice system and towards support services.
Proven track record
The programme has a proven track record of addressing areas of need at the root of offending behaviour. Those issues include mental health and substance misuse.
Cleveland Divert is a key way, in which services can lower Cleveland’s re-offending rate. It also helps to empower people to live healthier, independent lives.
Chad’s story
One of those participants was Chad* who came into contact with Divert after stealing an X Box from a drugs’ rehabilitation centre.
Chad had only agreed to go into residential rehab to put a roof over his head at a time when he was “sofa surfing” and faced benefits’ sanctions.
He now rates support from his Divert Officer at “11 out of 10.” His support officer helped him to access advice on benefits, accommodation and different types of drug treatment, which may more readily be able to meet his needs.
Help followed a full needs’ assessment by Divert officers, which led to a bespoke support plan.
The plan included advice, support and training to address the factors, which were most likely to lead Chad to re-offend.
Some of those interventions – including training focussing on changing thinking, behaviour and attitudes – are delivered by probation.
His Divert officer also encouraged Chad to face up to his crime by going through the restorative justice process and write to the victim, whose X Box he had stolen.
Chad said: “Now I feel like I have someone there supporting me. My Divert Support Officer really gave me my confidence back.
“She made me feel like I was capable of doing more and getting myself back on track.
“She never judged me for what I’d done and even though she was there because I’d committed an offence, it never felt like that.”
A high quality service
A new PCC film shows how Divert works by helping offenders address the underlying causes of their offending.
If offenders do not complete Divert, they risk being charged and taken to court for the offence, which brought them into contact with the police and probation service in the first place.
A recent review by OPCC staff concluded that Probation Service North East was delivering a “high quality service.”
Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Storey said: “This project helps to deliver one of my key Police and Crime Plan objectives of tackling offending and re-offending.
“By addressing the root causes of offending, Divert helps to eliminate the reasons to offend and helps individuals to lead a safer and more productive life within the community.”
Adam Todd, Cleveland Police Sergeant for Youth Offending Teams (YOT,) Divert and Out of Court Disposals (OOCD,) said: “I am proud to manage Divert for Cleveland Police and have seen first hand the impact Divert can have on people’s lives – both victims and suspects.
“Most people don’t want to grow up to commit crime, it’s part of our job to understand why they have and put what’s needed in place to prevent it from happening again.
“For those who do re-offend, Divert is a one chance scheme. It will not be offered to them again if they re-offend.”
Kevin Parry, Project Implementation Manager Probation Service – North East Region, said: “Probation Service North East is pleased to continue contributing to the extremely successful Cleveland Divert Scheme by providing colleagues to work in close partnership with Cleveland Police.”
Participants completing Divert have a re-offending rate of 3.7%. That compares to a re-offending rate of 35.4% for Cleveland as a whole. The re-offending rate for England and Wales is 26%
Cleveland OPCC has funded Divert since it began in December 2018. Since then, Divert has drawn national attention and won a number of awards.
In 2021, Divert Cleveland won the Policing and Adults category of the Howard League for Penal Reform’s Community Awards.
In September 2024, Divert won the Learning and Development Programme category at the Inspire Justice Awards. The awards were organised by sector skills council Skills for Justice.