Launch of new residential criminal justice service by Kenny MacAskill, MSP

22 July 2009

 

A new residential service aimed at reducing crime and improving the lives of young men involved in the criminal justice system will be official opened by Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Community Justice at 11am on Thursday 23rd July 2009 at Turnaround, 219 Gleniffer Road, Paisley, PA2 8UL. 

Turnaround is a new and innovative criminal justice service based in Paisley which will offer intensive support to low tarriff/high volume offenders between the ages of 16-30 from the local community who are failing in other community based alternatives.

The project, which is the first of its kind in Scotland, is the result of a unique partnership between three national voluntary sector agencies which each offer service users their own experience, skills and expertise - Turning Point Scotland (TPS), APEX Scotland and the Venture Trust.

Martin Cawley, Chief Executive of Turning Point Scotland said: "We hope that the new Turnaround unit will provide a unique opportunity for individuals to access structured support to tackle their offending, substance misuse and associated behaviours, and ultimately have a positive impact on both the lives of the individual and those living in the local community.

"We believe that people can and do recover from the difficulties associated with offending. We take a person centred and needs led approach to help service users consider their offending, its causes, the impact on victims and communities and help them move forward with their lives."

The service aims to:

  • Reduce offending
  • Reduce alcohol and drug related harm
  • Increase access to community based services and;
  • Improve the safety and wellbeing of the community in the local area.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:

"Turnaround is the right name for a project that aims to turn around those with troubled lives.  The young men referred to Turnaround are often more sad than bad, but that doesn't mean they haven't been responsible for causing misery to their communities and they need to face the consequences.  Their lives have typically been a cycle of offending and jail, offending and jail.  Short-term prison sentences do little to address the underlying causes of offending - but projects like this one can solve the root problem. 

"Complex problems don't always require complex solutions - but they are more likely to be dealt with effectively if different agencies bring together and share their expertise.  That is why the young men who are referred to Turnaround will benefit from the support and advice that is best tailored for their needs.  And if we can successfully turn around some of these lives, we help not only the young men themselves but their families and their communities."  

Support will be offered to service users in a number of key areas including:

  • offender awareness/victim awareness
  •  substance misuse programmes
  •  confidence and esteem building
  •  employability and life skills.

The new ten bedded residential service complements four existing Turnaround Community bases in East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire.

Referrals to the unit will come from the Courts, Criminal Justice Social Work and the Scottish Prison Service and it will serve the North Strathclyde and South West Scotland Community Justice Authority areas.

Further information about the new unit can be obtained by contacting the unit on info@tpsturnaround.co.uk

Ends

Notes to Editors

  • Turning Point Scotland provides person centred support to adults with a range of complex needs across Scotland. In 2007/08, we provided support to over 11,000 service users throughout Scotland.
  • TPS provides services in the following areas: Criminal justice, mental health, learning disabilities, substance misuse, autism, homelessness and early onset dementia, acquired brain injury and Huntington's. For more information visit http://www.turningpointscotland.com/

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