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Public to Benefit From Seized Criminal Property
Added 07/09/2009
The Home Office has revealed that a new pilot scheme was launched in June this year to give members of the public a direct say on how seized criminal property seized can be used to benefit their communities.
The £4m Community Cash-back scheme will be funded by money and assets seized. The public will be able to choose which community projects are funded by feeding in their views to a new dedicated website, neighborhood policing meetings or through Citizens Panels.
Until now money recovered from criminals has been split between frontline services, such as the police and Government departments involved with the criminal justice system. This is the first time a portion of that money is being paid back into communities.
Home Office figures show the value of assets recovered from criminals this year has risen to an all time high of £148m for 08/09. This is up from last year’s £136m.
The figures also show that a total £23.6m recovered between January and April 2009 will be paid back to frontline services, with a total £7m to be shared between all police forces in England and Wales.
A decision on how best to take the pilot scheme forward s likely to be made in the spring.