Immediate Justice

In March 2023, the Home Office announced that Northamptonshire OPFCC was one of just a few areas in England and Wales that would receive funding to trial a new ‘Immediate Justice’ scheme to deliver swift and visible punishments to those who commit anti-social behaviour.

It means those found committing anti-social behaviour can be made to repair the damage they have inflicted on victims and communities by picking up litter, removing graffiti or carrying out other work to make environmental improvements in areas where they offended.

The scheme has an ambition for offenders to start work within 48 hours of a police decision, demonstrating that anti-social behaviour is treated seriously.

As of May 2024, more than 164 hours of restorative work has taken place in the community, with 42 offenders having taken part in Immediate Justice since its launch.

The pilot was visited by Home Office officials in March, who went to see the scheme delivered first hand in Corby by Immediate Justice Supervisors who sit within the Commissioner’s office.

They saw a 23-year-old man, who had been found in the possession of cannabis, carry out four hours of litter picking in Corby.

Antisocial behaviour is defined as ‘behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person’ (Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014).

There are three main categories for antisocial behaviour, depending on how many people are affected:

  • Personal antisocial behaviour is when a person targets a specific individual or group.
  • Nuisance antisocial behaviour is when a person causes trouble, annoyance or suffering to a community.
  • Environmental antisocial behaviour is when a person’s actions affect the wider environment, such as public spaces or buildings.

Examples can include rowdy or inconsiderate behaviour, vehicle nuisance, littering or drug paraphernalia, trespassing, street drinking, activity relating to sex workers, or nuisance noise.

Immediate Justice gives victims and communities a say in how perpetrators of anti-social behaviour can repair the harm and damage that they’ve caused.

We are keen to find out which reparation activities the people of Northamptonshire want to see in the Immediate Justice scheme, and if there are any areas you feel anti-social behaviour is a persistent problem and could benefit from these reparation activities taking place in.

To get in touch with us please email immediatejusticeteam@northants.police.uk and answer the below questions:

  • What is the issue and where?
  • What kinds of reparative activities would you like Northamptonshire Police to consider implementing? For example, litter picking, rubbish clearance or maintenance of community areas

Thank you in advance for taking the time to contact us with your views, and any issues or reparation ideas we receive will be fully considered by the Immediate Justice team.

Please do not use this email to report a crime or concern. You can report crimes and concerns online or via 101. In an emergency dial 999.