More than a million pounds’ worth of goods were saved from being stolen from shops across Nottinghamshire, thanks to a successful joint scheme developed to reduce violent crime and make communities and businesses safer.
The multi-agency Open 2 Recovery programme aims to reduce reoffending by targeting and rehabilitating individuals responsible for the biggest impact on retail crime, particularly those whose repeat offending is driven by substance use and the need to fund their habits.
The scheme uses problem-solving methodology to reduce reoffending by tackling the underlying root causes of why offenders commit crimes.
It involves police working closely with partner agencies to offer targeted wraparound support to individuals with complex needs, including access to mental health services, learning opportunities, and other key support services. This helps them turn their lives around and maintain long-term recovery.
A number of those who have successfully completed the 12-week rehabilitation programme have not reoffended and have since given back to the business community by providing crime prevention advice to retailers based on their own lived experiences.
To date, 11 individuals have engaged with the Open 2 Recovery scheme, which has been piloted in the city.
By speaking to those who have gone through the programme and establishing how much they spent on their drug habits prior to engaging with the scheme, it has been estimated that during their rehabilitation period, a predicted £1,156,598 worth of property was not stolen from businesses.
A predicted £385,499 less was spent on illicit drugs during the same rehabilitation period – hitting local drug leaders and organised criminals in the pocket.
These figures do not include the time and costs saved for the police, health services, courts, and prisons.
Police Constable Jo Baxter, of Nottinghamshire Police, started and has since grown the project, which was developed to reduce crime and make communities and businesses safer in Nottinghamshire.
She said:
“Open 2 Recovery started as a small pilot project in Nottingham and has been a huge success.
“We are now passionate about making it more accessible to others stuck in addiction by extending it across Nottinghamshire, alongside our key partners involved in delivering the project.
“A number of the individuals we’ve worked with, who have completed the programme, are now giving back to the business community by providing insightful crime prevention and violence reduction advice based on their own lived experiences.
“They are also supporting the project by providing peer mentor support to other hard-to-reach individuals considering or undertaking the scheme.
“We know, on average, a person has to steal three times the value of what they would spend on drugs, causing significant issues for retailers.
“By speaking to those who have been through our scheme and asking them how much they spent on their habits before entering the programme, we arrived at our jaw-dropping savings figures.”
She added:
“This scheme offers so much more than just rehabilitation.
“We give hope back to the individuals we work with – hope that they can break the cycle of offending, change their lives for the better, and continue their recovery as valued members of the community.
“Addiction can have a massive impact on communities, people’s lives, and family relationships.
“However, after engaging with the Open 2 Recovery scheme, a number of the individuals we have worked with have managed to rebuild broken relationships within their families and communities.
“Relatives have also been able to see the positive difference we have helped make to their loved ones’ lives, which has, in turn, improved relationships between the police and those families, helping to build trust and confidence. They no longer feel ashamed but are proud and positive about what the future holds.”
The successful Open 2 Recovery programme is part-funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Nottinghamshire.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said:
“It is great to see yet another example of partnership working playing a huge part in problem-solving policing here in Nottinghamshire.
“By delving into the root causes behind the issues people are facing, we are establishing why they find themselves committing these types of crimes.
“Our innovative approach is not only helping to put people back on the right path but also making the retail industry a safer place for all.”
