Offenders to see effects of crime

Mar 20 2008 by Samantha Mendez, Rhymney Valley Express

CRIMINALS who show no remorse for the heinous crimes they committed are to take part in a project aimed at getting them thinking about their actions.

The new initiative aimed at young people with a past of violent crimes is set to be launched by the Youth Offending Service (YOS), as a result of more than £3,000 funding from the Safer Caerphilly partnership.

The My Story, Your Story project will run for four days at the Oasis Centre, Blackwood, with the primary aim of exploring the impact violent crime has on the perpetrators and victims.

Participants for the “wake-up call” event will be determined by referrals from the Youth Offending officers, and will pay particular attention to young people with offences or behaviours relating to violence, and who show little or no remorse to the victim of their crimes.

Activities set to take place during the four-day event include elements of role-play and rapping, and participants will also be encouraged to undertake an oral history – telling their story in third person.

The idea is to give the young offenders the opportunity to voice details of their crimes and show some remorse.

To cover both sides of the story, participants will also listen to emotive personal diaries from victims of violent crimes, with the hope these hard-hitting messages will prevent the youngsters from reoffending.

YOS operational manager Michaela Rogers said: “The aim of this initiative is to allow the young people to gain a real insight into the impact of violent crime on the victim and to explore a wide range of issues associated with violent crime.”

All the material from the project will be collated into a book, which will be distributed to libraries throughout the county, as well as other appropriate outlets.