NEW WAY OF WORKING TO CUT CRIME -

Leicester was host to national conference to showcase local partnership work.

FACT - More than half of crime is committed by people who have already been through the Criminal Justice System.

FACT - In Leicester City the estimated cost of re-offending for last year was £74 million; this equates to the annual running costs of 86 primary schools and 20 secondary schools.

The National Alliances Conference launched the findings of a year-long project, which reveals how partnership working can help to reduce crime.

David Hanson, Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, said: "Reducing re-offending cannot be tackled by the Criminal Justice System alone. It is important that we build on existing relationships, develop new regional partnerships, and further build effective alliances drawing on local knowledge and expertise from the Corporate, Civic and Faith and Voluntary Sectors."

The conference was attended by criminal justice agencies, employers, local authorities, local communities, faith groups and voluntary and community sector organisations from across England and Wales.

Cllr.Culdipp Bhatti, Cabinet Lead for Community Safety at Leicester City Council said: " We have recognised the huge cost of re-offending to Leicester, and are determined to work with national agencies and other local authorities to reduce the numbers of re-offenders in the city."

The year-long Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Demonstration Project involved representatives from Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, Melton Borough Council, Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, Rutland County Council, the National Offender Management Service, Probation and the Prison Service, working together in partnership to improve equality of access for offenders to mainstream local services such as accommodation and employment.