The Timaru District Council, in partnership with the Crime Prevention Unit of the Ministry of Justice, has sponsored the Timaru District Safer Community Council for over ten years.

On the 1st of July 2004 the Council took over the functions of the Safer Community Council and the funding from the Crime Prevention Unit is now paid directly to the Council once the annual Crime prevention plan for the area has been agreed.

The Council has delegated authority to a Safer Communities Committee made up of representatives from Government and social agencies. This committee reports back through the Community Development Committee.

There are three distinct parts to the work of the Safer Communities Committee:

Safer Communities

This involves an annual plan of crime prevention initiatives that is set with consultation with the Crime Prevention Unit.

It is based on the crime reduction strategies that mirror those of the Police and other Government agencies.

In Timaru the focus has been on reducing alcohol related offending, violence, family violence and youth offending; the co-ordination of local agencies and initiatives to benefit individuals and at risk families.

Youth workers

Jointly funded by Work and Income, the role of the Youth Workers is to reduce youth crime and unemployment by mentoring young people into training or employment opportunities.

They also advocate for young people at decision making level and facilitate youth events in the Timaru District.

Project Turnaround

Restorative justice is a community-based process that aims to give victims of crime and offenders an opportunity to meet and discuss the offending in a safe environment.

The process aims to meet the needs of victims by giving them an opportunity to tell offenders how they have been affected and by having a say in how the harm may be repaired.

Offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions by taking positive steps that will prevent re-offending and will help put matters right. The community takes an active role in the process, as do the police.

Project Turnaround has been running a community diversion programme in Timaru since 1996, and added a court-referred restorative justice arm for more serious offending in 2004.