Introduction
Reducing reoffending means supporting people who have already committed crimes to avoid offending again.
The 2020 Neighbourhood Crime IOM Strategy shows that people who have offended before commit around 80% of crime. Tackling reoffending is therefore essential to building safer communities and improving lives.
Safer Somerset Partnership and the Reducing Reoffending Board
Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) are statutory, multi‑agency groups. They bring together organisations such as the police, local authorities, health services, probation, and fire services. CSPs work together to address crime, anti‑social behaviour, substance misuse, and reoffending at a local level.
In Somerset, this statutory partnership is known as the Safer Somerset Partnership.
Since 2010, CSP have had a legal duty to develop and deliver strategies to reduce reoffending. Amendments to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, introduced by the Policing and Crime Act 2009, created this duty.
In 2017, the Safer Somerset Partnership joined the Avon and Somerset Reducing Reoffending Board. This regional approach recognises that crime does not stop at council boundaries, and prevention efforts should not either.
Reducing Reoffending Strategy 2025–2028
The Avon and Somerset Reducing Reoffending Strategy explains how partners across the area will work together to reduce reoffending among adults and young people. It brings together statutory partners, community safety partnerships, and the voluntary sector to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
Key Focus Areas:
- Resettlement support – helping people rebuild their lives after custody, with a focus on housing, health, and financial stability
- Integrated Offender Management (IOM) – a coordinated approach to managing people who offend repeatedly
- Restorative approaches for children – supporting young people to take responsibility and make positive changes
- Trauma‑informed practice – recognising how past experiences affect behaviour and tailoring support to meet individual needs
This strategy aligns with the Police and Crime Plan and local Youth Justice Plans to ensure consistency across the region.
Integrated Offender Management
Integrated Offender Management (IOM) is a national approach that supports people who repeatedly commit crimes. Police and probation services lead this work, with support from councils, recovery workers, and other partners.
IOM recognises that a small number of people are responsible for a large share of crime. These individuals often face several connected challenges that are hard to address. Reoffending rarely has a single cause and usually results from overlapping problems that reinforce each other.
Common factors include:
- Unstable housing – without a safe and secure home, people may struggle to keep routines or access support
- Substance misuse – drug and alcohol dependency can increase offending and make recovery harder
- Unemployment – limited access to work or training can cause financial instability and reduce future opportunities
- Family pressures – caring responsibilities or relationship breakdowns can create emotional and practical strain
- Mental and physical health issues – poor health can affect decision‑making, resilience, and access to services
These issues do not exist in isolation. They often interact in ways that make them harder to address. This is why IOM takes a joined‑up approach, focusing on the full picture and coordinating support across services.
In Somerset, the Integrated Offender Management Services page provides a directory of local support services that complement the IOM approach.
Somerset Youth Justice Partnership
The Somerset Youth Justice Partnership co-ordinates services to prevent offending and reoffending among children and young people.
It is led by the Youth Justice Partnership Board and includes:
- Somerset Council (Children’s Services & Public Health)
- Somerset Integrated Care Board
- Avon & Somerset Police
- Probation Service
The partnership works to ensure that all partner agencies contribute effectively to the main aim of the Youth Justice System. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 – the prevention of offending by children and young people.