Jersey's most prolific offenders will be getting an unexpected Christmas message this year “ from States of Jersey Police.
Specially designed Christmas cards with the greeting ˜Thinking of you during the festive season and throughout 2012¦ From all your friends at SOJP' will be hand-delivered to 30 of the Island's most persistent criminals in an initiative aimed at cutting down crime.
Police officers, who make regular visits to prolific offenders to check on their whereabouts and curfew compliance, will be delivering the Christmas cards to the individual's home, with the added advice: 'Our new year's resolution is to target persistent criminals, so make sure not to be one of them!'
Recorded crime is at its lowest level for 10 years in Jersey, with 530 fewer crimes recorded from Jan-Nov 2011 than the same period last year, a drop of 12% year on year, and the force is determined to continue the trend in reducing crime further.
Prolific offenders are responsible for a disproportionate amount of recorded crime on the Island, with 233 of the 1883 people arrested so far this year having been arrested for a second time, and 48 of them arrested 5 times or more. 2 of the offenders have each been arrested 14 times.
Detective Inspector Dave Burmingham said: "We are always looking for innovative ways to get the message across and the Christmas cards are an extension of our ongoing intelligence-led efforts to target prolific offenders. But the issues are very serious. A relatively small number of individuals are responsible for committing a large amount of crime impacting on many people, and these individuals need to be reminded that we are onto them, and if they choose to continue their criminal activity they will be caught.
"We will be watching them and if they commit crime over Christmas, they will be facing a very bleak seasonal holiday, locked up and with little festive cheer to celebrate.
Jan-Nov 2010: 4262
Jan-Nov 2011: 3732
