People in Dingwall and the surrounding area are being invited to discover more about the work taking place behind the scenes to support rehabilitation, deliver community sentences and help make local communities safer.
Highland Council’s Justice Social Work team will hold a public open day at Ross House in Dingwall on Thursday 12 November, offering four free sessions throughout the day.
The event aims to give residents a clearer understanding of how justice social work operates, the support available to people involved in the justice system and the role these services play within communities across Ross-shire.
While much of the public discussion around crime focuses on courts, sentencing and imprisonment, justice social work also has an important role in supervising community sentences, supporting rehabilitation and helping people address the circumstances which can contribute to offending.
The open day will provide an opportunity to learn about that work directly from the professionals involved.
Visitors will be able to explore what happens when someone enters the justice system, how community sentences operate in Scotland and what those arrangements mean in practice for people living in Ross-shire.
There will also be information about unpaid work, which forms part of certain community sentences and provides opportunities for people to make a contribution through work carried out for the benefit of others.
Members of the Justice Social Work programmes team will explain their involvement, while staff will provide an overview of the responsibilities of social workers working within the criminal justice system.
The sessions are intended to help people better understand services which are not always visible to the wider public, despite their contribution to community safety and rehabilitation.
They will also highlight the support available locally and explain how different parts of the justice service work towards positive outcomes for individuals and communities.
The event will take place on the first floor of Ross House, Wardens Lane, Dingwall, IV15 9AW.
Four sessions are scheduled throughout Thursday 12 November, giving people a choice of morning and afternoon opportunities to attend.
The morning sessions will run from 9.30am to 10.30am and from 11am to noon.
Two further sessions will take place from 2.30pm to 3.30pm and from 4pm to 5pm.
There is no charge to attend, and the invitation is open to members of the public interested in learning more about the service.
For anyone who has wondered what community justice involves beyond the courtroom, the open day offers an opportunity to see how the system works locally and meet some of the people responsible for delivering it.
It is also a chance to better understand an area of public service which deals with difficult circumstances while working towards safer communities and opportunities for change.
As spaces are limited on the open sessions participants are encouraged to book in advance either by email: cjs.Dingwall@highland.gov.uk or by phone: 01349 781781 and to let the organisers know if you cannot attend so the space can be offered to another.
