Recovered Criminal Assets To Benefit Voluntary And Community Projects

Some £700,000 is being made available to voluntary and community sector organisations from funds recovered in criminal assets seizures, the Department of Justice has announced.

Inviting applications for funding, the Department said the the funding would help in crime prevention or help reduce the fear of crime in the community.

The 2018/2019 Assets Recovery Community Scheme (ARCS), which opens today, Monday 06 August, will result in the total amount of criminal assets distributed to the community reaching a total of £5million since the scheme began in 2012.

Department of Justice Permanent Secretary Nick Perry CB said: "The department strives to help create a community where everyone respects the law and each other. I encourage eligible groups to consider how, working together, we can make best use of this year's funding.

"The support available in the Assets Recovery Community Scheme is the result of successful prosecution and convictions of criminals. Those who disregard the law, cheat and rob victims have no place in our society."

Law enforcement agencies are continually improving their efforts to identify and confiscate profits and assets gained through illegal activity such as drug dealing, benefit and tax fraud, and money laundering; these are criminal profits that might contribute to further harm in communities if no action was taken.

The scheme allows monies received from the payment of confiscation orders to be invested into projects tackling crime in communities across Northern Ireland. Organisations applying for funding must clearly demonstrate how they will directly benefit victims, communities or the environment.

Applications are invited from innovative and transformational justice initiatives. Funding will be available for short-term projects and also for longer, strategic interventions up to a maximum of three years. Applications are particularly invited for projects from voluntary and community organisations. Futher information on the scheme is available here. The closing date for applications is 3 September 2018.

(MH)