About Us - Background The Hampton Trust (Hampshire & the Isle of Wight) was set up in April 1996 after a review of the work of HACRO (Hampshire Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders) and HCT (Hampshire Care Trust). Both these organisations had worked for many years in Hampshire with offenders and their families. The review highlighted large areas of unmet need for young people at risk and research identified the need for an organisation, rooted in the criminal justice system, to develop and manage projects to support young people at risk of offending and those who have offended. In order to focus on these needs and develop services to meet them, discussions took place with the Police, Social Services and the Probation Service.

It was agreed that an independent organisation with multi-agency support was needed to develop partnerships aimed at initiating and managing innovative projects, some of which would address the young people's basic needs, such as accommodation, employment and leisure. Other projects would directly address offending behaviour, and the Trust was born.

The Trust is named after Eugenie Hampton (pictured above) whose work encompassed both offenders and victims in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. She was a local Magistrate and Chair of the Alton Bench, Chair of Hampshire Probation Committee, a member of the Parole Board, Chair of North Hampshire NSPCC and was instrumental in setting up the Hampshire Federation of Victim Support schemes.

The Trust works to restorative principles, which focus on repairing the harm caused by crime. Whenever possible the Trust involve victims so that their views can be heard. The Trust also strives to involve the families and communities of the people concerned. The Trust also acts as a facilitator and enabler of multi agency responses to anti-social behaviour and crime, particularly working with young people at risk and their families.

As the years have gone by, projects have expanded to include those who emerge as victims through the civil justice system.
 

Changes in the Criminal Justice system and the introduction of NOMS (National Offender Management Service with an 'offender management' model way of working that ensures offenders are consistently, constructively and coherently managed during their entire sentence and partnering all sectors of the community, together with the new sentences established within the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

Context

* Although considerable public alarm exists about young people who offend, many of them are victims of crime themselves, exposed to violence, income deprivation, homelessness, substance misuse and prostitution.

* Young people at risk of offending and young offenders experience exclusion from education, jobs, welfare benefits and housing. Many offenders have also suffered a breakdown in their key relationships and support systems.

* Ensuring a holistic approach to solutions helps prevent people from failing.

Values / Principles

* The Trust believes that each person matters and is capable of development.

* The needs of service users are the first priority and the expertise of service users will be used to help plan and evaluate services.

* The Trust's services aim to be high quality, cost effective and accountable to users and other stakeholders.

* The Trust works collaboratively with other statutory and voluntary organisations and agencies to develop services to meet gaps in provision.