Each year Nepacs hosts an annual awards event at which a number of awards are presented to prison staff, probation/CRC staff and voluntary sector organisations to highlight the work of exceptional individuals or innovative good practice in promoting resettlement.

The aim is to maintain a focus on rehabilitation within the criminal justice system and to ensure that good practice and ideas are broadcast as widely as possible so that they can be replicated elsewhere.

An offender is 39% less likely to re-offend following release if they have maintained family ties during their sentence.

Ministry of Justice, 2008

Find out about past winners here.

Nepacs Awards 2017 - Now open for nominations!

Professionals working with prisoners, ex-prisoners or those sentenced to community punishments in the North East are being given the chance to get recognition for their efforts to reduce re-offending by entering the 2017 Nepacs’ Awards.

2017 will be the thirteenth year of the Nepacs’ Awards and will once again recognise the innovative work taking place across the North East to help offenders to resettle in the community and rebuild their lives.

The Bishop of Durham and Patron of Nepacs, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, will present this year’s awards and certificates at an event taking place in September at Lumley Castle in Chester-le-Street.  

The awards celebrate projects that support prisoners planning for their release, and afterwards, working with agencies to help promote purposeful and communal activity and build self-belief, helping them re-establish themselves outside, securing accommodation, work and positive family relationships. It is usually when this resettlement fails that ex-offenders turn back to crime and inflict more damage on the community.

Who can nominate? The awards are open to individuals or teams who work in probation/CRCs, prisons and youth offender institutions, the voluntary sector or other agencies working within criminal justice across the North East. Nominations will be accepted from anyone working within these organisations.

How can I make a nomination? Complete the nomination form available HERE and return to by the deadline. If you have any questions about your nomination please email us at awards@nepacs.co.uk  

A panel from the Nepacs Board of Trustees will determine the outstanding contribution award winners.  

Nominations should be made by Tuesday 20 June 2017 and forwarded to the Nepacs Awards Committee (email: awards@nepacs.co.uk) or posted to our Head Office, 20 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HW.