Northants begins kerb crawlers course

Northamptonshire Police have introduced the Change course for people caught kerb crawling. Men who have been arrested for this offence in Northampton will be taking part in a the ground-breaking course for the first time this week, aimed to stop them reoffending and dissuade them from visiting prostitutes.

Instead of going to court and facing the shame of a public prosecution, 11 first time offenders are being given the chance to take part in a workshop to open their eyes to the realities of prostitution and the nuisance caused by kerb crawlers. The group of men, who have admitted kerb crawling, will pay £200 each to attend the Change workshop rather than appear in court. To be offered the chance to take part, the men must have had no previous convictions for domestic abuse or sexual offences and they must have admitted the offence.

After the course, each man is given a formal police caution and asked to sign an acceptable behaviour agreement promising that they will not kerb crawl or use prostitutes.

A number of other police forces already use the course for kerb crawlers and anecdotal evidence suggests that very few of the men who take part reoffend.

Police Sergeant Paul Valentine, of the Castle Ward Safer Community Team, has been instrumental in bringing the course to Northamptonshire. He said that he hoped the course would have an impact in Northampton.

“For the men who take part in the course, they have the benefit of not being publicly named and shamed in court but for us and for local residents, I see the benefit of this course as reducing the number of kerb crawlers.

“We do see men being convicted more than once for kerb crawling, so clearly a conviction alone does not necessarily change a man’s behaviour and put an end to the problems he is causing – that is just what this course aims to do.”