The ARCS funding has been allocated to 43 projects and will be delivered over three years. The investment will aim to make a difference in communities through both tackling crime itself and alleviating the fear of crime. 

Mrs Long has said: “This scheme is an excellent example of how investment in our communities makes positive change for those living in them. The projects supported in this round of funding, including those focused on reducing anti-social behaviour in young people and tackling domestic abuse and hate crime, among others, will benefit victims of crime, communities, and the environment through a wide range of programmes.

“Criminals are interested in one thing, and that is lining their own pockets, making asset recovery an integral part of how we respond to organised crime. Asset recovery funding helps the community make a direct link between operational action and the resulting benefits for those who suffer the most from the effects of organised crime. I commend the partners on the Organised Crime Task Force for their continued efforts in prioritising asset recovery, by bringing forward confiscation cases to deprive criminals of their ill-gotten gains.

“We hope the scheme only further reinforces the Department’s commitment to working in partnership with others to create a fair, just and safe community, where we respect the law and each other.”