NEARLY 200 offences are being brought to justice every day across Greater Manchester.

Figures released by the county's Local Criminal Justice Board (GMLCJB) show a 21.5 per cent increase in the number of offences identified and dealt with for the period up to December 2004.

This equates to 185 offences being brought to justice every day. Offences are brought to justice when one of the following occurs: conviction, caution, offences taken into consideration, penalty notices for disorder and street warnings for cannabis.

Other key improvements made by the GMLCJB include the reductions in the number of ineffective trials, an increase in public confidence and improvements in fine payment rates.

The GMLCJB is one of 42 boards across England and Wales and is made up of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Crown Prosecution

Service, the Courts, Youth Offending Teams, the Probation and Prison Service and Victim and Witness Services. It was set up two years ago to look at ways of working together to improve the Criminal Justice System.

Since then, it has also held a number of local events across the region to help improve public confidence in the justice system, including court open days, roadshows in the community and hate crime theatre performances.

Assistant Chief Constable for GMP Rob Taylor, Vice Chair of the GMLCJB said: "These figures are a true demonstration of how the work that the board does is really making a difference in our local communities.

"By working together on a host of multi-agency strategies we are starting to see a real improvement in the amount of offenders being brought to justice.

"A recent example of our close working with partner agencies is the Witness Care Units at key locations across Greater Manchester.

"By protecting the well-being of witnesses through the justice process, more successful trials can take place."