Liverpool is to be home the first pilot US-style Community Justice Centre in Britain, it was announced this week.

An initial 3 million will go into developing the centre, likely to be in the north of the city, aimed at perpetrators of low-level crime and disorder as well as anti-social behaviour (see [2003] Gazette, 29 August, 20).

The centre will be closely linked to the local community, with faster access to alternatives to custody such as drug treatment, restorative justice and debt counselling.

Sentences will take account of the impact crimes have had on victims and the wider community as well rehabilitating the offender.

It is a joint initiative by Home Office, Department for Constitutional Affairs and Crown Prosecution Service.

The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer, said: 'I hope the emphasis on tackling individual underlying problems, and on giving local people quick and visible pay-back for the crimes they have suffered, will help to strengthen confidence in the criminal justice system and show that it is there to serve and to respond to the needs of everyone in the community.

The centre will also act as a hub for crime prevention guidance, and will be the base from which activities such as community projects and diversionary activities for young people will be run.

Key aims of the pilot will include improving the co-ordination of work aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour and the links between criminal justice and other agencies.

The announcement was made as Home Secretary David Blunkett led an unprecedented day-long visit to Liverpool with his entire ministerial team and senior Home Office board members.

It is the first of eight such visits over the next two-and-a-half years aimed at giving ministers feedback from people on the ground.