AN ESSEX probation officer who has spent her career helping offenders turn their lives around has won a prestigious national award for her work.
Melanie Bigg, who helps steer sex offenders, wife-beaters, burglars and even armed robbers away from a life of crime, was crowned the winner of the National Probation Champion Award at a ceremony on July 3.
The 51-year-old said: "I'm absolutely delighted to win the award. It was completely unexpected. I have seen how crime affects the community and individuals, and how offenders have issues of their own.
"The work done with them is the most rewarding and knowing that I'm doing something to protect the public."
Melanie, who has worked with Essex Probation since 2005 after retiring as a Police Constable following a car accident, says her work involves looking beyond the crimes and highlighting the positive aspects of an individual.
"I pride myself on never giving up on a person, it's all about perseverance, understanding and being patient with people," said the mother-of-two. "I try and work with offenders to show the impact upon those they have offended against and I use motivation techniques a lot to do that. One of my highlights has been working with an offender who had a long history of violent offending, and who had been through the prison system a number of times.
"After working with him he is doing really well, he's kept in touch with me and has found employment – that side of things is really rewarding."
Another ex-offender, Brad, had been in and out of prison all his life with offences relating to armed robbery and Class A drugs before working with the award-winning probation officer.
He is one of many who haven't reoffended since working with Melanie, a clear indication as to how she has turned their lives around. Brad said: "Melanie is great, with loads of time for you, she goes the extra mile, and makes you want to get things right. I'm proud."
Mary Archer, of Essex Probation, added: "We're really proud of Melanie. Her work has been judged to be at the top of a very able group of probation workers from across the country."
Judges at the Ministry of Justice's National Probation Awards, which had 120 nominees, described Melanie as "fantastically able and persistent".
