Three crime-cutting projects have been shortlisted for national awards.
The schemes have been highlighted by national campaign group the Howard League for Penal Reform for their impact on youth crime, female offenders and offences committed by people who are addicted to drugs or alcohol.
Princess Anne will announce the winners of a series of awards at a ceremony in London next month.
The Just Women Project, based in Braunstone, Leicester, has been shortlisted for it work with women who have committed offences.
It is run by Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust and women's group, New Dawn, New Day.
Probation staff at New Dawn, New Day's base in Cantrell Road, oversee community work being carried out by women while helping them with health and legal advice as well as life skills, such as financial management.
The group also helps women settle into life after they have been released from custody.
Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust's work with people with drug or alcohol addiction has been shortlisted.
Its Peer Mentoring Scheme sees ex-offenders who have beaten their own addictions work closely with those who have committed offences as a result of alcohol or drug abuse.
The scheme was launched three years ago and has trained ex-offenders to train as role models, or peer mentors, to criminals and show them they can overcome their addictions and beat the cycle of crime.
Leicester City Youth Offending Service has made the shortlist for its work to show young criminals the impact of their offending on their victims and the community.
Youngsters complete work such as removing graffiti and other environmental clean-ups either for their victims or for the benefit of the community.
In 2012, the scheme's participants completed almost 4,000 hours of reparation work.
The awards will be presented by Princess Anne at the Howard League's Community Sentences Cut Crime Conference, to be held at the King's Fund, in London, on Wednesday, July 17.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: "The Community Programmes Awards are a wonderful opportunity to champion the excellent work going on around the country to make our neighbourhoods safer.
"All evidence shows high-quality community programmes are far more successful than prison sentences at turning people's lives around and helping them to lead a crime-free life.
"They also come at a fraction of the cost.
"Well-resourced and well-structured programmes, such as these shortlisted projects, raise public protection, repay the damage done by crime and as result improve public confidence in community sentencing."
