Post Scrutiny - Executive Response

1. That the Panel receive evaluation data in relation to the success of the Integrated Offender Management Programme at the end of the pilot period.

Accepted

An evaluation of IOM at interim 12mths stage has been prepared which demonstrated evidence of reduced reoffending rate of 37.1 % and associated savings of £638,762.

NI 30 performance demonstrated that Tameside Prolific and Priority Offenders committed 84 offences against a predicted 197 offences.

Serious acquisitive crime was reduced by -32% and serious violent offending was reduced by - 34% during this first 12 month period.

A further evaluation of IOM will occur at the end of the 24 month pilot period.

Integrated Offender Management features extensively in the Government Green Paper, Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders.

Enda Ross

July 2011

2. That the Partnership aims to continue to support the development of the ROOTS Housing Project in order to maintain supported accommodation services to ex-offenders and encourage other registered social landlords to work together to develop similar services.

Accepted

New Charter Housing Trust continue to provide the ROOTs project. To date it has successfully re-housed 15 high risk offenders. New Charter promotes the service to other RSLs in the region through its role in the National Housing Federation and within Tameside through the RSL forum.

Diane Barkley

Completed

3. That the ROOTS supported accommodation scheme run by New Charter Housing Trust Limited develop an exit strategy for ex-offenders within the scheme as a priority.

Accepted

During 2010/11 New Charter has improved successful throughput from the service. Up to the end of quarter 2, three people had completed a package of support, compared to 0 in year one of the contract.

Diane Barkley
Kerry Parry

July 2011

4. That the Partnership encourage the use of a standardised housing needs assessment process in prisons.

Accepted

NW NOMS developed a standard needs assessment process for use by housing advice services in all NW prisons. However since the re-structure of NOMS there has not been a designated officer in post to oversee and enforce the use of these forms. Tameside hosts the GMOP project that links to housing services in all GM prisons, we are also members of the GM Strategic housing offenders group – we will continue to press NW NOMS to ensure the use of the standardised processes via these routes.

Diane Barkley

July 2011

5. That consideration be given to early intervention programmes for offenders receiving custodial sentences of less than 12 months.

Accepted

IOM in Tameside has prioritised prolific offenders who are regularly sentenced to >12mths custody. The resource of our Adullam Floating Support Accommodation scheme has ensured that this group have benefitted disproportionately with corresponding reductions in reoffending rates. Current information suggests that other IOM schemes without this resource type have not been able to similarly impact.

Enda Ross

July 2011

6. That the Partnership encourage better information between the Probation Service and Children’s Centres in identifying families of offenders

Accepted

There has been considerable work undertaken in relation to progressing systems for families of offenders in relation to provision of Children Centres. This has been further extended in relation to rollout of Compass Team provision and to developments in relation to Family Intervention Projects.

All of this work sits within the Children and Family Section of the Reducing Reoffending Strategy which is due to be in place 1/4/2011

Claire Bibby
Rob Coyle

31/03/2011

7. That the U Choose-it organisation be supported in its provision of support to substance mis-users including those who have undergone successful detoxification programmes

Accepted

U Choose-it has continued to be supported by the Tameside CDRP. Assistance has been provided by TCSC towards the attainment of QUADS award which should considerably assist them in becoming Commissioning ready over the next 2 years.

The DAAT has provided funding via the Adult Pooled Treatment Budget for Womens Group, Smart Recovery and peer mentoring activities.

The U Choose-it group are regularly used on a consultative basis for service user perspective.

Lisa Lees

completed

8. That consideration should be given for claims for job seekers allowance and housing benefit to be made before release from prison to reduce waiting time before receipt.

Accepted

This action has been prioritised with the IOM cohort where benefits and housing appointments are regularly set up for day of release from prison.

It is suggested that this process be further adopted across the offender management system with targeted intervention from both Forest Bank and Probation Service Offender Managers.

It needs to be established however that further National work will be required to change the system to enable benefits to actually be applied for in advance from prisons.

Mark Millin
Lisa Gartside

July 2011

9. That the scrutiny panel receive an update on the action plan to address identified issues around dual diagnosis 6 months from the date of this report being published

Accepted

This is a work in progress as there is a new incumbent into role at the PCT as lead commissioner for Mental Health Services. We are assured however that this plan will be picked up from March onwards. We would therefore request 6 months from this time to allow time for the plan to be progressed.

Clare Watson
Clare Symons

September 2011

10. That links between Victim Support and Witness Service be improved to enable better communication with victims of crime on the progress of a prosecution of a perpetrator and outcome

Accepted

We are informed by the Coordinator of Victim Support and Witness Service that there has been much progressive work on this issue with themselves and the Police.

Systems are now in place whereby Victim support staff can request updates for Victims. Close liaison with the Customer Service Desk at Ashton Police Station has ensured that Victims get the information and support that they require whereas previously there were identified gaps.

Also with regards consent crimes i.e Domestic Violence where specific consent is required for Victim Support to contact victims, systems have now been put in place to ensure that victims of Domestic Violence get the support that they require.

Whilst it is acknowledged that improvements can always be made and this is a work in progress, the specific and required actions have been completed.

Supt Catherine McKay
Beverley Walsh

Completed

11. That the Tameside Restorative Justice pilot project be supported and that any evaluation of the project be fed back to this Scrutiny Panel on completion

Accepted

Tameside has embraced the GMP Restorative Justice Pilots and the results of the Pilot are very impressive. Whilst this has been coordinated at GMP level feedback is available to Scrutiny by presentation from Inspector Gail Spruce.

Tameside has further volunteered to be part of the GMP pilot for Enhanced Adult Restorative Justice and this will be adopted by the IOM cohort. We are currently awaiting staff training for Spotlight staff. We have been informed that we will have this pilot rolled out after Stockport where the GMP team are currently based. This will be an exciting and challenging initiative and will be focused on entrenched offenders. The results of this will be further fed back to Scrutiny.

The suggestion would be that these 2 initiatives dove tail and therefore should be reported on together.

It is also the intention of the Tameside Reducing Reoffending Steering Group to further progress the Restorative Justice Agenda to incorporate Payback to the community in its widest sense. This will necessitate the involvement of those involved in organising volunteering, community reinvestment and Recovery fellowships. Consultations are ongoing in respect of identified leads for this essential work.

Supt Catherine McKay
Enda Ross

Sept 2011