Stirling Community Justice
Outcome Improvement Plan 2017-2018
1
Contents
Foreword
3
1. Background
4
2. National Strategy for Community Justice
4
3. Community Justice Scotland
7
4. Stirling Community Justice Governance
8
5. Stirling Council Profile
10
6. Stirling Community Justice Offending & Sentencing Profile
11
7. Stirling Community Justice Needs Assessment
15
8. Stirling Community Justice Engagement
19
9. Stirling Community Justice Actions
21
10. Stirling Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan
Participation Statement
34
11. Equality Impact Assessment Form
41
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Foreword
As chair of the Safer Reducing Offending Board, I am pleased to present this Community
Justice Outcome Improvement Plan for Stirling Community Planning Partnership for the period
of April 2017 to April 2018. In Stirling we embrace a strong tradition of partnership working.
This Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan sets out to build on what we are already
doing and highlight the actions we will introduce to further improve community justice at a local
level.
The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 introduces a new model for community justice
based on strong collaborative partnership working that focuses on prevention and effective
intervention. In Stirling, a Safer Reducing Offending Board has been established to deliver
community justice by providing strategic leadership and accountability across a range of
statutory partners, linking with local communities, the third sector, victims and those who are
involved in offending behaviour.
We recognise that offending is a complex problem, one which creates victims, damages
communities and wastes potential. We also recognise that as partners we have a collective
responsibility to work collaboratively to prevent offending where possible, safely manage those
who offend and assist them in being a valuable member of their communities.
We will work together to ensure that Stirling is a safer, fairer and a more inclusive place, where
we prevent and reduce further offending by addressing its underlying causes effectively and
manage and support those who have committed offences to help them reintegrate into their
communities. We also recognise that for every crime committed, there is a victim and the
partnership will endeavour to ensure these individuals are supported to effectively recover
from the crimes committed against them.
Stacey Burlet
Chair of Stirling’s Safer Reducing Offending Board
Director of Children, Communities and Enterprise
Stirling Council
3
1.0 Background
Since 2005, strategic planning and monitoring for the provision of community justice services
in Scotland has been overseen by statutory Community Justice Authorities. Stirling previously
came under the Fife and Forth Valley Community Justice Authority (FFVCJA) along with Fife,
Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Council areas.
The FFVCJA provided a co-ordinated approach to planning and monitoring the delivery of
criminal justice services, with the aim of targeting services to reduce reoffending and assist
the rehabilitation of people who offend.
Following the Christie Report, the Angiolini Commission on Women Offenders and the
Reducing Reoffending Audit Scotland, recommendations led to the creation of a new model
for the delivery of community justice in Scotland. The model for community justice has been
re-designed to deliver a community solution to reducing re-offending, which places planning
at a local level where decisions can be made by people who know their area best.
2.0 National Strategy for Community Justice
Vision
The National Strategy for Community Justice is underpinned by the following vision, that
states Scotland is a safer, fairer and more inclusive nation where we:
-
Prevent and reduce further offending by addressing its underlying causes.
Safely and effectively manage and support those who have committed offences to help
them reintegrate into the community and realise their potential for the benefit of all
citizens.
Mission Statement
The National Strategy for Community Justice states that this vision will be achieved by
effectively implementing the Scottish Government’s plans for penal policy to:
-
Deliver a decisive shift in the balance between community and custodial sentences by;
o Increasing the use of community based interventions.
o Reducing the use of short term custodial sentences.
Improve the reintegration from custody to community.
This new model for community justice, with its focus on strong partnership working to ensure
effective intervention from the point of arrest onwards, provides the delivery framework for
achieving this vision.
4
Priorities
The National Strategy for Community Justice indicates that after extensive consultation with
stakeholders it has been made clear that the Scottish Government’s vision and mission will
be delivered by prioritising action in the following areas:
•
Improved Community Understanding and Participation.
•
Strategic Planning and Partnership Working.
•
Effective Use of Evidence-Based Interventions.
•
Equal Access to Services.
Principles
The National Strategy for Community Justice states that the vision is underpinned by the
following principles:
•
People must be held to account for their offences, in a way that recognises the impact
on victims of crime and is mindful of risks to the public, while being proportionate and
effective in preventing and reducing further offending.
•
Re-integrating those who have committed offences into the community, and helping
them to realise their potential, will create a safer and fairer society for all.
•
Every intervention should maximise opportunities for preventing and reducing
offending as early as possible, before problems escalate.
•
Community justice outcomes cannot be improved by one stakeholder alone. We must
work in partnership to address these complex issues.
•
Informed communities who participate in community justice will lead to more effective
services and policies with greater legitimacy.
•
High quality, person-centred and collaborative services should be available to address
the needs of those who have committed offences, their families, and victims of crime
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Definition, Planning & Partnership Working in the Delivery of Community Justice
Community Justice is defined by the National Strategy as:
“the collection of individuals, agencies and services that work together to support, manage
and supervise people who have committed offences, from the point of arrest, through
prosecution, community disposal or custody and alternatives to these, until they are
reintegrated into the community.” Added to this the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016,
highlights that this new legislation changes the “community justice landscape to bring a local
perspective.”
The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 places a legal duty on a range of statutory
partners to work collaboratively to deliver community justice outcomes, and that local
community planning partnerships have a crucial role in facilitating the delivery of these
outcomes. Statutory partners for community justice as outlined in the Act are:
•
Local Authorities
•
Health Boards
•
Integration Joint Boards for Health & Social Care
•
Police Scotland
•
Scottish Prison Service
•
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
•
Crown Office & Procurator Fiscal Service
•
Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
•
Skills Development Scotland.
The Third Sector
Within the National Strategy for Community Justice, the role of the third sector is highlighted
as critical to the planning and delivery of successful outcomes for individuals, families and
communities affected by the community justice system. Third sector organisations are not
awarded statutory partner status. However, we are committed to strong partnership working
with those involved in Community Justice, or who represent or promote the interests of
designated people (as outlined in the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016), to ensure that
services are delivered in a way that best meets the needs of individuals, families and
communities.
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3.0 Community Justice Scotland
Community Justice Scotland has been established to provide leadership for the sector. They
will provide professional assurances to Scottish Ministers on the delivery of the seven
improvement outcomes for Community Justice in Scotland along with monitoring
performances of all local authorities in Scotland. A national strategy, performance indicators
and a reporting framework has set the strategic direction for partners and support delivery
within Stirling and across Scotland.
In order to align with the Scottish Government National Outcomes, the new Community Justice
model incorporates seven common outcomes as prescribed by the Community Justice
Outcomes Performance Improvement (OPI) Framework. The OPI Framework provides
community justice partners and Community Justice Scotland with real opportunities to
measure progress, drive improvement, offer consistency and transparency and link decisions
and actions to analysis of need and what works in reducing offending. This will lead to
increased efficiency and effectiveness for services provided.
Community Justice Outcomes are categorised as both structural and person-centric and
progress on these outcomes will be reported to Community Justice Scotland annually:
Structural Outcomes
(what we deliver as partners)
Person-centric Outcomes
(changes to users)
• Communities improve their
understanding and participation in
community justice
• Life chances are improved through
needs, including health, financial
inclusion, housing and safety being
addressed
• Partners plan and deliver services
in a more strategic and collaborative
way
• People develop positive
relationships and more opportunities
to participate and contribute through
education, employment and leisure
activities
• People have better access to the
services they require, including
welfare, health and wellbeing,
housing and employability
• Individual’s resilience and capacity
for change and self-management
are enhanced.
• Effective interventions should be
delivered to prevent and reduce the
risk of further offending.
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4.0 Stirling Community Justice Governance
The Stirling Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan will be subject to an annual
review and will be aligned to the Stirling Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and the
Stirling Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP)1.
The plan is being driven by a new partnership board called the Safer Reducing Offending
Board2, chaired by the Director for Children, Communities and Enterprise, Stirling Council.
The Board will report annually on progress to Community Justice Scotland.
During 2017/18, the Safer Reducing Offending Board will work in partnership to deliver 4 key
priorities:
1. Focusing on the needs of women who are supported and managed within the
community justice system.
2. Supporting and developing an individual’s readiness for work and their ability to
sustain employment through unpaid work and participation opportunities for offenders
and those at risk of offending.
3. Focusing on tackling substance misuse and supporting broader health and well-being
initiatives among those who are supported and managed by the community justice
system.
4. Undertaking a multi-agency programme of analysis, engagement and
communications so we can jointly commission and deliver services for the benefit of
communities, and particularly those communities most at risk of crime.
Each key priority will have an identified lead drawn from the Safer Reducing Offending Board
and leads will report on progress at quarterly meetings of the Board.
Governance Structure
Safer Reducing Offending
Board
Key Priority 1
Key Priority 2
Key Priority 3
Key Priority 4
1
Currently being developed under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 Act which creates a legislative
framework for community planning in Scotland and places a duty on specific statutory partners to contribute to the improvement
of outcomes through community planning.
2
Established in July 2016
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Safer Reducing Offending Board
The Safer Reducing Offending Board (SROB) will officially take over responsibility for
Community Justice from Fife and Forth Valley Community Justice Authority on the 1st April
2017, and will:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Provide strategic leadership, planning and accountability
Actively cooperate and coordinate activities to reduce re-offending and report on
progress made
Review the evidence on offending behaviour and the effectiveness of the interventions
undertaken in order to inform future planning, commissioning and service delivery of
future community justice activity
Raise public understanding and participation in community justice
Improve access to services required to reduce re-offending
Develop ways to share resources, expertise and information
Ensure strong partnerships with our local communities and the third sector.
It is proposed that individual members from the SROB will have a lead role in the delivery of
the Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan, with identified members leading on subgroups delivering on each of the Structural Outcomes, and will be able to report back to the
SROB on a regular basis on the progress of the activities identified as a priority.
Self Evaluation and Improvement
In order to provide on-going assurance that the Stirling Community Justice Outcome
Improvement Plan is subject to on-going continuous improvement, the actions within the plan
will be reviewed alongside the Care Inspectorates Quality Indicators, (CIQIs), as they have
been identified through our delivery of the person-centric and structural outcomes.
Activity will also be undertaken to ensure that the COQIs identified within the vision of the
National Strategy for Community Justice will also be reviewed on a regular basis.
Furthermore, it is also proposed that further work needs to be undertaken on an individual
level that measures the progress made in achieving specific outcomes that have been
identified for those individuals at the point of their initial assessment.
These arrangements will help to identify what is working well regarding our interventions, and
also help to identify any barriers to desistance, as well as help to more effectively inform any
future commissioning of services.
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5.0 Stirling’s Profile
Stirling Council area is home to around 90,000 people, 65% of which are in the City of Stirling
and its neighbouring settlements and 35% in the rural area. Stirling Council is in a unique
position geographically covering a wide rural area and urban/city area boasting some of the
most affluent and successful communities in the country with high incomes, good health and
excellent quality of life. However, there are communities of concentrated deprivation, high
crime rates, significant unemployment and some of the poorest health statistics in the country.
Stirling’s approach to working with communities
The introduction of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and the Community
Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 have been a catalyst in driving forward the opportunity to mould
and inform how services can be delivered collectively to the achievement of priorities of those
living and working across our area.
Stirling is unique in that it boasts a wide range of diverse communities in both rural and urban
settings which requires equally innovative ways to ensuring that service delivery is
proportionate and appropriate to the needs of the community.
Work on developing our approach will include Communities, Council, Police, Fire and Rescue,
NHS, Education and Third Sector coming together to identify the priorities for particular areas.
Using this approach we have already been able to use the information held in relation to those
people who are already involved within the community justice system, through their offending
behaviour to inform our Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan.
We have been able to match this information alongside data already provided by the Scottish
Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data provided nationally, and, as such, have been able
to align geographical data alongside issues of offending, employment and health.
In due course we anticipate that we will be able to focus all our data streams into specific
areas, and be able to provide a much more local response to the challenges arising from
community justice issues.
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Prevention
Prevention of further offending behaviour is central to the vision of the National Strategy on
Community Justice and the Stirling Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan. In line
with the provisions of the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, the Safer Reducing
Offending Board will focus activities and services around secondary and tertiary prevention
and preventative activities that reduce offending or re-integrate offenders to mitigate against
further offending. Primary prevention activities fall outside the scope of the act but are
essential to the overall success of Community Justice.
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6.0 Stirling Community Justice Offending & Sentencing Profile
Significant work has been carried out to provide an overall understanding of offending in the
Stirling area. This offending profile tracks the journey of those individuals going through the
community justice system from point of arrest, to sentencing and re-integration back into the
community. The profile offers a summary of data collected by partners and highlights key
points along this journey with an indication of the demographics of those currently involved in
community justice, both locally and nationally. Below is a summary of the key findings of data
analysed from key statutory partners who have helped to inform the future delivery of the
Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan in the Stirling area.
Recorded Crime in Stirling
No.
of
Recorded
Crimes Rate
per
population
2014/15
2015/16 2014/15
2015/16
Total Recorded Crime STIRLING
4,126
3,999
451
431
Group 1: Crimes of Violence
89
100
10
11
Group 2: Sexual Crimes
147
133
16
14
Crime Groups 1-5
10,000
Group 3: Crimes of Dishonesty
2161
Group 4: Fire-raising, malicious mischief,
etc.
905
1639
236
177
1017
99
110
Group 5: Other Crimes
824
1110
90
120
Total Recorded Crime SCOTLAND
256,350
246,243 479
458
Recorded Crime - Key Facts:
At a national level crime in Scotland has fallen year on year since 2006, and the information
that we have for the Stirling area shows a similar reduction in our local levels of recorded
crime. Looking specifically at the more recent recorded crime figures for the Stirling area we
can note a number of key facts.
•
Overall, recorded crime in the Stirling area is lower than the national average, and this
is evidenced across almost all of the recorded crime groups.
•
Non-sexual crimes of violence and sexual crimes are small in number, and even
though there has been an increase in these types of offences in recent years, the
detection rates for these particular types of crimes are high, and reflect the priority that
such offending behaviour is given by Police Scotland.
•
The overall detection rates for crime in the Stirling area is above the national average
rates for detection in almost all of the categories of crime recorded.
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•
Most recent figures show that crimes of dishonesty in the Stirling area account for 41%
of all crime committed locally, but it is noted that there has been a significant reduction
in these types of crime over the past year, down by 24%.
•
In relation to other areas where recorded crime has been shown to be reducing, motor
vehicle offences are also down by 14%. However, the overall prevalence of motor
vehicle is above the national average.
•
With regards to the geographical locations of crime, recent local SIMD data indicate
that the areas with the highest prevalence of crime are the Raploch, Fallin and Hillpark.
Sentencing Key Facts:
Gender
The number of males appearing before the Courts account for 83%, whilst females appearing
before the Court account for 17%.
It is noted that over the past 10 years there has been a 10% reduction in the number of people
appearing before the Courts, but this reduction has been less pronounced amongst the female
population of offenders.
Age
The age profile of the offenders has also seen a change of the past ten years, with a 50%
reduction in offenders under the age of 21years, and a 20% reduction in those aged between
21years and 25years, with all these age groups also seeing a reduction in reconviction rates
over this period of time.
However, offenders between the ages of 26 years and 40 years are not showing the same
reduction in offending, whilst those aged over 40 years have shown an increase of 51%, with
also an increase in their reconviction rates.
Overall, the highest population of offenders by age has changed from those aged less than
21 years, to those aged between 31years and 40 years.
Sentences Available:
Pre-court
Prior to appearing at Court, a number of alternatives to prosecution options are available to
Police Scotland and also the Procurator Fiscal.
These options are generally for low level offending and road traffic offences, and by and large
result in a fixed penalty or some form of warning being issued.
In addition to these penalties, the Procurator Fiscal can also request that someone is assessed
for their suitability for some form of Diversion activity, which if completed successfully will
negate the need to appear at Court.
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Court Sentences - Nationally
There are a range of sentences available to the Courts, ranging from a custodial sentence to
admonition.
Over the past ten years there has been a significant change in the use of custody as a
disposal, with there being a 63% reduction in the number of young offenders held in custody,
and also an 18% reduction in those held within the adult prison system.
However, closer inspection of these figures indicates that this is largely reflective of an overall
reduction in those appearing before the Courts, though it is noted that this does not explain
the significant reduction in young offenders.
Monetary penalties continue to account for almost half of all sentences, though this figure has
reduced by 10% over the past ten years.
Significantly, Community Payback Orders (CPOs) make up 17% of all sentences, and with the
presumption against short term prison sentences being increased from three to six months, it
is projected that the number of CPOs will increase in the near future.
Pre-Court Sentences - Stirling
As stated above, the local Procurator Fiscal is able to make use of Diversion as a means of
dealing with an individual without the need of going through the Court process.
In the Stirling area, Diversion numbers are relatively small, but have been increasing in the
recent past, with 53 people being placed on this intervention last year, and 85% of them
completing this intervention successfully.
Court Sentences - Stirling
The vast majority, (over 90%) of people appearing for sentence are doing so through the
Stirling Summary Court, with those appearing before the High/Appeal Court only accounting
for 1%.
Current figures show that of the 290 people that had a criminal justice social work assessment
report undertaken, 83% were male and 17% were female, and in relation to the age profile of
these people, the two largest groups, both for male and female, were those aged between 31
years to 40 years, and also those aged older than 40 years.
These figures match the national profile of people who are appearing before the Scottish
Courts.
With regards to the individuals placed on a CPO, 51% were placed on a supervision
requirement, with 64% being placed on unpaid work, either in addition to a supervision
requirement, or as a stand alone requirement.
A smaller number of individuals were also made subject to specific requirements in relation to
drug or alcohol treatment, or placed on a programme requirement, which focused on particular
types of offending behaviour, such sexual offences or domestic violence.
Overall, the compliance rates for CPOs in Stirling are well above the national average, and
that last year 77% of all individuals who were placed on a CPO completed this successfully.
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Custodial Sentences – Stirling
The most recent data available show that the number of people from the Stirling area held in
custody is proportionately lower than the national average.
The demographics of the people in custody from the Stirling area show that this population is
predominantly male, within the adult population it is 90%, and within the young offender
population it is 100%.
Over the last ten years there has been a shift in the prison population, with there being a
significant reduction in the young offender population, and a growing number of people in
custody who are aged 30 years and older.
The length of sentences people are serving from the Stirling area are broadly reflective of the
national pattern, with the highest proportion (29%) serving between 6 months and 2 years,
followed by those serving sentences over 4 years accounting for 22%.
With regards to the remand population, this accounts for 19% of those held in custody, and at
the other end of the spectrum, those serving a life sentence account for only 3%.
Statutory Throughcare
Stirling Council’s Criminal Justice Social Work staff work alongside colleagues from the
Scottish Prison Service, and other relevant partner agencies, to ensure that those prisoners
who are subject to statutory throughcare arrangements, are supported and managed in their
transition from a custodial setting to one where they are being reintegrated back into the
Stirling community.
These arrangements involve working with people both within a custodial setting, and also in
the Stirling community in their transition and reintegration locally.
The population of those subject to statutory throughcare arrangements are predominantly
male (95%), and are amongst our most high risk offenders, a number of which are subject to
the Multi Agency Public Partnership Arrangements (MAPPA) which are primarily used for the
management of the risk identified for Registered Sex Offenders (RSOs) who are from the
Stirling area.
Voluntary Throughcare
The majority of those people who are held in custody are not subject to statutory throughcare
arrangements, but still are often in need of assistance in their transition from custody back into
the Stirling area.
These individuals are able to access voluntary throughcare from Criminal Justice Social Work,
and services are put in place to support this group of people if they request such support.
Recent figures show that in the Stirling area 96 people were receiving voluntary throughcare
supports, with the number of woman accessing this service (16%) being higher than those in
receipt of statutory throughcare support.
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7.0 Stirling Community Justice Needs Assessment
Alongside the offending and sentencing profile, a needs assessment has also been
undertaken to assist in informing the future delivery of the Community Justice Outcomes
Improvement Plan in the Stirling area.
Research in relation to desistance acknowledges a range of underlying causes of offending
behaviour and factors, which if addressed can have a positive effect on attitudes and
prevalence of future offending and are known collectively as criminogenic needs.
Mental
Health
Housing
Employment
Health
Attitudes
to
Offending
Education
&
Training
Friend/
Financial
Difficulties
Family
Relationships
Substance
Misuse
These needs have been identified through a range of data already held by our partner
agencies and have also been informed by feedback received from those involved in a range
of different consultative events and small group discussions undertaken within the Stirling
area.
Added to this knowledge base, information has been gathered from assessments using the
Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LSCMI) undertaken by Criminal Justice Social
Work staff, which has helped to identify a range of issues being faced by people who are
coming into contact with the community justice system, through being placed on a CPO.
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Health related issues
Health as a whole is identified as a key area of intervention for those who are coming into
contact with partner agencies, and, as such, a number of specific needs have been identified:
•
Mental Health
The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland report, Severe and Enduring Mental Health
Problems in Scotland’s Prisons identified that problems with mental health are more prevalent
in prison than among the general population. This is also reflected in the population of being
going through the criminal justice system in the community locally, with LSCMI data that
showing that 67% of women who had been assessed had either made attempts at suicide or
had self harm episodes in the past, with the figure for males being 42%.
It is also noted in LSCMI data, that issues of low self esteem are highlighted by 75% of the
women assessed, and also 37% of the males assessed.
•
Substance Misuse
Nationally two thirds of prisoners who completed the Scottish Prison Service Prisoner Survey
in 2015 reported being under the influence of alcohol/drugs at the time of their offence.
With regards to individuals who are subject to CPOs, even though only a relatively small
number of people are placed with a specific requirement to attend drug or alcohol treatment
as instructed, a more larger group indicate that they have, or have had, issues in relation to
their use of substances.
It is noted that issues in relation to substance misuse appears to be more prevalent in relation
to females than males.
A significant issue raised by a number of different partners, and people who have been
involved in the criminal justice system, are the barriers that they feel are in place that stops
them accessing health services timeously on the transition from custody to community. This
is perhaps most starkly evidenced by the number of individuals who have subsequently
overdosed and died following release from custody back to their own communities.
Housing
Evidence from the LSCMI indicates that housing issues, be it homelessness or general
problems with accommodation, impacts significantly on the female population, with 83% of
this group indicating that this is an issue.
We also know that for the criminal justice population as a whole, that the risk of becoming
homeless increases significantly with a custodial sentence, and that those leaving custody are
25% more likely of becoming homeless. This is significantly higher than the general
population, which is only 0.8%.
What we are also aware of, is that over 60% of those leaving custody and who become
homeless will subsequently also reoffend.
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Employment & Education/Training
We are aware that employment is a key issue for a significant number of people who are
engaged within the criminal justice system. Of those who have a criminal justice social work
assessment report written prior to sentencing less 30% are in employment or full-time
education, with the figure for women being only 8%.
LSCMI analysis also highlights similar data, and indicates that of all the issues to be
addressed, this is the one with the highest level of need across all of the areas of concern this
assessment of need covers.
It is also noted, through local data provided through SIMD that geographical areas of low
employment in the Stirling area, correlate strongly with those areas where most offenders
reside, and, as such, highlights the limited opportunities that may present for them within their
immediate locality.
With regards to basic educational attainment, respondents in a recent Scottish Prisoner
Survey indicated that they had difficulties with writing (14%), reading (12%) and / or numeracy
(11%).
It is also reported locally, that despite Stirling having some of the highest performing schools
in the country, Skills Development Scotland state that the number of pupils achieving positive
destinations from the high schools in Stirling is lower than the national average.
Friend and Family Relationships
It is noted through LSCMI data that 35% of those placed on a CPO have identified
‘unsatisfactory parental or marital relationship’, and that 50% of the women placed on CPOs
had indicated that they had been a victim of family violence.
Violence as a whole is a significant issue for this population, with 83% of women indicating
that they had been a victim of physical violence, whilst 38% of men also indicated this as an
issue.
We are also aware through the Scottish Prisoner Survey, that 25% of the respondents
indicated that they had been in care as a child, and that 9% had no contact with any friend or
family. For those who had contact, the most common contact was telephone (83%), followed
by letter (68%) and visits (62%). It was indicated that the most common difficulties for people
visiting the prison was cost of travel and distance from their home.
It is also noted that parenting concerns have been highlighted as an issue by 42% of females
subject to a CPO, and also 12% males subject to a CPO.
Finally, there is also evidence gathered through LSCMI, which indicates that the majority of
people who offend often have criminal acquaintances, with many having few friends who are
‘anti-criminal’.
Financial Difficulties
Linked to the issues highlighted above in relation to employment, housing and health, it is
unsurprising that a significant number of the Scottish prison population come from the very
poorest council estates, underlining the relationship between poverty and imprisonment.
17
Added to this, we are aware that the recent SIMD data shows that the majority of people who
are made subject to a CPO are residing in areas that are amongst the most deprived in the
Stirling area.
Attitudes to Offending
With regards to offending behaviour, it is noted that 70% of those who are subject to a LSCMI
assessment in the Stirling area have in the past committed three or more prior offences.
However, the data also suggests that those placed on a CPO locally have on average a more
favourable response to this type of supervision than is evidenced elsewhere in the country.
Added to this, it is also noted above that the reconviction rates in the Stirling area are lower
than the national average, and that the completion rates for CPOs are also above the national
average.
Impact of Crime on Victims, the Family and the Community
The National Strategy for Community Justice highlights the importance of the community are
the “heart of community justice”, and that by community this includes “victims of crime, people
who have committed offences, families, and the community bodies that represent them.”
Within the Stirling area we have support provided for victims through Victim Support Scotland,
and support is also provided for victims through the Court Services, Police Scotland and also
for women and children impacted by domestic abuse.
Work is also undertaken to support the wider families impacted by the offending behaviour of
a family member.
However, we are aware from consultations with the wider community that much more needs
to be done in supporting victims impacted by offending behaviour. Added to this, a greater
focus needs to be placed on working with families impacted by offending behaviour, as not
only do they need support, they are also felt to be critical in supporting a family members
desistance from future offending behaviour.
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8. Stirling Community Justice Engagement
A wide range of engagement activities were held over 2016/17 with statutory partners, third
sector partners, community groups, and people who have offended which included:
Criminal Justice
Social Work
Fife and Forth
Valley Community
Justice Authority
Board
Barnardos
Police Scotland
Scottish Fire and
Rescue
Integration
Joint Clackmannanshire
Skills
Board
and Stirling Alcohol Development
Clackmannanshire
and Drug Partnership Scotland
and Stirling Health
and
Social
Care
Partnership
Office Scottish Courts and Forth
Valley
Forth Valley Multi- Crown
Fiscal Tribunal services
College
Agency
Public Procurator
Services
Protection
Arrangements
Scottish Prison
Victim
Support Stirling Women’s Aid Sign Post Recovery
Services
Scotland
Health Boards
NHS Forth Valley
Department
of
Work
and
Pensions
COSLA
Local
Authority
Departments
Triage
Central
Limited
START-UP
Raploch
Stirling
Enterprise
Stirling
Voluntary Family Help Hub ,
Enterprise
HMP
Cornton
Vale
People
with Community
Convictions
Councils
Stirling
Gender Stirling
Based
Violence Council
Partnership
Victims
People Who Use Work Force
Services
These sessions focused on addressing the needs of all those impacted by the impact of
offending behaviour, which has helped us in our understanding as to how we can further
develop coordinated collaborative partnership working, challenging stigma associated with
offending and developing the role of communities in supporting those with convictions to
reintegrate in society.
The engagement activities identified a number of key themes, which has helped to inform our
understanding of community justice issues, as well actions that we need to take forward in our
Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan.
19
Community Justice Engagement Key Themes
The community justice engagement activities identified a number of key themes, and have
been captured broadly under the 4 structural outcomes defined within the National Strategy
for Community Justice.
Community
understanding
and Planning & Partnership Working
participation
• Supported and coordinated transitions
• Global message on community justice
for service users is essential
which is consistent
throughout their journey in the justice
system
• Awareness raising sessions targeted
at communities of interest
• Better
information
sharing
/communication is key to partnership
• Learning to challenge stigma and
working
attitudes towards offenders
• Single point of contact
• Victim awareness and support
• Build on best practice
• Trauma informed learning
• Every contact in the community justice
• Capacity building for communities
pathway to be considered a health
affected by high crime levels
improvement opportunity
Equal access to services
Effective use of interventions
Improved access to:
• Early and effective interventions
• Suitable housing
• Trauma informed interventions
• Employment/learning opportunities
• Person centred planning/assessment
• Mentoring opportunities
• Outcomes focused
• Financial, substance misuse, health
• Collaborative planning and service
and wellbeing
delivery-multi agency disciplinary
• Family support services
• Build on good practice
• Accountability and transparency
The feedback received from all engagement events and strategic analysis has identified the
need for a collective response to the issues raised, and that all partners need to prioritise the
actions that are required in order to deliver the changes that are needed within all our
communities.
These changes will allow for better opportunities and outcomes for all:
•
Life chances are improved through needs, including health, financial inclusion, housing
and safety being addressed
•
People develop positive relationships and more opportunities to participate and
contribute through education, employment and leisure
•
Individual’s resilience and capacity for change and self-management is enhanced
20
9.0 Stirling Community Justice Actions
The following sources of information and guidance have helped to identify the specific actions
with this plan:
Community Justice Scotland National Indicators
Offending Profile of Stirling area
Needs Assessment of people who offend from the Stirling area
Community Engagement within the Stirling area
Care Inspectorate Self Evaluation Guidance.
These actions will be arranged under the outcomes identified by Community Justice Scotland,
and will also be linked to the CIQAs that they relate to.
All of the actions will be progressed within relevant sub-groups, with the progress of these
actions being reported back to the SROB on a regular basis.
21
STIRLING COMMUNITY JUSTICE OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS
To reduce offending and support and promote community justice and safety, Stirling’s Safer Reducing Offending Board will work in
partnership to deliver 4 key priorities during 2017/18:
1. We will focus on the needs of women who are supported and managed within the community justice system.
2. We will ensure that we support and develop an individual’s readiness for work and their ability to sustain employment
through unpaid work and participation opportunities for offenders and those at risk of offending.
3. We will focus on tackling substance misuse and support broader health and well-being initiatives among those who are
supported and managed by the community justice system.
4. We will undertake a multi-agency programme of communication and engagement so we can jointly commission and deliver
services for the benefit of communities, and particularly those communities most at risk of crime.
To achieve this, we will deliver a series of activities that map onto Community Justice Structural Outcomes during 2017/18. Unless
otherwise specified, the action plan will monitored quarterly at Safer Reducing Offending Board meetings.
22
Community Justice, Structural Outcome 1: Communities improve their understanding and participation in community justice.
Community Justice Indicators:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Activities carried out to engage with ‘communities’ as well as other relevant constituencies
Consultation with communities as part of community justice planning and service provision
Participation in community justice, such as co-production and joint delivery
Level of community awareness of/satisfaction with work undertaken as part of a CPO
Evidence from questions to be used in local surveys/citizen panels etc.
Perception of the local crime rate
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators
4.1 - Impact on communities
6.3 - Participation of those who have committed offences, their families, victims and other stakeholders
Outcome Improvement Actions
National & Action
CI
Number
Indicators
1,2
1.1
4.1,6.3
Improvement Action
Evidenced by
Review and align existing communication streams being used by partner Evaluation & surveys
agencies in the Stirling area in order to develop a communication/engagement
strategy to raise the awareness of all Community Justice activity across our area
as a whole.
(This strategy will link to specific geographical localities, as well as communities
of like, such as the Third Sector, Victim Support and the Business Community,
and will help to inform a range of other actions within the plan.
A key part of this strategy will be how feedback is captured, and use this
information to further develop our Community Justice services locally. This action
will provide an opportunity to change the ‘narrative’ around people who offend,
and, as such, will give our Community Justice services the chance to address
issues of stigma and labelling.)
23
1,2,3
1.2
4.1,6.3
1,2,3,4
1.3
4.1,6.3
2,3,5
1.4
4.1,6.3
Develop a community participation strategy, which is influenced by existing good Evaluation & surveys – on-going
practice already evidenced locally. This strategy will consult with the local
communities, and align itself with the Local Outcomes Improvement Plans (LOIP)
as well as other key stakeholders in the Stirling area in the planning of future
Community Justice activity.
(The community participation strategy will assist in the development of future
plans that are reflective of identified need, as well as contribute to an agenda of
continuous improvement and public protection.)
Review and further develop the use of CPOs (Unpaid Work), with specific
engagement and feedback from different localities as to how well these
interventions are currently delivered and inform future practice and improvements
in this area of intervention. Particular focus on unpaid work activity should be in
the areas we know are most impacted by crime through data from SIMD.
Align alongside existing mechanisms already in place, an annual
survey/questionnaire to be developed, which will assist in gathering feedback
from the Stirling public regarding their understanding, awareness and confidence
in the delivery of Community Justice activity locally.
End of year report evidencing
increased use of unpaid work in
different localities, particularly
those most impacted by crime.
Linked to actions, 1.1,1.2 & 1.3
survey/questionnaire
to be
undertaken and reported on.
5,6
4.1
1.5
A specific survey to be undertaken in relation to the perception of crime in all our Survey
geographical localities, as well as amongst our communities of interest, such as
the third sector and local employers.
4,5,
1.6
Review and further develop the type of support required by those impacted by Evaluation & surveys
crime in order to help them feel safer within their own communities.
4.1, 6.3
24
Community Justice, Structural Outcome 2: Partners plan and deliver services in a more strategic and collaborative way
Community Justice Indicators:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Services are planned for and delivered in a strategic and collaborative way
Partners have leveraged resource for community justice
Development of community justice workforce to work effectively across organisational/professional/geographical boundaries
Partners illustrate effective engagement and collaborative partnership working with the authorities responsible for the delivery of MAPPA
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators
6.1 - Policies, procedures and legal measures
6.2 - Planning and delivering services in a collaborative way
8.3 – Securing improvement through self evaluation
9.4 - Leadership of improvement and change
Outcome Improvement Actions
National & Action
CI
Number
Indicators
1.
2.1
6.1
1., 2
6.1,6.2
2.2
Improvement Actions
Evidenced by
Review the existing policies and procedures of all statutory partner agencies that relate Scoping Report
to their services delivered to those involved in the community justice system, to ensure
that they are consistent with the vision and priorities contained within the National
Strategy for Community Justice.
Mapping exercise to be undertaken that reviews all existing areas of service delivery and Scoping
&
Evaluation
referral pathways, with a particular focus on the current partnership arrangements, as Report
well as any stand alone services being delivered for those involved in the community
justice system.
25
1,2,3
2.3
6.2,
1,2,3
2.4
6.2
1,2,3
2.5
6.2
3
8.3
3
2.6
2.7
8.3
1/3
2.8
6.2
1/2/3/4
6.2
2.9
From the review of all joint working arrangements, an exercise will be undertaken to
scope out a focused ‘team around the offender’ approach to service delivery. (This will
ensure robust communications are in place, through agreed Information Sharing
Protocols (ISP) and that all partners are able to maximise the use of shared resources to
deliver more focused interventions.
A review to be undertaken in relation to all data streams, (such as health, housing, social
work, police and SIMD), that inform the populations of people involved within the
community justice system, so that they are able to be pulled together to inform future
service planning and delivery.
Information gathered for service planning and delivery to be focused down to specific
localities (place) within the Stirling area, so that we can deliver services as close as
possible to the communities most impacted by crime.
Undertake a cross sector training needs analysis of all staff engaged in the delivery of
services for those involved within the Community Justice System.
Following on from the training needs analysis there is to be the development of a multiagency and single agency learning and development schedule, that is delivered to ensure
that all partners are able to share best practice
Review Report
Review Report
Localities Data
Analysis Report
Training Schedule Plan
Further develop effective links with children’s services, to ensure that the children in File Analysis
families affected by those offending are supported, and parenting issues identified by
those involved within the Community Justice System can also be more effectively
addressed. Added to this, changes in legislation around corporate parenting
responsibilities should be reflected in how we deliver services to those aged 26 years
and younger who had previously been ‘looked after’ as a child.
Alongside the current arrangements for the management of high risk offenders delivered Review Report
through MAPPA, a similar approach to be developed for arrangements for MARAC &
MATAC, to further progress the public protection agenda
26
Community Justice, Structural Outcome 3: People have better access to the services they require, including welfare, health and
wellbeing, housing and employability
Community Justice Indicators:
1. Partners have identified and are overcoming structural barriers for people accessing services
2. Existence of joint-working such as processes/protocols to ensure access to services to address underlying needs
3. Initiatives to facilitate access to services
4. Speed of access to mental health services
5. Speed of access to housing
6. Access to employment services
7. Speed of access to drug and alcohol services
8. Speed of access to welfare benefits
9. Speed of access to GP registration
10. % of people released from custodial sentences, registered with a GP, have suitable accommodation, have benefits eligibility check
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators:
5.1 Providing help and support when it is needed
Outcome Improvement Actions
National
Action
&
CI Number
Indicator
All
3.1
Improvement Action
Evidenced By
Review and map out current pathways, processes and procedures in place by Scoping & Review Report
all statutory partners to scope out how accessible their services are for people
who are supported and managed within the Community Justice system.
27
All
3.2
Following on from the scoping out activity, all partners and third sector Initial Baseline Report then quarterly
organisations to ensure that there is timeous access to their services by those reporting
who are supported and managed within the Community Justice system.
All
3.3
All
3.4
A review to be undertaken that identifies priorities of access to services from Review Report
point of arrest all the way through to the reintegration from custody to
community. Every point of contact with the community justice system should
be seen as an opportunity to engage for those who are supported and
managed within the Community Justice system
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the needs of women Progress Report
who are supported and managed within the Community Justice system.
All
3.5
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the needs of men aged Progress Report
over thirty years who are supported and managed within the Community
Justice system
1,2,3,4,7,9
,10
5.1
3.6
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the access to health Progress Report
services for those who are supported and managed within the Community
Justice system.
1,2,3,5,
10
5.1
3.7
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the access to housing Progress Report
services for those who are supported and managed within the Community
Justice system
1,2,3,6
3.8
5.1
1,2,3,8
5.1
3.9
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the access to Progress Report
employment/training services for those who are supported and managed
within the Community Justice system
Multi-agency activity to be undertaken that focuses on the financial needs of Progress Report
those who are supported and managed within the Community Justice system
28
Community Justice, Structural Outcome 4: Effective interventions are delivered to prevent and reduce the risk of further offending
Community Justice Indicators:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Targeted interventions have been tailored for and with an individual and had a successful impact on their risk of future offending
Use of ‘other activities’ in Community Payback Orders
Effective risk management for public protection
Quality of Community Payback Orders and Drug Treatment Orders
Reduce use of custodial sentences and remand, balance between community sentences relative to short custodial sentences under 1
year. Proportion of people appearing from custody who are remanded
6. The delivery of interventions targeted at problem drug and alcohol use
7. Number of police recorded warnings, police diversion, fiscal measures, fiscal diversion, supervised bail, community sentences (CPO,
DTTO and RLOs)
8. Number of short term sentences under one year
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators:
5.2 Assessing and responding to risk and need
5.3 Planning and providing effective intervention
Outcome Improvement Actions
National
Action
&
CI Number
Indicator
1,2,3
4.1
5.2, 5.3
Improvement Action
Evidenced By
Ensure that all assessments which are using the LSCMI Tool are Quarterly Reports to be developed
recorded as evidence of on-going need of those who are coming before
the Courts for sentencing.
29
1,3
4.2
5.2, 5.3
2
4.3
5.3
1,3,4
4.4
5.2, 5.3
7
4.5
5.2, 5.3
7
5.2, 5.3
4.6
1,2,3,4
4.7
5.2, 5.3
1, 3,4,6
4.8
5.2, 5.3
5,7,9
5.2,5.3
4.9
1,3,5,7,8
4.10
5.2, 5.3
Following on from the development of the “Team Around the Offender”, File Analysis
approach all those subject to a community sentence or prison
throughcare support will have a plan specific to the needs and risks
identified for them.
The development of a specific programme of ‘other activities’ which has Programme of ‘other activities’ to be agreed
a focus on addressing issues connected criminogenic needs will be
delivered as part of Community Payback Orders
Pilot the use of an outcomes framework, which will assist in the evidence
of the effectiveness of interventions, inform continuous improvement, as
well as assist in identifying future planning and commissioning of services
required to address offending behaviour.
In partnership with the Stirling Community Safety Team, Stirling Criminal
Justice Social Work Team and the Procurator Fiscal, review and further
develop the use of pre-sentence diversion and bail supervision activities,
as well as develop the use of electronic monitoring in the local area.
In partnership with Police Scotland and also the Procurator Fiscal, further
develop the use of pre-sentence diversion options available to them.
Pilot of outcomes framework to initially be
rolled out in one locality
Update Report
Update Report
Further develop the use of Community Payback Orders with unpaid work, Update Report
particularly in relation to aligning this activity alongside the opportunity to
develop an individual’s readiness to work.
Further develop the opportunities for people who offend, that have issues Update Report
with substance misuse, to access services that can assist them in
addressing these issues, at each point of contact within the community
justice system.
Following on from the progress of actions 4.1 to 4.7 (inclusive) monitor Quarterly report to be developed
the use of alternatives to custodial sentences being used within the local
Sheriff Court.
Establish a follow on support service for those who have completed their Service in place.
sentence, but would benefit from on-going support to sustain an
offending free lifestyle. This could be based on a ‘recovery’ or ‘mentoring’
type model which is evidenced elsewhere.
30
Community Justice, Person Centred Outcome 1: Life chances are improved through needs, including health, financial inclusion, housing and
safety being addressed.
Community Justice Indicators:
1. Individuals have made progress against the outcome. Individuals have made progress against the outcome.
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators:
1.1 Improving the life chances and outcomes of those with lived experience of community justice.
Outcome Improvement Actions
National
Action
&
CI Number
Indicator
1
1
Improvement Action
Evidenced By
Through the activities captured above it is projected that Use of Outcomes Framework
individuals will make progress and that their life chances will
improve
31
Community Justice, Person Centred Outcome 2: People develop positive relationships and more opportunities to participate and contribute
through education, employment and leisure activities.
Community Justice Indicators:
1. Individuals have made progress against the outcome.
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators:
1.1 Improving the life chances and outcomes of those with lived experience of community justice.
Outcome Improvement Actions
National
Action
&
CI Number
Indicator
2
1
1.1
Improvement Action
Evidenced By
Through the activities captured above it is projected that Use of Outcomes Framework
individuals will be assisted to develop positive relationships
and have more opportunities to be make a positive impact
within their local communities.
32
Community Justice, Person Centred Outcome 3: Individual’s resilience and capacity for change and self-management are enhanced.
Community Justice Indicators:
1. Individuals have made progress against the outcome.
Care Inspectorate Quality Indicators:
1.1 Improving the life chances and outcomes of those with lived experience of community justice.
Outcome Improvement Actions
National
Action
&
CI Number
Indicator
3
1
1.1
Improvement Action
Evidenced By
Through the activities captured above it is projected that Use of Outcomes Framework
individuals will be empowered to take more control over their
lives and will not need further assistance from community
justice services.
33
10. STIRLING COMMUNITY JUSTICE OUTCOME IMPROVEMENT PLAN
PARTICIPATION STATEMENT
During the preparation of this plan all statutory community justice partners were consulted and participated in its development. In Stirling partners
recognise that reducing offending is a collaborative effort which can only be achieved through true partnership working, were partners value each
other’s contributions, remove communication barriers and harness each other’s strength. As partners we aim to:
• Build on good practise and existing multi-agency partnership arrangements,
• Improve information sharing
• Plan interventions and learn together.
During 2016 a number of engagement events were held.
1. A community justice operational staff event was held looking at how to improve our interventions collectively when dealing with persistent
offenders. Partners collectively identified solutions to support service users in a more sustainable way.
2. A second event called “Stirling Connecting Partners networking event” was held to bring together statutory and wider community justice
partners. The event was aimed at introducing the new model to wider partners and creating an opportunity for justice partners to network
and make lasting connections. In conjunction with this event a mapping exercise was carried out to identify all providers of community
justice services in Stirling.
3. The third event was a community event, “Leaves on the Track” which brought together members of the community, people with lived
experience of the justice system and a wide range of partners to learn about the ripple effect of crime on the community, victims, families
and offenders. It provided an opportunity for all partners to get feedback from service users on the following; interventions that worked
better in addressing underlying causes of offending, ways of supporting families of offenders, the effect on victims of crimes and how we
can address stigma in our community.
Feedback from all three engagement activities have been incorporated into the plan. However, in order to capture a broader range of opinions,
a wide range of engagement activities have also been carried out and are listed in the table below.
Stakeholders
STIRLING COMMUNITY JUSTICE IMPROVEMENT PLAN
PARTICIPATION STATEMENT
Consultation/Engagement
Dates
activities
34
Outcomes
Statutory Partners and Third Sector
partners
Development event briefing all
statutory partners on the New
Model for Community Justice
and the publication of the
Transition Plan.
January
2016
Community Justice Working
Group established with
planning meetings every 6
weeks to progress with
transition
April 2016
on-going
Lead Officers identified to represent statutory
and third sector agencies on the community
justice working group in Stirling
Workshop on improving
partnership working when
addressing persistent offenders
in Stirling.
April 2016
Improving partnership working, breaking down
communication barriers.
Safer Reducing Offending Board July 2017
established
Community Sector
Buy - in from all statutory partners to the new
arrangements for delivering Community
Justice in Stirling. 6 weekly meeting
scheduled for partners to meet and progress
with shaping the new model in Stirling.
Leaves on the track workshop
aimed at people with experience
of offending, victims, community
groups and service providers.
35
October
2016
Statutory community justice partners identified
and meeting Partners terms of reference
agreed, Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
appointed. Quarterly meeting set up.
Raised awareness on the ripple effect of
crime on communities, victims and those with
convictions. The feedback informed the
Community Justice Improvement Plan.
Local Authority
Housing Staff: Tenancy management,
Accommodations, Homeless,
Allocations
Coordinator attended team
briefings to update staff on the
new model for community
justice Team briefings on the
new model for community
justice
August On-going
Awareness raising on the new model for
community justice.
Safer Connected Communities Team
Anti-Social Behaviour
Enforcement Officers
Housing Investigative Officers
Communities and PartnershipManagers
Localities and Partnerships team
Gender Based Violence Partnership
Officer
Funding Officer,
Funding & Compliance Programme Coordinator
Community Engagement Team
Youth Service
Team briefings to inform the
team on the new model for
community justice
February
2017
Feedback received form partners which has
been incorporated into plan:
Focus on prevention
Better information sharing with internal and
external partners
Build on good practise for what works best for
the services uses,
Remove barriers for silo working
Promote community payback work and positive
stories of our service users
Challenge stigma associated with offending
Multi-agency, multi- disciplinary learning
opportunities
Capture feedback from service users when
exiting services to learn and inform and
improve our service delivery
36
Stirling Alcohol Drug Partnership
Briefing on the new model of
community justice with key ADP
lead officer.
March
2016
Output -explore partnership working
opportunities with wider community justice
partners
Attended partnership meeting
provide a briefing for planned
transition plan for Stirling
April 2016
Briefing on the new model for community
Justice provided on Stirling transition
arrangement.
January –
December
2016
Feedback from partners highlighted the
importance on building on existing good
practise and reducing duplication of effort
which has been incorporated into plan.
SADP coordinator and some
members attended all
community engagement events
for Stirling and highlighted areas
of good practise in Stirling and
multi-agency arrangements
Joint meeting with Stirling and
Clackmannshire Community
Justice coordinators to look at
the ADP delivery plan and align
ADP outcomes with justice
outcomes highlighting activities
undertaken
Victims and Witnesses
Attended all community justice
engagement events for Stirling
and have imputed on the
development of the
improvement plans plan
Community Justice Coordinators
(Clackmannanshire, Falkirk &
Stirling) on our improvement
actions for Stirling
37
August 2016
2016
to 6 March
2017
SADP are part of the community justice
improvement working group and have been
instrumental in shaping the development of
the community justice improvement plan for
Stirling.
Feedback from workshop will be incorporated
into the community justice improvement plan.
Stirling women’s Aid
Stirling Voluntary Enterprise
Stirling Interfaith Group
Community Justice Briefing with
staff on access to services,
partnership collaborative
working.
Community Justice Workshop
with Victims and survivors of
domestic abuse - Stirling
Women's Aid
Workshop with Stirling women’s
aid staff on the needs of women
and children both victim and
perpetrators on their experience
of the justice system and
partnership working
Briefing meeting with key staff
for Stirling Voluntary Enterprise
on the new model for and
transition arrangements for
Stirling Council and invitation to
join the working group
29/12/16
Briefing on the new model for community
Justice
February
2017
February
2017
Feedback from workshop to be incorporated
into the improvement action plan.
2016
Contribute to the development of community
justice improvement actions as they are
member of the CJ working group
Stirling Community Justice
briefing on Community Justice
Transition arrangements for
Stirling.
08/06/16
Partners welcome the new model for
community justice that focuses on collaborative
partnership working. Partners welcome the
involvement of third sector and look forward to
being involved in the development of the new
arrangements in Stirling.
Stirling Community Justice
Outcomes Improvement actions
consultation exercise
08/02/16
Feedback received from consultation with
agency to be incorporated into the plan:
- partners and communities to be better
informed on services available in particular
provision of Hidden sentencing training to be
provided in partnership in Stirling/Forth Valley
Third sector representation at strategic level is
38
crucial to support wider third sector partners.
Universal access to services: Develop referral
pathways for families of those in prison.
Develop single point of contact for families
under family hub across prisons across
Stirling.
Effective intervention- develop a mechanism
that captures improved life chances of service
users as a result of the services they have
received.
Stirling Social Services Staff
Social Work Criminal Justice Clients
Social Work Criminal Justice Teams
Briefing meetings with all
criminal justice social work staff.
Briefings, bi weekly meetings,
planning and coordination of
events, involvement from wider
CJSW Team. A number of
CJSW staff and service users
participated in the CJ leaves on
the track community
engagement event.
Elected Members Briefing
Wider Community - global message
for community justice
Community news article on the
new model for community
justice
39
2016-17
All staff from the Stirling Criminal Justice
Service have been briefed on the new
Community Justice arrangements.
Criminal justice social work team leader cofacilitated the community justice working group
workshop which fed into processes for
improving access to services. All feedback
received have been incorporated into the
improvement plan.
2016
Continue to engage with elected members on
the development of community justice
arrangements in Stirling.
September
On-going
Raise awareness on the new model of
community justice in Stirling to the wider
community and challenge stigma around
offending.
Stirling Gender Based Violence
partnership
Briefing provided to the
members of the partnership on
the new model of community
justice and discussion around
ensuring the availability of
services to meet need of
victims of crime in particular
the impact of welfare reform
on Third sector services who
provide victim specific support.
40
February
2017
Feedback incorporated into the Community
Justice Improvement Plan on universal access
to services for those going through the justice
system.
11. STIRLING COUNCIL: EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT FORM (June 2014)
The Guidance: Equality Impact Assessment Toolkit June 2014 should be used when doing an Equality
Impact Assessment (EqIA) and completing this form and a link is provided to this. The term proposal used
below is intended to include “policy, strategy, service, function, procedure or project.”
SUMMARY DETAILS
1. Title of Proposal:
Stirling Community Justice
Outcome Improvement Plan 201718
SERVICE
PBB Ref (if applicable)
Stirling Safer Reducing
Offending Board
2. Lead and Contact Officer Details.
Lead Officer authorising assessment
Title
Director of Children, Communities and
Enterprise
Contact Officer/s undertaking assessment
Title/s
Service Manager – Children and
Families Services
Service Manager – Safer, Connected
Communities
Partnerships and Localities
Coordinator
Name
Name/s
Stacey Burlet
Michael Grassom
Anne Ferguson
Gillian Taylor
3. Which other Council Services or Partner Agencies are / will be involved in the delivery of this proposal?
Statutory partners on the Stirling Safer Reducing Offending Board (Housing Services, Social Services,
NHS Forth, Forth Valley, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Skills Development Scotland,
Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Scottish Prison Service,
Stirling/Clackmannanshire Integration Joint Board IJB and Third Sector partners.
4. Have they been involved in the Equality Impact Assessment process and if so, how?
Yes, through consultation activities.
5. What is the nature of the proposal? (Tick/complete all that apply)
Review of an existing policy/strategy
Reduction in an existing service/function
Introduction of a new policy/strategy
Other e.g. technical, progress, procedural report
PBB category e.g. transformational change
x
Review of an existing service/function
Removal of an existing service
Introduction of new service/function
6. For proposals with implications for budgets complete the following:
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(£ 000s)
Current expenditure on activity
Total anticipated savings or
proposed increased spend
Delivery Timescale and Phasing
In Council area as a whole
In/for specific community/ies
In/for Council area as a whole
In/ for specific community/ies
Start date for savings/increased spend
End Date for savings/increased spend
Savings/increased spend Year 1
Savings/increased spend Year 2
Savings/increased spend Year 3
Savings/increased spend Year 4
Savings/increased spend Year 5
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OUTCOMES, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
7. What longer term outcomes is this proposal expected to achieve? Consider (a) the Single Outcome
Agreement 2013 – 23, (b) Council Key Priorities 2014, (c) the Council’s Equality Outcomes 2014 – 17 and
any additional relevant strategies or policies. A link is provided to items (a)-(c).
OUTCOME
SOURCE DOCUMENT
The plan sets out improvement actions under the
outcomes defined in the Community Justice
(Scotland) Act 2016
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/11/3701
1. Communities improve their understanding and
participation in community justice
2. Partners plan and deliver services in a more
strategic and collaborative way
3. People have better access to services they
require, including welfare, health and wellbeing,
housing and employability
4. Effective interventions are delivered to prevent
and reduce the risk of further offending
5. Life chances are improved through needs,
including health, financial inclusion, housing and
safety being addressed
6. People develop positive relationships and more
opportunities to participate and contribute through
education, employment and leisure
7. Individual’s resilience and capacity for change
and self-management are enhanced
8. What are the main aims of this proposal? If this proposal revises an existing policy have its aims
changed?
This is a new plan to improve the Community Justice Outcomes for the people of Stirling as defined in the
Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016. Key partners have a statutory duty to deliver the new national
model for community justice locally in Stirling.
9. Who is most likely to be affected by this proposal? Consider current and potential future service users
including people with particular needs, specific geographical communities and current and prospective
employees. Provide anticipated numbers affected by the proposal where possible.
•
•
•
People with convictions.
People who have used community justice services and their families.
Victims of crime
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GATHERING EVIDENCE
10. What evidence has been used to identify the potential impact of this proposal, where did it come from
and how it was obtained? Please list all the evidence used. (Examples may include research
undertaken at local or national level and service delivery information about service users/customers and
levels of satisfaction. Evidence may have been gathered routinely through regular engagement with
service users, equality groups and communities; or through engagement specifically undertaken to
improve understanding of the impact of this proposal.)
EVIDENCE
(Subject/Title)
SOURCE
(Where it came from)
COLLECTION METHOD
(How it was gathered and when)
Offending Profile
Various datasets
Gathered by community planning analyst
Baseline assessment
Collection of baseline information
from services involved in
community justice
Gathered by community justice coordinator
Feedback from
engagement events
Events with practitioners, service
users, third sector and other
stakeholders
Series of events held during 2016
ASSESSING IMPACT
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11. What potential impact will this proposal have on people in terms of the “needs” of the public sector equality
duty i.e. the Council’s responsibilities to:
• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advance equality of opportunity
• foster good relations - including the need to tackle prejudice and promote understanding
Please consider each “need”, assess the impact of the proposal as positive (+), neutral (0), or negative (-) and
summarise the reason/s for your response. See guidance for additional information.
EQUALITY DUTY “NEED”
Eliminate discrimination,
harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of
opportunity
POTENTIAL
IMPACT
(+) / ( 0) / (-)
SUMMARY OF REASONS FOR RESPONSE
+
Actions set out in the plan to improve communities
understanding of community justice and reduce stigma
in relation to people with convictions and their families.
+
Actions in the plan to improve life chances by
addressing needs such as housing, health and
wellbeing, employability and welfare.
Fostering good relations
+
Actions in the plan to tackle prejudice and raise
community understanding of community justice.
Actions in the plan to improve planning and
partnership working to provide a more coordinated and
supportive approach to offenders and victims of crime.
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12. Will this proposal have a potential impact on people with protected characteristics? A more detailed
explanation of these is provided in the guidance. Consider which if any, of the groups below will be
affected by the proposal and if the impact will be positive (+), neutral (0), or negative (-). Your response
to Question 11 may help you consider the impact of the proposal on people in these particular groups.
Please consider each “need”, assess the impact of the proposal and summarise the reason/s for your
response.
PROTECTED
CHARACTERISTIC
GROUP
Age
(Younger / Older)
Disability
Gender
Reassignment
Marriage and
Civil Partnership
Pregnancy and
Maternity
Race
EQUALITY DUTY NEED
Eliminating
Advancing
Fostering
unlawful
equality of
good
treatment
opportunity
relations
(+) / ( 0) / (-) (+) / ( 0) / (-) (+) / ( 0) / (-)
+
0
0
0
+
0
+
+
0
0
0
0
0
0
+
+
0
0
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SUMMARY OF REASONS
The plan contains a breakdown of the
age profile of offenders. From that
we can identify which age groups
require targeted interventions
The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
The plans contains specific actions to
ensure that the needs of women
going through the community justice
system and their children are met.
The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
Religion and Belief
Sex
Sexual Orientation
0
+
0
0
0
+
+
0
0
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The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
The plan contains a profile of
offending in Stirling. This provides
information on issues such as mental
health and substance misuse broken
down by gender. A ‘team around the
offender’ approach will be introduced.
The plan has a neutral impact on
people with this protected
characteristic.
IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES, HOUSEHOLD GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS VULNERABLE TO POVERTY
13. Will this proposal have a positive (+), neutral (0), or negative (-) impact on communities, household
groups or individuals with a higher risk of experiencing poverty. Guidance is available on those
communities, households and individuals with a higher risk of experiencing poverty.
Please assess the impact of the proposal and describe those who will be affected.
THOSE
AFFECTED
Geographical
Community/ies
POTENTIAL
IMPACT
(+) / ( 0) / (-)
+
DESCRIPTION OF IMPACT
A locality approach is being developed in Stirling to ensure that
service delivery is community led and is proportionate and
appropriate to the needs of the community. Using the locality
approach we have been able to use the information held in relation
to those people who are already involved within the community
justice system, through their offending behaviour to inform this plan.
(Please specify)
The introduction of a focused ‘team around the offender’ approach
will have a positive impact on individual offenders and their families.
Individuals or
household
groups
+
(Please specify)
OVERALL IMPACT
14. Based on responses to Questions 11, 12 and 13, summarize the overall impact of this proposal
confirming if this will be positive, neutral, or negative and highlighting any particular groups affected.
The Stirling Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan will have a positive impact for people going
through the community justice system, their families and also victims of crime.
The plan introduces a new model for community justice based on strong collaborative partnership working
that focuses on prevention and effective intervention. This will ensure that Stirling is a safer, fairer and
more inclusive place, where we prevent and reduce further offending by addresses its underlying causes
effectively.
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MITIGATING POTENTIAL NEGATIVE IMPACT
Based on your response to question 14:
• if this proposal has any potential negative impact you must answer Questions 15 -18
• if this proposal does not have any potential negative impact go directly to Question 19
15. Describe the potential negative impact/s of this proposal, the level of impact anticipated and the number
of people likely to be affected. If you are unable to confirm the actual number of people potentially
affected please give an indication of the relative scale of this for example as a proportion of current
service users. Please see the Guidance for additional information.
Potential negative impact
Level of impact (low-high)
Number of people potentially
affected
16. Based on your response to Question 15, could this proposal, in its current form, discriminate against
people in a protected characteristic group – will it result in their being treated less favourably when
compared with others not in a protected characteristic group? Please see the Guidance for additional
information.*link
Please answer Yes or No
No
•
•
If the proposal is considered to have the potential to discriminate against people in a protected
characteristic group you should consider modifying it to remove or reduce its potential negative
impact
If the proposal is considered to be discriminatory to the extent that is unlawful it must be rejected
or substantially modified
The resulting modified policy requires to be re–assessed to confirm its impact as per Questions 11,
12, 13 and 14.
17. Describe in detail the actions taken to remove or modify any identified negative impact of this proposal
18. Where negative impacts cannot be removed or minimised any further, clearly state your justification for
continuing with this proposal.
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MONITORING AND REVIEW
19. a) How will implementation of this proposal be monitored, how frequently and by whom?
b) How will the results of the monitoring be used to develop it in the future?
c) What is the timescale for the reviewing the impact of this proposal?
a) The plan will be reviewed annually by Community Justice Scotland
b) Annual review to ensure equalities are being addressed
c) Annual review and self-evaluation following Care Inspectorate guidance
PUBLISHING RESULTS
20 Please summarise the key findings of the EqIA. This statement is for publication in the relevant
Council report and requires to be authorised and signed by the Lead Officer responsible for the
assessment.
The Stirling Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan will have a positive impact for people going
through the community justice system, their families and also victims of crime.
The plan and associated actions, introduces a new model for community justice based on strong
collaborative partnership working that focuses on prevention and effective intervention. This will ensure
that Stirling is a safer, fairer and more inclusive place, where we prevent and reduce further offending by
addressing inequalities and tackling the underlying causes of crime effectively.
AUTHORISATION BY LEAD OFFICER (Head of Service/Service Manager)
Title
Signature
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Date