News & events
Back to Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) E-bulletinsDIP E-bulletin - February 2008
Welcome to the February 2008 edition of the monthly e-bulletin for the Drug Interventions Programme.
What DIP and PPO work means for Integrated Offender Management
DIP and the PPO Programme are crucial building blocks for an emerging new “offender management” approach that is gaining momentum in the police service, according to Peter Wheelhouse.
In a position paper to the DIP Management Board, Mr Wheelhouse explained that the new approach is attracting wider interest among police and their local partners. This is because it goes beyond the historical probation-led “statutory supervision” model and can be particularly beneficial for dealing with offenders who have served sentences of less than 12 months and who would otherwise be unsupervised.
However, Mr Wheelhouse warned that Integrated Offender Management was not a “golden ticket” to reduced re-offending that could simply be adopted in isolation from other work. It must build on the kind of step-change in local partnership working and information sharing that is a critical success factor for both the Drug Interventions Programme and the Prolific and Other Priority Offender Programme.
He said, 'There is a growing acceptance with the police service that future strategies for crime reduction and reducing re-offending must embrace that concept of offender management more widely. Policing has been in many ways concentrated on dealing with offences through situational prevention, but many forces are now realising that this approach, while successful over recent years, is unlikely to continue to deliver the sort of reductions in both re-offending and recorded crime required to meet PSA targets over the coming years.'
'There is a real enthusiasm in many parts of the service and with other partners for delivering a new integrated offender-based approach in force areas and to support work on resettlement and rehabilitation of offenders. But the work is in its infancy and only those areas that have delivered a step-change in their partnership working, have excellent systems and understanding of addressing offending behaviours will be in a position to consider moving to an Integrated Offender Management model. This is because IOM places an even greater reliance on joint working and information sharing and any shortcomings will be quickly highlighted.'
'While we strongly support IOM, it is a big step up that not all areas are ready for and they should keep working on improving their systems and DIP/PPO schemes rather than divert their energy into something they may not be ready for.'
If you have any questions, please contact:
DIP – Claire Harman at Claire.Harman@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
PPO – Bernard Lane at Bernard.Lane@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Guidance published to help DIP work on prostitution
DIP has recently published Good Practice Guidance to Increasing the Engagement of Adults Involved in Prostitution within the Drug Interventions Programme.
This document was written in partnership with the Home Office Interpersonal Violence Unit who have the lead on tackling prostitution, and views were also sought from leading prostitution projects across England and Wales. It was unveiled in late 2007 at the UK Network of Sex Work Projects' annual conference in Manchester.
The guide aims to:
- Provide a brief overview of the issues associated with involvement in street-based prostitution and problematic drug use
- Suggest how local CJITs can forge effective links with local specialist projects working with adults involved in prostitution
- Describe the types of support and services required by adults involved in prostitution; and
- Signpost other relevant guidance documents
PPO Programme: New leaflets and guidance
The Prolific and Other Priority Offender Programme has recently published two new leaflets. The first is an introductory leaflet that sets out what the work is about and how it is making a difference. The second explains work to align the DIP and PPO processes. New guidance on information sharing between DIP and PPO was also published.
You can order hard copies of many communications materials from the website, including leaflets and DVDs. Just fill in your address details in the My Profile section. You can also view the list of DIP communication materials.
Merseyside pioneer self-funded intensive DIP work
Merseyside Police were given the go-ahead for the extension of DIP intensive status forcewide on a self-funding basis. It is the first force to adopt self-funding status and involves extending drug testing on arrest and the wider DIP operations to Southport, Kirkby and St Helens custody suites.
The decision is subject to a six-month probationary period. DIP recently published guidance to areas wishing to self-fund their intensive status, setting out the conditions that will need to be met and this continues to be available on the website.
New geographic spread document published
An updated document was recently produced to show which DIP interventions and projects are underway where. The 2007 Geographic Spread Document, an updated version of one that was produced during the first two years of the programme, shows where the various components - such as drug testing on charge, drug testing on arrest, conditional cautioning and operation of 24/7 support lines - are operating around England and Wales.
The DIP way to unlock potential
A recently-added section on the DIP web pages shows how innovative work with service users and their families can really help to unlock DIP clients’ potential, particularly through art and sport.
The examples published seek to promote and share some of the positive successes achieved through innovative approaches developed or adopted by local partnerships and projects.
These approaches have helped individuals in different ways but a common theme reported by service users is that they have helped to “unlock their potential” and that they have started to realise that they can have goals and ambitions for the future: building confidence, self-belief and self-esteem.
The first example being shared on the webpage was provided by Lambeth Aftercare Team, highlighting their recent “Before and After” art exhibition.
To help continue to identify and promote the positive successes for DIP clients alongside the practical issues for partnerships and projects of making it happen, members of the DIP aftercare policy team are working with a range of partners to create a framework of questions. This framework will help describe projects, approaches and lessons learnt in more detail, the aim being to support local partnerships and projects working with service users to identify how they may be able to start or build on what is happening locally. These practice examples will continue to appear on the webpage as they are received.
To find out more about this work, or to contribute examples, please e-mail: AftercareDIP-enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Update on work to increase client engagement
DIP has an action plan for increasing client engagement, listing and linking various examples of good practice being implemented around the country.
“Walk the process” visits
The CJIT team within DIP, in partnership with Government Offices and the National Treatment Agency are continuing to undertake "Walk the Process" visits to nominated areas across England and Wales.
These visits look at the whole DIP process, from arrest and entry into the police station to release from prison and reintegration back into the community. In looking at the whole DIP process, informal interviews are held with a variety of staff, both operational and strategic.
The purpose of these visits is to try to improve performance by offering recommendations which suggest areas for improvement, whilst also obtaining good practice for dissemination to other areas.
Visits have been undertaken to Manchester, Peterborough, Swindon, Windsor & Maidenhead, Plymouth and Wiltshire. The DIP team have sought nominations for future visits from Government Offices.
Link to latest key messages
The latest Key Messages for DIP, provide a “core script” to describe the various elements of the Programme and the key points that should be understood about them.
