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Electronic Monitoring The Scottish Experience 1998 - 2013 Norman Brown Communications Director.
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Electronic Monitoring The Scottish Experience 1998 - 2013 Norman Brown Communications Director
Transcript of Electronic Monitoring The Scottish Experience 1998 - 2013 Norman Brown Communications Director.
Electronic Monitoring The Scottish Experience 1998 - 2013
Norman BrownCommunications Director
Electronic Monitoring in ScotlandEarly Origins
Pilots in courts 1998 – 2002 three courts used during pilots evaluation by Scottish Executive and consultation with agencies
National roll out 2002 Restriction of Liberty Orders available to all 49 Sheriff Courts Order to be imposed after full social work report on suitability Client to consent to order in court Alternative to custody stated in legislation
Service delivered by private contractor End-to-end provision of both equipment and service
Structure of Service
Stand alone Monitoring covering whole country including islands
Consistent service delivered regardless of location
Dual-skilled Monitoring Officers covering central belt responsible for Field & Monitoring Centre duties
Field Officers covering remainder of Scotland including the Islands
Early Challenges
Resistance from agencies to Electronic Monitoring
the use of technology in working with offenders judiciary unclear about its place within the sentencing tariff the role of the private sector in offender supervision reluctance to form partnerships and share information questions regarding our motivation, ethos and values feeling at that time that RLO’s should not be rehabilitative
viewing EM as a mechanistic process
Building links and developing the service
Senior managers with a criminal justice background building trust. breaking down barriers proving our values promoting the service as ‘people before technology’
Links established with Association of Directors of Social Work introduction of pre-sentence information sharing. improved communication better awareness of risk and need helped to change agencies views of the contractor
Commitment to raising awareness with partner agencies 1000 presentations about the service between 2002 – 2004
Promotion of partnership working a key and consistent message changes in legislation helped partnerships
Service Evolution Legislative changes:
Probation, Parole and DTTO (2004) improved communication and partnerships
Intensive Support and Monitoring Services (2005) opened the debate about monitoring for young people
Home Detention Curfew (2006) controlling estate numbers with no support after release
Community Payback Orders (2010) no condition for EM except after breach decrease in numbers and the potential for partnership work
Year RLO Numbers
2002 36
2006 410
Where are we now?
RLO live caseload April 2013: 360 (13% drop from 2006) Legislative changes did increase numbers (over 700 now
monitored) However the majority of EM cases are stand alone Partnership working suffered No processes for pre-sentence risk/need information sharing Contractor on the outside looking in Awareness or confidence in service has fallen The potential flexibility of EM in stand alone cases seems to have
been forgotten
The way forward
Promote the importance of assessments Highlight the flexibility of monitoring
length of orders incentives for positive response managing restrictions around socially inclusive commitments
Demonstrate the balance that can be struck between electronic monitoring and other interventions
Promote proportionality in terms of the use of monitoring Use electronic monitoring as part of supervision with interventions
designed to bring about rehabilitation and to support desistance. Identify legislation which affords this approach to be used Be innovative around the application of electronic monitoring – consider
voluntary pilots
Change the thinking
Listen to feedback from monitored persons – they help us appreciate outcomes and the impact of restrictions.
Assess the potential for curfews to: alter lifestyles change the addiction cycle allow for disengagement with peers impact upon families
Promote within the justice community
Be more innovative with orders (times/days/locations)
Commission evidence based research to fully understand and legitimise the impact of orders and outcomes
The role of the service provider
We cannot be on the outside looking in
We must embrace the values and practices evidenced by partner agencies within criminal and youth justice
We must contribute to the debate of why people offend and issues of rehabilitation and desistance. This will come from leaders who integrate this into all aspects of the monitoring contract
We have a duty of care to monitored persons but it also extends to the wider justice community
We must focus on service delivery and bring innovative ideas to assist the monitored person in successfully completing their order or ensure a rigorously monitored licence which contributes to public safety.
Innovation – Adding value
Re introduction of pre sentence information sharing exchange of information regarding risk and best practice helps improve the quality of assessments
Texting service for young people and vulnerable adults Communicates at the right level within technology parameters of comfort increases compliance and reduces breaches
Referrals to Intensive support in local areas for 16- 21 year olds if indicators suggest need and risk have to be addressed
Mentoring and support for those on HDC offer support after release to improve compliance
Raise awareness of GPS In line with plans for nationwide consultation and possible pilots.
Summary The future of EM in Scotland
If the use of technology does grow it doesn’t have to mean more control
It depends upon the uses to which such technologies are put
Legislation which encourages partnerships will help determine its use
As will the contractor evidencing the ethos and values of the sector and commitment to joint working
Will future procurement evaluate the track record and commitment of organisations to demonstrate these values?
