Multiagency working in the criminal justice system

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Multiagency working in the criminal justice system

• By Jane Jolliffe and Garry Parvin

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Drivers for change

• Her Majestys Court Service (HMCS), National
  Offender Management (NOMS) and NHS aim to improve
  service for mentally disordered adult
  offenders.
• Three pilots at South East, London and the Old
  Bailey looking at additional support in the crown
  court.
• Legislation and Reports Mental Health Act,
  Bradley Review, No One Knows (Prison Reform
  Trust 2009).

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Setting up a targeted court

• Manchester was identified as a pilot site due to
  the success of the Manchester Offender Diversion
  and Liaison (MODEL) service.
• Partnership created between NHS Manchester,
  Greater Manchester Police and HMCS to establish
  the effectiveness of a Targeted Services Court.
  
• Started in April 2011.

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Aims of the new court

• The Targeted Magistrates Court focused on
• offenders who
• Commit lesser offences.
• Require multi agency interventions.
• Diversion from custody
• Support around maintaining treatment orders
• Overall outcome reduction of mentally disordered
  
• offenders in the Criminal Justice System. A
  safety net when
• all other agencies have failed to identify
  mentally disordered
• offenders.

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Training

• Training 100 magistrates and 28 legal advisors
  by all
• available support services
• Manchester Learning Disability Partnership.
• MODEL
• Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust
  Personality
• Disorder Service
• Black and Ethnic minority Mental Health Network
• Drug and Alcohol Team / Services
• Aim to assist magistrates to identify offenders
  who are
• vulnerable and inform community sentences.

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Evaluation

• Experiencing low referral rates due to issue of
  identification and screening.
• The National Team (offender Health) said it was a
  national example of best practice.
• User evaluation being undertaken with Dr Chadwick
  Dr Wesson from Wolverhampton Uni.

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Future plans

• Training to other court personal e.g. ushers,
  clerks and reception.
• Adapting for the specific needs of offenders with
  significant learning disabilities e.g. easy
  read guide Going to Manchesters Targeted
  Court, easy read exclusion orders.
• To work with partners to ensure that all learning
  disabled offenders / people with autism access
  this court.
• Increased use of community orders including
  contact with specialist health staff e.g. OTs for
  supervision and specified activities, SLTs for
  communication support.
• Hope Outside Prison Environment (HOPE) Project.
  Manchester have been awarded 300K from DH to
  develop aftercare and support packages.
  Learning Disabled People and people with autism
  are to included in this project.