Turnaround for young male offenders
26 February 2007
Plans for a pilot project to target drug misusing young male offenders and those with other underlying problems were announced today by Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson.
Offenders in the 16-to-30 age group will be referred to the "Turnaround" project, where other community-based alternatives have proved unsuccessful or if the individual has had multiple remand or short-term prison sentences.
Turning Point Scotland (TPS) and other voluntary agency partners, backed by Scottish Executive funding, are developing community-based day programmes, with the intention to begin operating in Dumbarton, Inverclyde, Paisley and Ayrshire, and Dumfries and Galloway by the summer.
Longer term proposals for a 14-bed short-term residential unit, as part of the project, are also being discussed by TPS with key stakeholders, including the new Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) and local authorities, in these areas.
Turnaround will focus strongly on substance misusers, as well as offenders who have experienced homelessness, mental health problems or who lack coping/social skills.
It will offer structured programme involving one-to-one support, rolling provision of tailored interventions such as anger management, relapse prevention and parenting, as well as employment and outward bound components.
Ms Jamieson said: "Crime in Scotland is falling and serious violent crime is its lowest level since devolution.
"But if we are to continue driving down crime as we have in recent years, we must break the cycle of offending and re-offending by those, often youn males, who repeatedly flout the law.
"That means taking swift and, importantly, effective action to tackle criminal behaviour and help turn young offenders away from those paths that can lead to a life of crime.
"We have provided initial funding for the development of the proposal and agreed to funding in principle for a pilot period, after which the project will be subject to a full review.
"The Turnaround programmes will aim to significantly reduce the re-offending rates of the offenders referred to them, to tackle the amount of acquisitive crimes committed to pay for illegal drugs and to reduce the level of drug misuse itself.
"This will be the smart option, not a soft option, to tackle their offending behaviour and help turn them away from a cycle of crime and custody.
"The programmes will also seek to improve the well-being and the education and employment opportunities of the offenders referred.
"Turnaround can build on existing community-based criminal justice disposals, as well as the new Throughcare Addiction Service.
"It provides the courts, criminal justice social work and the Scottish Prison Service with additional options to help offenders turn their backs on crime.
"By tackling the underlying factors that contribute to offending behaviour we can reduce re-offending and continue building safer, stronger communities across Scotland."
Netta Maciver, Chief Executive of Turning Point Scotland, added:
"Turning Point Scotland is delighted that the past two years of planning and fundraising will now move forward to produce real service delivery.
"Our experience of working with women, through the 218 service tells us that we can turn lives around.
"This new service provides Turning Point Scotland the opportunity to show that offending and drug misuse can also be reduced for young men."