Criminal justice services
CRI provides a range of services for people whose substance misuse has brought them into contact with the criminal justice system. Many of these services are provided through the Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) which includes: Enhanced Arrest Referral, case work, work with Priority and Persistent Offenders, prolific shoplifters, people on anti social behaviour orders and Criminal Justice link workers who support people through court proceedings.
Our services are delivered in custody suites, courts and prisons and we work in close partnership with the police prisons and court service to provide integrated care pathways designed to reduce re-offending.
DIP
Enhanced Arrest Referral
Priority and Persistent Offenders
Prison Substance Misuse Services
Substance Misuse Engagement Teams
DIP
Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) is designed to provide integrated services for people with substance misuse problems. Using strategies such as enhanced arrest referral, drug treatment and testing orders, prison resettlement services and aftercare, the DIP approach encourages or requires participation in treatment services. In addition, individuals are tracked and supported through the criminal justice process to prevent them from falling through gaps in service provision and lapsing into offending behaviour
DIP brings together a range of agencies, including the police, probation, courts, health services and the voluntary sector, to help them work together more effectively. CRI is involved in implementing the DIP strategy in many parts of the country and delivers a range of DIP roles that include strategic management, arrest referral, tracking and data analysis.
As part of the DIP programme, CRI provides criminal justice intervention and link workers whose remit is to engage with offenders moving from custody to treatment programmes. Their objective is to ensure that people stay in treatment or fulfil the terms of court orders. The workers also provide a link into the community from criminal justice settings and offer an outreach service for those recently released. Their role can include accompanying clients to magistrate's courts and police interviews, and supporting individuals through the criminal justice process.
Enhanced Arrest Referral
CRI delivers a well-established model of drug arrest referral that has been found to contribute to a significant reduction in drug use and drug related crime.
The 'enhanced' drug arrest referral service includes individual assessment, community support planning, assertive outreach and referral to a range of support services. This is leading to greater partnership working between agencies and a strengthening of the referral options available to individuals on leaving custody. CRI also delivers training services to police officers, custody assistants and other criminal justice professionals to develop a better understanding of the service and its mechanisms. Local mentors are involved in delivering community based aspects of the service and receive accredited training.
Other services linked into drug arrest referral work include custody based needle exchange and links with primary care services to provide rapid prescribing where required. Specialist young person's drug arrest referral services are offered in some areas in partnership with youth offending teams.
Priority and Persistent Offenders
CRI provides specialist drug and alcohol workers who are seconded into police and probation service teams working with persistent offenders. These teams actively seek out persistent offenders to enlist them in treatment programmes, enabling those who comply to maintain their liberty.
Prison Substance Misuse Services
CRI provides a range of prison services including CARATs assessment and referral programmes and PASRO structured treatment programmes. These services are designed to support individuals with substance misuse problems and provide advice and information as well as therapeutic drug treatment and rehabilitation.
CRI delivers these services in partnership with prison and probation staff. This joint working provides a seamless approach that breaks down the separation between uniform and non-uniform staff helping to improve relationships with prisoners.
Treatment programmes are based on cognitive behavioural therapy and address wider issues associated with substance misuse such as anti social behaviour, poor cognitive skills and difficulty with self-management. They also look at substance misuse, harm minimisation, relapse management, enhancing motivation, offending behaviour and specific advice on crack and stimulant use. Some of these prison services use peer mentors and a 'buddying' system to provide inmates with additional support.
CRI's resettlement programmes provide community support for those returning to the community which includes specialist housing provision and structured day care as well as advice on relapse management, harm minimisation and safe drug use.
