J. Hobday. The Turning Point Project

West Midlands Police

4th International Evidence Based Policing Conference ‘The Turning-Point Project’: Testing Offender Desistance Policing Insp. Jamie Hobday

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

We recognise: • The implications of the theory • The benefits of better collaboration with academia • The benefits of evidence-based policy • The value of innovation • The potential for improvement

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Our Values: We put the public first in everything we do We act with integrity, fairness and humanity We are one team working together We listen, learn and strive to improve

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

What do we hope to achieve? • Reduce the harm done to and within our communities • Reduce the number of victims

By: • Maximising the impact of limited public funds • Being truly intelligent in the way we prioritise, assess and manage risk, threat and harm

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

English Justice System • • • • • •

Police Arrest on suspicion Police Investigate Prosecution decision shared 50/50 Police power to divert from prosecution Independent (Crown) Prosecution Service Independent Judiciary: trial and sentence

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Decision making Seven filters/factors: • • • • • • •

Prosecution Admission Sensitive case Previous convictions Likely sentence Safety check Victims’ wishes

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

The Filters/Factors • Prosecution – Sufficient evidence – Other options discounted

• Admission – Not required

• Likely sentence – Not custodial

• Previous convictions – None – Previous diversions

• Sensitive case – Risk management

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

• Victim’s Wishes A sliding scale of weighting: From victim led for sensitive cases

to…. Victim consulted for less sensitive cases

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Randomisation • Splits eligible subjects into one of two groups: – take part, or – control group

• Impartial process • Cannot be affected by operator

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

The ‘Cambridge Randomiser’

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

The ‘Turning-Point Plan’

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

What’s Involved? • Voluntary participation

• Non-compliance – Failure to keep to plan – Reoffending

• Agreed ‘TurningPoint Plan’ Breach

• Compliance = no prosecution

Prosecution

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Targeted Risk Level

Low Risk (60%)

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Two Essentials: First ‘The Sword of Damocles’ i.e. threat of prosecution

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Two Essentials: Second ‘The conversation’ Impact Consequences Opportunity Responsibility

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Endless Possible Tactics… • Home visits • Voluntary treatment – – – –

Drug misuse Alcohol misuse Psych. Trauma Therapy

• Engagement with support services

• Reporting in • Curfew • Restrictions on movement • Restorative Justice • Reparative activity • Drug testing

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Key Elements of Police Activity

Celerity Police can respond quickly, or even immediately, by beginning the activity in custody

Consequence Conditions will have to be completed, enforcement will be rigorous

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

“It’s your choice…”

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

End of presentation, thank you for listening

Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer

West Midlands Police

Force Values: • Public First • Integrity • One Team • Listen, Learn, Improve Our vision is to reduce crime and disorder and make our communities feel safer