Dudley Alcohol Arrest Referral Scheme

1
Dudley Alcohol Arrest Referral Scheme Inspector
Alistair Cook Local Authority Liaison
Officer Richard Rogerson Head of
Partnership and Regeneration Dudley South PCT.
2

• BACKGROUND TO SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
• Key Ingredients that led to the development of
  the Scheme

• Concept of Need

• Partnership Culture

• Response to Need

3
CONCEPT OF NEED

• Local Needs Assessment on Alcohol Misuse-
  Centre for Health Economics, University of York

• Independent Review of Local Alcohol Services
  - Nicolette Williams

• Local Alcohol Services Action Planning -
  Inter-agency planning service development
  groups

• Audit of Local Crime and Disorder

• Dudley Community Safety Strategy -
  Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

• Dudley Drug and Alcohol Action Team

4
PARTNERSHIP CULTURE

• Soundly established
• Credible track record
• Responsive to
• - enthusiasm
• - opportunism
• - commitment
• - need

5
RESPONSE TO NEED

• Through
• Four Lead Partners- Aquarius Action Projects-
  West Midlands Police- Dudley Health
  Authority- Dudley Metropolitan Borough
  Council
• Supporting Partners, included- Dudley Justices
  and Courts- West Midlands Probation Service-
  Youth Offending Team

6
RESPONSE TO NEED (Cont)

• Invest to Save Budget application
• - By the Four Lead Partners
• To HM Treasury
• Supported by Department of Health
• Competitive process formal presentation to HM
  Treasury and Cabinet Office representatives
• Ministerial decision
• 100k project grant over two years
• Pilot project status and monitoring and evaluation

7
SUSTAINABILITY

• Partnership
• Inclusivity
• -Active inclusion

• Funding
• Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
• Deprivation
• Targeting PNI

8
SUSTAINABILITY (Cont)

• Funding
• LPSA
• -Enhancement through stretch targets over the
  next two years
• -Performance
• Mainstreaming
• -Evaluation

9
ALCOHOL IS A FACTOR IN

• 60 - 70 of homicides
• 75 of stabbings
• 70 of beatings
• 50 of fights and domestic assaults

10
ALCOHOL RELATED CRIME FIGURES

• In 40 of violent crime the offender was under
  the influence of alcohol - compared with 18 of
  offenders under the influence of drugs.
• Violent incidents in and around pubs and clubs
  account for 19 of all violent crime,with 33 of
  assaults by strangers and 22 of assaults by
  acquaintances taking place in these locations.
  
• (The 2000 British Crime Survey)

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ALCOHOL RELATED CRIME IN DUDLEY

• TOTAL OFFENCES 25,694
• Proportion of offences alcohol related
• 33
• Possible no. of alcohol related offences
  8,565
• Incidents of disorder in public places
• and licensed premises
  7,326
• Drunkenness offences
  846

12
OFFENCES REFERRED ON AARS
12, ASSAULT
25 17, CRIMINAL DAMAGE
20 11, DOMESTIC ASSAULT 14.5
18, THEFT/BURGLARY 10.5
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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE POLICE

• From approximately 10.30pm - 3.30am the majority
  of arrests are for alcohol related offences
• There is the potential for routine incidents of
  public nuisance to escalate to more serious,
  especially violent offences.
• Dealing with intoxicated offenders can be
  difficult and time consuming

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DUDLEY ALCOHOL ARREST REFERRAL SCHEME   FIGURES
FROM 8.09.01 - 18.02.04
TOTAL NO. OFFERED SCHEME -
1071
TOTAL NUMBER OF REFERRALS - 713
TOTAL NUMBER CONTACTED - 471
TOTAL NO. OF ACTION PLANS COMPLETED (As and
Bs) - 243
15
RESULTS?

• Interim Evaluation
• post-participation interviews
• Who are the clients?
• -Younger (20 35) than usual
• -Mostly male
• -Mostly employed
• -Often using soft drugs
• -Often having relationship problems
• -Guilty of violence, criminal damage and
  disorder

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RESULTS? (cont)

• How did their behaviour change?
• -Very rarely a determination to completely
  abstain from drinking.
•  
• -More commonly a determination to reduce the
  total amount of alcohol consumed in an individual
  drinking session.

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RESULTS? (cont)

• How did their drinking habits change?
• -A reduction in the variety of drinks consumed
  during each session, for example restricting
  themselves to drinking lager rather than a
  mixture of lager and spirits.
•  
• -Consuming food either before or during a
  drinking session.
•   
• -Avoiding contact with acquaintances who are
  known to be heavy drinkers.

18
RESULTS? (cont)

• How did they benefit?
• -Greater self control and the ability to walk
  away from confrontation and argument.
• -Perceived improvements in health, work
  attendance and work performance.
• -Improved personal relationships.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE SCHEME?

• Fewer repeat offences, including criminal damage,
  thefts and assaults.
• Reduced fear of going to city centre areas
• More police time available for other purposes
• Reduced levels of alcohol related harm, eg
  accident and emergency calls.