Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics 2011-12

5. Statutory Throughcare (TC), Voluntary Assistance (VA) and Throughcare Addiction Service (TAS)

(Tables 1 & 24 to 26)

5.1 A total of 5,600 individuals were subject to statutory throughcare (in the community and in custody) as at 31 March 2012, an increase of 3 per cent from 5,400 the previous year (Table 1). Of these individuals in 2011-12, 43 per cent were being supervised in the community.

5.2 One thousand and fifty statutory throughcare (TC) cases in the community commenced in 2011-12, the same as in 2010-11 and similar to numbers over the last years (Table 24). Several local authorities have acknowledged that there have been problems with recording this data in the past. Data quality continues to improve but any conclusions about trends over time should be treated with some caution. Twenty-seven per cent of all cases commenced were for non-parole licences, 21 per cent for parole licences, 19 per cent for supervised release orders and 17 per cent for extended sentences.

5.3 There were 2,400 cases in the community currently being supervised at 31 March 2012, 4 per cent higher than the previous year. The largest numbers of these at March 2012 were for parole (20 per cent) followed by life and non-parole (both 18 per cent).

5.4 In 2011-12, 940 throughcare (in the community) cases were completed, an increase of 7 per cent from 880 in 2010-11. Twenty-five per cent of all cases completed related to parole licences, 24 per cent to non-parole licences and 18 per cent to supervised release orders.

5.5 Local authorities' criminal justice social work departments are expected to provide a throughcare service to all prisoners who are subject to statutory supervision post release. This service begins at the start of a prisoner's sentence and is managed via the Scottish Prison Service's Integrated Case Management process. In 2011-12, 1,070 throughcare (in custody) cases commenced, 4 per cent higher than in 2010-11 (Table 25). Half of the total in 2011-12 were for other determinate sentences of four years and over, 21 per cent for supervised release orders and 17 per cent for extended sentences.

5.6 There were 3,200 cases in custody currently being supervised at 31 March 2012, the highest in any of the last five years. Just over half of the numbers at March 2012 were for other determinate sentences of four years and over, with 22 per cent for life licenses and 16 per cent for extended sentences.

5.7 Information on voluntary assistance (VA) was collected for the first time in 2004-05 and, from 2005-06 onwards, included data on the throughcare addiction service (see §5.9). In 2011-12, 2,600 voluntary assistance cases commenced, a decrease of 4 per cent on the previous year (Tables 1 & 26). Numbers have fluctuated slightly over the last five years, with the highest total in 2008-09 (2,900).

5.8 The number of individuals receiving voluntary assistance in 2011-12 rose slightly to around 2,400 individuals, an increase of 3 per cent compared to 2010-11, although lower than the recent peak of over 2,500 in 2008-09

5.9 The throughcare addiction service (TAS) commenced on 1 August 2005 and forms part of the voluntary aftercare service. Further information is available in the Notes and Definitions at §11.28. Of the voluntary assistance cases commenced, 1,490 related to TAS in 2011-12 - 2 per cent lower than in 2010-11.