Evaluation of Sixteen Women's Community Justice Services in Scotland

Footnotes

1. In Scotland, local authorities have a duty to provide criminal justice social work services in the community.

2. Excludes women for whom nature of engagement in WCJSs was unknown.

3. Figures report progress for women who entered with identified needs in each area.

4. Figures report progress for women who entered with identified needs in each area.

5. The amount and timeframe of funding varied across services (see section 3.2).

6. The 16 WCJSs were supported to develop local logic models unique to their own services in late 2013/ early 2014.

7. This did not include Aberdeenshire's development project (see Table 1 and/or Annex E), which focused on scoping out existing service provision and did not make direct changes in service delivery.

8. The tool was based on that used in the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund evaluation (RRP2). Standardised progress data was not applicable to the Kilmarnock Court Action Note project or available for women in Highland WCJS (see Table 1 and/or Annex E).

9. Hedderman and Gunby's (2013) study of sentencers' perspectives on women's centres in England (which operate outside CJSW) indicated that they tended not to view the centres as alternatives to custody. Reassurance of their effectiveness to reduce offending (among other changes) was required before they could be considered as more than a useful supplement to community sentences.

10. For example, the Willow Centre facilitated training, resources and support to other WCJSs as part of a Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority (CJA) partnership to develop local responses.

11. In the Northern CJA.

12. This includes women in targeted projects, e.g. Kilmarnock's Court Action Note service, Forth Valley's Criminal Justice Link Nurse, and Ayrshire's diversion ('early intervention') project. This does not include incomplete or ineligible referrals to WCJSs.

13. Practitioners recorded women's characteristics and criminal justice information on their entry to the WCJS. Data was not gathered in Aberdeenshire's development project.

14. Excludes one outlier (75 year old woman with underlying health needs).

15. See Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2013-14: Table 11
http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0046/00469252.pdf
[Accessed 5 May 2015]

16. See Analysis of Equality Results from the 2011 Census
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/10/8378/3
[Accessed 5 May 2015]

17. In total, 1,039 women entered WCJSs between April and December 2014. Presenting needs data was not available for 302 women (including those in Highland WCJS and Kilmarnock project due to unique categorisations).

18. This does not include 'other' needs recorded for 24 women, which included pregnancy, caring responsibilities, or gambling addictions.

19. The range is broad due in part to small numbers of women in one service and different target groups of women within the WCJSs in which trauma or abuse was measured.

20. Criminogenic needs are defined slightly differently across existing literature; this evaluation refers to those used in the Offender Assessment System in England.

21. LS/CMI assessments are completed for individuals pre-sentence to inform community sentencing decisions and for individuals subject to statutory supervision.

22. 43% (50) of women in TWG did not have an up-to-date or available LS/CMI score.

23. Note, this is for context only; the two populations are not directly comparable due to different time periods and because not all women's sentences are supervised within WCJSs (in CJSW). The figure is based on all females in Scotland with a proven charge in 2013-14 issued a community sentence. See Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2013-14. Table 11.
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/12/1343/downloads

24. This tended to be women in custody who were preparing for release on throughcare, or, in the case of Highland for example, engaged in WCJS programmes on day release.

25. 933 out of 1,363 women in WCJSs between April and December 2014 (excludes 232 women for whom nature of engagement in WCJSs was unknown, and 183 women in Kilmarnock's Court Action Note service for whom nature of engagement was not applicable).

26. For example, statutory throughcare in North and South Lanarkshire is jointly provided by a multi-agency Justice Throughcare Team, which provides intensive support to individuals on release before transferring them to a local CJSW team.

27. The percentages presented here differ slightly from Table 6 because the calculations exclude Kilmarnock and Ayrshire projects, in which throughcare is outside the service scope.

28. This tended to be women in custody who were preparing for release on throughcare, or, in the case of Highland for example, engaged in WCJS programmes on day release.

29. Women who serve more than four years in custody are released under statutory supervision.

30. Voluntary throughcare (assistance) is available to individuals who are not subject to statutory throughcare, but who request support from CJSW while in custody or within 12 months of release.

31. In total, 37 women were in WCJSs subject to statutory throughcare between April and December 2014. For context, 72 women were on statutory throughcare in CJSW across Scotland in 2012-13. See Number of Cases by Gender and Type of Case, 2012-13,
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/Datasets/Tcare

32. This includes WCJSs in Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

33. The Ayrshire project was agreed between the Police and the Procurator Fiscal. Referrals were a response to a specific low-level offence where the woman had a maximum of one previous formal adult warning.

34. 290 women out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

35. 289 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

36. Individuals may have their benefit stopped or reduced if they fail to comply with benefit rules. The most common reasons for sanctions are not turning up to Jobcentre appointments, failing to look for work, or not taking part in an employment or training scheme (for certain benefits).
https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/benefit-sanctions-and-what-to-do-about-them
[Accessed 5 May 2015].

37. This included the Glen Isla Project, Dundee, Fife, TWG, North Lanarkshire, Willow, Ayrshire, and Highland (women's worker was located in the substance misuse team). Renfrewshire WCJSs shared a building with registered mental health staff and Throughcare Addictions Services.

38. 225 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded (comprised of 192 (26%) women with physical health needs and 70 (9%) with sexual health issues).

39. 576 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

40. The Willow Centre had separately funded services, in which they could offer specialist services to women with borderline personality disorder or depression (e.g. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Mentalisation Based Therapy (MBT) and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)).

41. 437 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

42. 380 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

43. 448 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

44. The term 'engagement' was used to refer to a range of activities, from strategies with women to 'enter' WCJSs (as covered in this section) through to facilitating women's access to mainstream support (e.g. health and housing services, covered in outcomes section 7). The distinction between was not always clear due to the multi-disciplinary nature of WCJSs and the broad use of the term 'service'.

45. Only 5% of women on CPOs had a programme requirement (compared to 66% with supervision and 49% on unpaid work requirements), which suggests this practice is widespread (see Table 15).

46. In the Glen Isla Project, women with higher needs/risk typically received a HTSDS (60% compared to 0-5% in any other WCJS) to allow 3-6 months for initial assessment and intensive support, which will later be reviewed and may change to a lower tariff, CPO or admonishment.

47. 339 out of 514 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014. Excludes Kilmarnock Court Action Note project.

48. 74 out of 514 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014. Excludes Kilmarnock Court Action Note project.

49. Includes three women who stopped attending but their voluntary or statutory status was unknown (therefore not shown in Table 9).

50. 144 out of 440 women who entered WCJSs between April and December 2014 on a statutory basis. Excludes 73 women with unknown length of sentence and 130 women from the Kilmarnock Court Action Note service.

51. This includes selected WCJSs (Fife, Dundee and Willow Centre) that existed prior to the Scottish Government funding to assess longer timeframes of engagement (not limited by implementation). Full exit data was unavailable for Aberdeen's Connection service.

52. Not including projects in Kilmarnock, South Ayrshire and Forth Valley.

53. Note that there was some inherent bias given that most women interviewed were participating in WCJSs' group-based activities (e.g. drop-ins). Interviews with more women who did not attend group settings may have contributed other views and experiences.

54. Existing studies indicate that women are responsive to strength-based approaches rather than having their behaviour and attitudes challenged (Trotter et al, 2012)^[xxii]. The reports from women interviewed here suggest this may be more nuanced, relying on the nature of relationship and skill of the practitioner to do this in a positive, strength-based way, and in the context of strong and caring relationships.

55. http://www.otbds.org/twg/
[Accessed 5 May 2015]

56. Women in the Willow Centre successfully applied for funding from the SeeMe campaign for a user-led group JustUs, which aims to address issues of mental health discrimination and stigma for women in the justice system.

57. Progress data is not included (or applicable) for projects in Aberdeenshire's development project, Highland's WCJS or Kilmarnock's Court Action Note service.

58. This includes women in WCJSs who entered prior to April 2014.

59. 339 out of 406 women who were in WCJSs between April and December 2014.

60. 125 out of 406 women who were in WCJSs between April and December 2014.

61. Figures report (negative) progress for women who entered with identified needs in each area.

62. 250 women out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

63. 73 out of 129 women who entered between April and December 2014 in 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

64. 64 out of 358 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

65. 290 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

66. 88 out of 689 women who entered between April and December 2014 who had housing status assessed when they entered WCJSs.

67. 77 out of 137 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

68. 294, 36, and 24 (respectively) out of 354 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

69. 48 out of 137 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

70. 289 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

71. 70 out of 160 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

72. 192 and 32 (respectively) out of 237 women who entered between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

73. 80 out of 349 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

74. 437 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

75. 98 out of 190 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

76. Women were considered to have 'serious' substance misuse issues if it interfered with their daily functioning.

77. 115 of 337 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

78. 576 women out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

79. 95 out of 184 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

80. 78 out of 347 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

81. 214 and 280 (respectively) out of 398 women who entered between April and December 2014 and had mental health progress assessed (mental health deteriorated for 12 women).

82. 118 women reported being stressed or anxious at the time of their progress assessment compared to 184 women when they entered the WCJSs.

83. 225 women out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded (comprised of 192 (26%) women with physical health needs and 70 (9%) with sexual health issues).

84. 49 out of 123 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

85. 16 out of 33 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

86. 83 out 346 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

87. 20 out of 331 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

88. 425 women out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

89. 86 out of 233 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

90. 195 out of 349 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

91. 380 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

92. 488 out of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs data recorded.

93. 90 out of 249 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

94. 93 out of 318 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

95. 86 out of 148 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

96. 74 out of 138 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

97. 41 out of 90 women who entered between April and December 2014 in a 'negative state' for this outcome and whose progress was assessed.

98. In the group of 737 women who entered between April and December 2014 with presenting needs recorded: on average, women who believed offending was acceptable had nine needs compared to five among women who did not. Similarly, those who did not believe they could desist had nine needs compared to five needs among women who believed they could desist.

99. 23 out of 274 women who exited WCJSs between April and December 2014 and whose progress was assessed.

100. Women who breached their order were immediately arrested.

101. http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Additional-funding-for-female-offenders-1556.aspx

102. Note, a value for money assessment was outside the scope of this evaluation. Evaluation arrangements were not a specific focus of interviews; findings are based on secondary sources and observations in implementing the evaluation tool.

103. This is a Justice Outcome in the Justice Strategy for Scotland 2012, which is linked to the key priority of 'reducing reoffending'.

104. Data was not gathered in Aberdeenshire's development project.

105. Standardised progress data was not available for Kilmarnock or Highland projects.

106. The service user questionnaire was not yet validated, and was considered by practitioners to lack measures in some areas e.g. understanding and symptoms of trauma.