Criminal justice liaison and diversion schemes - Offender Health ...

Mental health briefing 2008Box 2Recommended minimumdata setDate of referral and assessmentAge, sex and ethnicity of clientSource of referral (eg, police, court, probation)Improving working relationships andcommunication between the schemes andprison inreach teams in female prisons is alsoa priority. Initially, this may simply be a matterof establishing links with other CJLD schemesto ensure a local (to the prison) team canprovide support to the offender until they arereleased and move back to their area ofresidence.Housing, employment and relationship status ofclientCJLD scheme staff should also be aware of anygender equality strategy produced by theiragencies under the Gender Equality Duty (April2007).If more resources are made available, thenthese should be deployed in a way thatpermits more gender-specific workingpractices. This should include training forscheme staff on women’s mental health andother needs and the profile of womenoffenders.Partnership workingCurrent offence and previous convictionsReason for referralPrevious contact with mental health servicesPrimary diagnosisReferral recommendationsCriminal justice outcomeThere is clearly a need to improve andformalise links between the CJLD schemes andDARS and these links could be developed tobetter cater for those offenders with mentalhealth and substance misuse problems. Links with community-based services couldalso be improved. Signposting is limited andthus developing more formal referral linkswith appropriate local agencies (including thevoluntary sector) could result in betterattendance at follow-up services in thecommunity among CJLD clients. Schemesshould map out women’s organisations thatoffer counselling, women’s centres, womenonlyhostels, supported accommodation anddrug projects, crisis centres and services thatengage with sex workers. The Griffin Society *has a resources database which may be useful.Any gaps that exist in provision, for example alack of women-only inpatient facilities, shouldbe raised with commissioners.Performance monitoring The minimum data set defined for this studyto monitor scheme activity (set out in Box 2above) could be achieved easily (all theschemes collected these data as part of routinescreening and assessment procedures) ifresources were available for administrativesupport, including database construction andmanagement.User engagement Strategies for user engagement are at arudimentary level and should be developed.Publicity The work of the CJLD schemes needs to bepublicised via leaflets and posters at policestations and in courts and given to defencesolicitors to ensure that all criminal justiceprofessionals, offenders and detainees areaware of the services they provide.* www.thegriffinsociety.org11