Ending the revolving door
On 16 November, the people of England and Wales will wake up having elected the first generation of Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). Speaking recently to candidates for the role, Policing Minister Damien Green described the elections as “the most significant democratic reform of policing in our lifetime”. There is no doubt that PCCs will be vitally important local leaders, responsible not just for policing but also for reducing crime. With less than one quarter of crime committed by people with no previous criminal offences, PCCs will need to focus on reducing reoffending if they are to deliver on manifesto promises to make their communities safer. Our briefing for PCCs, published today, sets out our key messages on how PCCs can cut crime by working in partnership to address the multiple and complex needs of offenders.
Our work demonstrates that many of those in regular contact with the police and the wider justice system have a complex range of health and social care needs. Many have mental health problems alongside a number of other needs including drug and alcohol misuse and homelessness. They have become stuck, we say, in a revolving door of crisis and crime. This revolving door is costly for them, for the communities in which they live and for future PCCs.
The National Audit Office estimates the cost of reoffending nationally to be between £7 billion and £10 billion: the equivalent of holding the London 2012 Olympics every year. The most efficient and cost effective way of reducing crime and reoffending among offenders with multiple needs is through a combination of early intervention, effective liaison and diversion and the provision of coordinated treatment and support services in the community. Our briefing urges PCCs to commission creatively in order to ensure the provision of such services in their areas.
PCCs will be visible and powerful leaders. Our briefing urges them to take the lead in galvanising local partnerships, working with local health and social care delivery partners. The Centre for Mental Health estimate that up to 15% of incidents with which the police deal have some mental health dimension. Successive governments of all parties have recognised the need to address the mental health needs of offenders in order to reduce reoffending. The current government is rolling out the liaison and diversion programme which takes forward this work and aims to hardwire health provision in custodial settings.
PCCs will be elected to represent the whole community and are expected to represent all groups including victims and the most vulnerable. Our briefing asks PCCs to engage with people with multiple needs who come into contact with the police as both offenders and victims and to listen to their views on how services can be improved in order to reduce reoffending.
In the coming weeks, we are planning to meet with a selection of the 164 candidates who have so far declared or been selected to stand for the office of PCC. We look forward to hearing their views and working with them to end the revolving door of crisis and crime leading to safer communities with fewer victims of crime.
With thanks to the Barrow Cadbury Trust who support this project.
