Addressing repeat low-level offending: A whole-system approach to diversion
Around 29,000 people in England and Wales are caught in the cycle of repeat reoffending fuelled by multiple disadvantage. They account for more than 130,000 offences each year, costing an estimated £23 billion annually. Evan just a 1% reduction in reoffending would save approximately £65 million per year.
The time to act – to break these cycles – is now.
Many established diversion schemes are police-led. For those in the revolving door, the police will be one of the first contacts they have with the criminal justice system. That encounter will determine whether they are drawn into the system, or diverted towards support. But police alone cannot break the cycle of crisis and crime.
We know from our evidence base and the experiences of our members that a truly effective solution to the revolving door has to go further: it requires a whole-system approach.
Offering lifelines such as stable housing, mental health, treatment for addiction, early diversion and peer support services is the strongest and most sustainable way to break cycles of crisis and crime. At Revolving Doors, we are working with leading local authorities, including Greater Manchester, to help design, establish and implement this approach, building happier, healthier, safer communities where people can reach their full potential.
Partnership is key: collective approaches, with lived experience at their heart. With this in mind, we have utilised our expertise as a credible, constructive and influential partner across policy, research and delivery to design this step-by-step guide to the whole-system approach to tackling the revolving door.
