Plans and Projects
INTRODUCTION
In November 2007, the government released its new national strategy for the criminal justice system (’CJS’). Called ‘Working Together to Cut Crime and Deliver Justice: a Strategic Plan for 2008-2011’, the document states the government vision for the criminal justice system founded on four key principles. By 2011, the CJS will be one that:
- Is more effective in bringing offences to justice, especially serious offences;
- Engages the public and inspires confidence;
- Puts the needs of victims at its heart;
- Has simple and efficient processes.
The vision incorporates the Criminal Justice System Public Service Agreement (‘PSA’) 24: ‘Deliver a more effective, transparent and responsive criminal justice service for victims and the public’.
Each year, central government allocates targets to all the individual Local Criminal Justice Boards of England & Wales that are designed to contribute to the overall delivery of the current strategy. Boards must then devise their own delivery plan, taking into account both the national strategic demands, their locally decided priorities and available resources.
The Cumbria Criminal Justice Board 'Business Delivery Plan 2008-2011' reflects the national vision for criminal justice and provides details as to what the Board aims to achieve in the current year. The document will be refreshed annually to incorporate future targets or areas of business which the Board intends to pursue. The Business Delivery Plan will also provide an overview of the key delivery programmes that will help us meet these goals.
A full copy of the Business Delivery Plan is available on request to the Board support team.
SOME CURRENT PROJECTS
Minimum Dataset Project
The Minimum Dataset Specification (MDS) is a new approach to the collection, use and analysis of ethnicity data. Every Criminal Justice Board is expected to adopt the Minimum Dataset Specification by March 2011, as part of their commitment to achieving PSA24. By adopting MDS, we will improve our ability to understand and address any race disproportionality in the criminal justice process.
Cumbria began this project in September 2009 and is currently in the process of collecting and analysing existing relevant ethnicity data from a range of local agencies. The next step (early 2010) is to identify any potential race disproportionality and, if necessary, to devise a cross-agency action plan to address any identified issues.
Electronic Justice
Cumbria fully supports the vision of electronic justice. The aim is to provide a criminal justice system that makes best use of all possible technology, thus creating a completely electronic system throughout the agencies. The following projects seek to improve Cumbria’s use of technology, thus supporting the aims of Principle 2 – Simple, Efficient Process.
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New software and hardware enables the Police to provide a digital recording of interview at custody. This recording can then be accessed by police staff to produce a typed record of interview. The benefits of this digital process can be evidenced by the enhanced quality of recording, speedier transfer of data and the ability to completely eliminate the need for hard media.
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A collaborative workspace enables information and case data to be shared electronically. This eliminates the need for paper based systems and supports the Flanagan report for reducing bureaucracy. This workspace will enable police to “post” information (such as the transcript from the digital recording of interview) onto a web space. This can then be securely accessed by partner agencies throughout the criminal justice process, thereby creating a lean, efficient transfer of data.
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By maximising our ability to carry out video conferencing, we can assist in a speedy progress of cases through the system. This is particularly relevant in Cumbria given our vast geographical area. Not only does this encapsulate video conferencing links from prison to court and prison to probation, it also includes the capability to use video conferencing for statutory charging purposes. All of these functions, reduce the daily movement of staff and offenders, which in turn results in increased productivity and reduced travel time and costs.
Compliance & Enforcement
A key responsibility of the criminal justice system is to ensure that those found guilty of crimes adhere to the sentences, restrictions and conditions imposed on them by the courts or through out-of-court disposals. This area of activity can be summarised under the heading of 'compliance and enforcement'.
Criminal Justice Boards and individual agencies have always had performance expectations placed upon them and, in broad terms, Cumbria has performed well in recent years in respect of compliance and enforcement measures. However, there is always a desire to achieve more in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.
Consequently, there are presently four performance areas that are the focus of additional national effort. These are: licence management; defendant attendance / Fail-to-Appear Warrants; community penalties; and fines enforcement.
In addition to these four core areas, Cumbria Criminal Justice Board has also chosen two localised performance areas to focus on, namely Anti-social Behaviour Orders and Bail Management.
Youth Restorative Disposals
Youth Restorative Disposals ('YRDs') are designed to address relatively low-level first-time offending by youths aged between 10 years and 17 years of age. They are simple and quick to apply, flexible in approach, and avoid unnecessary time, effort and expense in placing the offender before a court in straightforward cases where guilt is acknowledged.
Through the work of pilot programmes around the country, including one running in south Cumbria since April 2008, YRDs have been identified as having considerable benefits for speedier justice and have the broad support of victims and complainants. A critical element in the effectiveness of YRDs is that offenders are obliged to understand the detrimental effect that their action has had on the victim - this may mean coming face-to-face with the victim and making a formal apology. This kind of approach to dealing with low-level offending by youths who have not been previously involved with the criminal justice system has been found to be a useful deterent to re-offending.
Clearly, YRDs are only suitable for use in certain cirumstances and where certain essential conditions are met. They are not intended to circumvent the formal prosecution of offenders through the courts system. Consequently, the number of YRDs issued between April 2008 and September 2009 has been just 243 in Cumbria. Nevertheless, they do make a valuable contribution to improving the way in which crime and anti-social behavior is dealt with in a form that satisfies victims, is proportional to the offence or behaviour, and is more cost-effective.
A partnership led by Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria Youth Offending Service is overseeing the roll-out of YRDs across the whole of the county up to April 2010.