The Preliminary Evaluation of a New Approach to Arrest Referral in Birmingham (UK)
| Author | Maria Smith,Stephen Donaldson,Griff Gore,Deborah Walker |
| DOI | 10.1350/pojo.77.4.287.58963 |
| Published date | 01 November 2004 |
| Date | 01 November 2004 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
STEPHEN DONALDSON
Arrest referral worker and researcher, West Midlands Police
MARIA SMITH
Data analyst, Birmingham Arrest Referral Treatment Team
GRIFF GORE
Team leader, Birmingham Arrest Referral Treatment Team
DEBORAH WALKER
Police Inspector and Community Against Drugs Co-ordinator,
West Midlands Police
THE PRELIMINARY EVALUATION
OF A NEW APPROACH TO
ARREST REFERRAL IN
BIRMINGHAM (UK)*
Arrest referral has been identified as a key point of intervention
for offenders who have a drug problem and who have been
arrested. Previous research has however raised concerns from
both service users and professionals surrounding the need for
independence of arrest referral schemes from the police. Given
that arrest referral workers in Birmingham are police-
employed and that the arrest referral process has its own
dedicated NHS-based treatment team, the current article looks
at the potential of this new approach in contacting, referring
and treating problematic drug users. A retrospective analysis of
referrals made to treatment by arrest referral workers and
treatment engagement was conducted. Within a six-month
period 394 referrals were made to treatment, with 33.2% of
those referred making a treatment demand. Offending and drug
expenditure among the group was high. As with other
schemes, ethnic minorities and women were under-represented
in the numbers of both those referred and those engaging in
treatment. The current article argues that, given the need for
arrest referral schemes to work closely with the police in order
to access and refer service users, arrest referral schemes are
more reliant on good worker–client relationships and con-
fidentiality than independence.
The Police Journal, Volume 77 (2004) 287
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