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Introduction
Angus Community Justice Partnership (ACJP) comprises of various representatives from the statutory, private and third sector agencies and services, who strive to prevent and reduce offending by addressing its underlying causes. Our key focus is on; delivering a fair and equal service that safely and effectively supports and manages those who have committed offences or are on the periphery of the justice system reintegrate back into their community, reduce and repair the harm caused to victims and communities through crime, and maintain the public’s trust in the justice system.
Background
Community justice is described as:
"The collection of individuals, agencies and services that work together to support, manage and supervise people who have committed offences, from the point of arrest, through prosecution, community disposal or custody and alternatives to these, until they are reintegrated into the community. Local communities and the third sector are a vital part of this process, which aims to prevent and reduce further offending and the harm that it causes, to promote desistance, social inclusion and citizenship."
The Community Justice model was specifically designed to help deliver a community solution to achieve improved outcomes:
- to prevent and reduce further offending
- and support desistance
The model is underpinned by the Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (‘Act’) and places a legal duty on community justice partnerships to involve and encourage their community in the planning of services. To help gain a better understanding of local concerns, where they can be part of the decision-making progress to solve the issues affecting their community.
The ‘Act’ states, community justice partnerships must work together to develop a Community Justice Outcomes Improvement Plan (CJOIP) that sets out proposed priority improvement actions for their area, which must also reflect the Scottish Government’s Priorities and National Outcomes for Community Justice.
Once the review has been completed, partnerships must either publish a revised plan or publish a position statement indicating there is no need for the plan to be changed.
Partnerships must also review their CJOIP as soon as possible after:
- the publication of a revised strategy under section 16(2) ‘Act’
- the publication of a revised framework under section 18(4)(a) ‘Act’
- the publication of a revised local outcomes improvement plan in relation to the area under section 7(5) of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015
- otherwise, from time to time
The initial Angus CJOIP (ACJOIP) for 2017-2020 was endorsed by the Community Planning Partnership Board on 23 March 2017. Although the original plan has expired, as many of the priorities remain relevant to Angus the partnership have agree to continue our focus on these priorities over the next three financial years – 2020 to 2023, with an updated Action Plan sitting alongside the original plan, accessed via the link below.
The ’Act’ also places an obligation on all partnerships across Scotland to submit a yearly outcome activity report by the end of September, that takes in to account the national indicators set out in the National Outcomes, Performance, and Improvement Framework (OIPF). The report must also highlight the collaborative work undertaken by partnerships during the reporting period along with feedback from the public on service delivery throughout that year.
Partnerships receive a report template and guidance annually each March from Community Justice Scotland (CJS), to be completed and returned to them by 30 September. The ACJP annual reports over the past three financial years can be accessed via the ACJP web page
All the local authority reports will then be analysed by CJS to provide a collective account on the performance of the local areas across Scotland in relation to achieving the national determined outcomes, with the final report published the following March.
ACJP Position as of July 2022
A joint statement was issued by the Scottish Government and CJS in May 2021 highlighting the need to review both the National Strategy for Community Justice, recently published and the Community Justice Outcomes, Performance, and Improvement Framework (CJOPIF) originally published on 24 November 2016 under Sections 15 and 17 of the ‘Act’.
Under Section 16, Scottish Ministers must review the strategy no later than five years after publication, then either publish a revised strategy or issue a statement indicating there is no requirement for the strategy to be revised.
Similarly, section18 requires CJS to review the CJOPIF no later than five years after it was initially published and then must either; set out proposals to Scottish Ministers for a revision of the framework or publish a statement indicating there is no need for the framework to be revised.
Scottish Ministers have a duty to consider the proposals made to these documents and either publish a revised strategy and/or framework reflecting any changes they consider appropriate; or issue a statement specifying there is no requirement for these to be revised.
The Scottish Government undertook a review of the national strategy in summer 2021. Although initially intended to be published by March 2022, due to the pandemic and the forthcoming pre-election, publication was delayed until June 2022.
The review included a series of online consultation workshops open to partnerships, stakeholders, and other interested parties, along with a launch of a national review consultation in September 2021 - ACJP submitted our response prior to closure at the end of November 2021.#
CJS embarked on a project in early 2021 to review the CJOPIF:
- Phase 1; involved evidence gathering and developing specific proposals regarding the direction of the framework
- Phase 2; refining the proposed revision took place between July and November 2021
- Phase 3; involved testing out the revised framework
The aim of the project was to publish the new framework by March 2022, however due to a delay in the review of the Strategy it is now likely to be published in spring 2023. Meantime, Scottish Ministers have advised, any partnerships considering publishing a new plan, to delay this until the two revised documents have both been published.
AJCP Position
Part 6 of the ‘Guidance for Local Partners in the New Model for Community Justice’ was produced in 2016 to support partnership collaboration. The document provides detailed information and advice as to what partnerships should consider when developing their CJPOIP (Part 6 relates to sections 19-23 of the ‘Act’, with the guidance produced under section 24, where statutory partners must adhere to when exercising their functions under sections 19-23).
The guidance in Part 6 remains relevant today to help partnerships prepare a ‘community justice baseline needs assessment’ specific to community justice issues within their local area.
As the ACJOIP was due for renewal, the partnership agreed to continue progressing various key actions set out in the 2017-2020 plan over the following three years.
In February 2020, CJS developed guidance for community justice partnerships to aid them in the compiling of a Strategic Needs and Strengths Assessment (SNSA).
The cover paper accompanying the guidance explains the development of a SNSA, viewed as:
- a crucial step in the analysis and reporting of local priorities
- the foundation on which local areas can understand its citizens needs and the services and interventions already in place locally
The document states:
Given the importance of this, CJS requires all Partnerships to prioritise the development of a robust SNSA as an activity in the forthcoming year
The partnership has agreed to prioritise the development of a robust SNSA of community justice in Angus during 2022-2023. Whilst the SNSA is being developed and we await the publication of a new CJSOPIF, we will update our plan to continue to advance the existing priorities previously identified for the Angus area, whilst also taking account of the ongoing impact from the pandemic.
Therefore, we will be specifically focusing on the following key areas:
Equal opportunity in Accessing Services
- Employment/Training/Volunteering
- Health & Wellbeing: Mental and Physical
- Alcohol & Drug issues
- Housing
Improving Community Understanding and Participation of Community Justice
- Community Engagement via raising awareness sessions/surveys/events/questionnaires/case studies
- Engage with victims of crime
- Peer Mentoring
Evidence-based Interventions
- Effective early intervention & prevention programmes; Judiciary ‘information sharing template
- Support individuals from time of arrest and throughout their journey within the Justice System
- Promote alternatives to Prosecution i.e., Diversion
- Alternatives to Remand: Bail/Bail Supervision
- Availability of robust community-based disposals i.e., Community Payback Orders/Unpaid Work, Low/High Structured Deferred Sentence, Community Support Services
Strengthening of Whole Systems Approach
- Learning sessions for public and third sector and stakeholder workforces
- Develop protocols and pathways between services
- Closer links between Children & Adult Services
- Trauma Informed Approach
Strategic Planning and Partnership Collaboration
- SNSA i.e., Eradicating Violence against Women and Girls
These specific priorities follow on from the original plan and aligned with the Structural Outcomes for Community Justice developed by the Scottish Government.
ACJP remain committed in our strategic focus to collaboratively work towards Angus becoming a safer, fairer and inclusive community.