Rights, Respect and Recovery requires that “vulnerable people are diverted from the justice system wherever possible and those within justice settings are fully supported”. To achieve this outcome ADPs need to ensure that people who come into contact with justice agencies are provided with the right support from appropriate services.
The Community Justice (Scotland) Act 2016, contains the legislative duties for delivery of local services to people within, and on the edges, of the justice system. The accompanying National Strategy for Community Justice takes a public health approach and is a preventative strategy which recognises the relationship between problem alcohol and drug use and community justice, encouraging those partners involved in delivering the strategy to focus on improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities as an approach to reducing offending. The Outcomes, Performance and Improvement Framework provides a suite of actions/indicators many of which are contained and enhanced within the national documents for alcohol and drugs. The 7 outcomes are summarised in the diagram below (see next page)
Governance of community justice work currently sits with CPWD Management Board, via the Safe Delivery and Improvement Group (DIG). A strategic review is underway and updates are provided to WDADP when available.
The WDADP Justice Settings Working Group is a newly formed sub-group of WDADP. It has a joint ADP and Community Justice Delivery Plan that contributes to the ADP Strategy and implementation and the future Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plan (2021 onwards). Membership will be enhanced as required.
This provides an opportunity to bring together key justice, substance use and health representatives who can support and inform local planning and delivery for people within or on the edges of the criminal justice system. By streamlining the activity required to achieve both ADP and Community Justice outcomes we are maximising local planning resources and capacity, avoiding duplication of effort and demand across all partners. This streamlining is facilitated and supported by the Community Justice Coordinator role.
The WDADP Justice Settings Sub-Group will be included as the expert reference group for emerging developments within community justice at both national and local levels.
