Agenda item

An introduction will be provided by the Director of the IOM followed by a presentation by the IOM Strategic Lead. A discussion session will follow.

The Chair welcomed MOPAC’s (Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime) Director of Integrated Offender Management, Programmes and Neighbourhoods, Marie Snelling to the meeting to take part in the discussions on the implementation of the IOM model within the borough.

The IOM Strategic Lead, Gareth Llywelyn-Roberts, gave an overview of the new IOM initiative being rolled out in Haringey focused on establishing a single, cutting edge, co-located multi-agency unit to tackle a cohort of core offenders within the borough. The principle objective of the unit was to reduce reoffending by using a ‘change or challenge’ approach focused on the offender as opposed to the offence in order to disrupt the offender’s criminal activities. Details were provided on the structure of the unit and the links to support services and pathways, the unit’s core outcomes and identified targets and the interplay with other service areas including housing, Job Centre Plus, Integrated Gangs Unit etc. 

The clear benefits were outlined of the establishment of the IOM unit underpinned by a borough focused, shared vision and which included benefits both to the individual offender including continuity of service in the transition from youth to adult services and a focus on the needs of the offender, as well as to partners in facilitating joint working between key agencies and enhancing linkages with other key work areas such as gangs., YOS etc. 

The Partnership recognised and passed on their praise for the progress made to date in developing and implementing the IOM unit and the clear vision established. It was advised that the IOM would be launched in the new year, with the Leader and Chief Executive of the Council involved in promoting the IOM at a London level. It was advised that at a pan London level, authorities were at different stages of implementation and/or approach, although there was a common focus on transforming rehabilitation, transitional services and health and mental health engagement. The CSP was informed that a draft health in the criminal justice system strategy was being developed in the new year.

In response to a question regarding the key risks for the IOM going forward, it was advised that although these were hard to anticipate to a degree with the approach being so new, future resourcing was likely to be an issue in recognition of the current financial climate. The setting of clear financial outcomes and payment by results would need to be a primary focus of the unit going forward to demonstrate the effectiveness and future cost savings arising from the approach.

Other key specific local issues identified included those around IT systems and information sharing, compounded by the need for the unit to collate information from agencies multiple IT systems, with the associated bureaucracy, into one case management system. An additional significant challenge would be ensuring the IOM approach was linked into other key strategic policies and directions set across the partnership such as Tottenham regeneration etc. It was acknowledged that the linkages of the IOM to mental health services might be an issue going forward, in particular the need for improved initial assessment data to act as a baseline against which future service need could be assessed and tailored. 

Issues were also likely in relation to managing offender’s release from prison, particularly where offenders were serving sentence at prisons outside of London and where locality release arrangements were not working effectively to ensure a link was establish to local engagement services. A dedicated IOM prison link officer would help to reduce the potential for communication problems and facilitate managed prison release into local services.

RESOLVED

·         That the update be noted.