Tayside Community Justice Authority is bowing out with an impressive record in cutting re-conviction rates and praise for successful initiatives targeting areas including domestic abuse and female offenders.
The multi-agency body involving the partner authorities of Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross council’s is due to be disbanded next April in a nationwide shake-up of community justice responsibilities.
TCJA has been in existence since 2007 and data has revealed continuing success in the effort to cut down on re-offending which has seen a reconviction rate reduction of twice the national average during the life of the organisation.
Although the last two annual data sets have shown a reconviction rate upturn in two of the three council areas, TCJA strategic planning officer Karen Moir said the long-term trend was well ahead of the national position.
Since the formation of CJAs the percentage change in reconviction rates has been -23.5%, -31.7% and -33.3% in Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross council areas respectively. In the same period the Scotland-wide figure was -14.5%.
Male reconviction rates have reduced by 29.9% across the full period, with the female figure down by a significant 40.6%, including almost 20% in the last two reporting terms.
But the full effectiveness of the TCJA in cutting re-offending will not be known until well after its successor body comes into being.
“The production of reconviction data is a lengthy process,” said Ms Moir. “Data relating to penalties imposed in the current year will not be published as reconviction rate data until 2018.
“Therefore any conclusions as to the effectiveness of a sentence or intervention are undeniably undermined by such a long time lag.”
Despite the officer’s caveat, TCJA members said there was no doubt that schemes such as the Tayside Intensive Support Service have played their part in cutting re-offending, with Angus statistics for the past year indicating a 77% reduction in reported crimes recorded against individuals who signed up for the programme.
Forfar councillor Glennis Middleton said: “The annual report once again demonstrates the really great partnerships that have developed over time.
“I can remember the first CJA meeting and since then a tremendous level of trust and respect has been built, and the work of the people at the coal face of community justice has been incredible.
“We are in a period of incredible change and budget pressures but throughout the existence of the TCJA the contribution of everyone including local authority staff, prison service, police and health service has been tremendous.”
