Community Payback Order: Treatment: Alcohol

Interventions suitable for

CJSW clients who have been formally assessed by the Criminal Justice Social Work Report writer as having a dependency on alcohol that has directly contributed to their offending behaviour.

Programme title and provider

Alcohol Treatment Requirement

Details of all Specific national or local scheme/intervention(s) available

An alcohol treatment requirement may be considered where the client’s dependency on alcohol has contributed to their offending behaviour and can only be imposed alongside a supervision requirement. By addressing the client’s alcohol dependency, it can reduce their risk of reoffending and improve their personal and social circumstances.
The supervising officer will hold overall responsibility for the Community Payback Order and will encourage the client’s engagement with the alcohol treatment requirement. Regular liaison between the client’s supervising officer and addiction specialists involved with their alcohol treatment requirement will take place along with regular reviews. Where appropriate the supervising officer will engage with the client’s family members to ensure the safety and wellbeing of any children and/or vulnerable people in close contact with the client.

Possible Outcomes

The aim of the alcohol treatment requirement is centered around the client’s recovery from alcohol dependency. The case management plan will be developed by their supervising officer specifying the treatment and interventions to support their recovery:

• Structured preparatory and motivational intervention
• Psychosocial intervention (such as cognitive behaviour therapy, trauma counselling or relapse prevention)
• Support for family, social and financial issues as well as preparation for education, training and employment
• Detoxification
• Structured day care programmes or more intensive residential inpatient care

The client will be encouraged and supported to participate in their recovery treatment and to follow up the goals they have set themselves.
Community Payback Order: practice guidance

Process for Assessment and/or inclusion in scheme/intervention

The Criminal Justice Social Work Report writer will assess whether the client’s offending is associated with their alcohol issues and if treatment is already in place. If treatment is in place it may not be necessary for the requirement to be imposed. However, if there have been previous issues around the lack of compliance and motivation to change, this will be taken into consideration by the report writer and discussed with specialist addiction workers to determine an effective route for treatment and offer an appropriate recommendation to the court.
Prior to an alcohol treatment being imposed as a requirement of a Community Payback Order the court must be satisfied that:

• The offender is dependent on alcohol
• The dependency requires, and may be susceptible to, treatment
• Arrangements have, or can be made, for the proposed treatment to take place including where treatment is to be residential, along with details of these arrangements

also

• That the requirement is appropriate for the client
• They are motivated to comply with the requirement and engage in treatment.

Treatment should be focused on reducing the client’s alcohol intake with the view to abstaining from alcohol if it plays a significant role in their life and is impacting on their e.g., health, relationships, employment and contributing to their offending behaviour. These factors should be highlighted in the Criminal Justice Social Work Report and where a recommendation is in place, the service or external agency the client is being referred to should also be noted.