Angus
DETAILS
Local Authority area:
Angus
Primary Courts of relevance:
Forfar Sheriff Court & Dundee Sheriff Court
All information provided by:
Angus Community Justice Partnership
Angus Community Justice Information
Published: 30 November 2021
The information on this page has been provided by Community Justice Partnerships. Community Justice Scotland is not responsible for the accuracy of the information and is unable to respond to direct queries. All such queries in respect of the information shown on this page should be directed to the Community Justice Partnership to which it relates.
This information will be reviewed and updated where required.
This document may not be fully accessible.
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.