The Scottish executive has scrapped plans for a single correction service but still wants the prison service, police and social services to work closer together in tackling offending.
The social care sector, which had opposed the plans, welcomed the decision not to merge the 32 local authority criminal justice social work departments with the prison service. Ninety-five per cent of respondents to a recent consultation opposed the plans.
Instead, justice minister Cathy Jamieson announced last week an overhaul of the current system, which will see new regional authorities co-ordinate criminal justice services, a legislative duty for social services and the prison service to work in partnership, and a greater role for social workers in the management of sexual offenders.
Ruth Stark, professional officer at the British Association of Social Workers, said she was relieved the executive decided against a single agency, but said more needed to be known about the plans.
"This reinforces a key role of social work as working with offenders," she said. "But getting 32 social work departments and the prison service to work together is going to be a hard task. I'm pleased with what I've seen but want more information."
She welcomed the plan's emphasis on social work training, community sentencing and wider view of the contributory factors to reoffending, such as substance misuse.
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities social work spokesperson councillor Eric Jackson called the decision not to pursue a single agency "a victory for common sense".
"There are a lot of challenges in the new arrangements but we are confident of meeting these as we work towards our joint vision with the executive of reducing reoffending rates," he added.
Jamieson said partnership arrangements between the prison service and criminal justice social services were not working effectively and there was too much inconsistency in offender management services.
The eight informal regional criminal social work groupings will be replaced with community justice authorities. These will implement locally the national strategy on offender management drawn up by a national advisory body.
Other proposals include training 400 police and social workers in assessing the risk sex offenders' pose and extra funding for alcohol and drug treatments to tackle one of the main reasons behind reoffending.
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Government Legislation
17 July 2008
Private Member Bills
17 July 2008
Details of government consultations
11 July 2008
