The Home Office has published a report on the findings of the two Alcohol Arrest Referral (AAR) pilots. The AAR pilots took place between 2007 and 2010 in twelve police forces, but the evaluation did not find measurable reductions in re-offending or overall cost efficacy, despite evidence of reduced drinking.
The AAR pilots built on the early success of schemes such as the AAR in Dudley and Worcester, which were evaluated by Professor Doug Sharp in 2004. These early schemes appeared successful and roll out of similar schemes was supported by the 2007 national alcohol strategy. However a 2009 Home Office guide to setting up ARRs warned of the challenges.
The pilot schemes aimed to refer those arrested and deemed drunk to an alcohol worker to receive a brief intervention (IBA). Brief interventions included linking alcohol and the offence, with the aim of motivating a reduction in alcohol consumption and in re-offending rates. However the interventions were targeted at at-risk drinkers, yet a significant 37% to 38% of offenders identified were found to be alcohol dependent.
At an average cost of between £62 and £826 per brief intervention the schemes were not deemed cost-effective. This may be because the users of the AARs are not prolific offenders, and therefore would not be expected to show a reduction in re-offending over a relatively short period of time. The report also highlights the possibility that the brief interventions do not sufficiently tackle criminogenic needs of the offenders, as a reason for their apparent lack of effectiveness in reducing further criminal activity.
There did, however, seem to be some evidence of a reduction in consumption by scheme users. The report recommends mandatory over voluntary referral approaches to increase attendance on first appointment to maximise this opportunity for engagement. It notes a key feature of AARs working effectively was good co-operation between the Custody Suite and specialist alcohol services, coupled with high level Police commitment to champion scheme development.
Alcohol Treatment Requirements presently exist for dependent offenders, and alcohol diversion schemes have also been established. SIPs research has also examined the suitability of brief interventions in probation settings with more promising results. Resources used with offenders and more information on AAR schemes can be accessed on the Alcohol Learning Centre site. Nevertheless, the Centre for Mental Health say support for offenders with alcohol problems remains inadequate.
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