The Preliminary Evaluation of a New Approach to Arrest Referral in Birmingham (UK)

Abstract

Arrest referral has been identified as a key point of intervention for offenders who have a drug problem and who have been arrested. Previous research has however raised concerns from both service users and professionals surrounding the need for independence of arrest referral schemes from the police. Given that arrest referral workers in Birmingham are police-employed and that the arrest referral process has its own dedicated NHS-based treatment team, the current article looks at the potential of this new approach in contacting, referring and treating problematic drug users. A retrospective analysis of referrals made to treatment by arrest referral workers and treatment engagement was conducted. Within a six-month period 394 referrals were made to treatment, with 33.2% of those referred making a treatment demand. Offending and drug expenditure among the group was high. As with other schemes, ethnic minorities and women were under-represented in the numbers of both those referred and those engaging in treatment. The current article argues that, given the need for arrest referral schemes to work closely with the police in order to access and refer service users, arrest referral schemes are more reliant on good worker-client relationships and con-fidentiality than independence.