Criminal Justice Accommodation Services

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Criminal Justice: Accommodation Services

Criminal justice supported accommodation is usually provided for those who are subject to a statutory order or licence and who would normally be unable to safely maintain an ordinary tenancy due to social or personal problems

Objectives

The provision of specialist accommodation for criminal justice clients has a number of objectives:

social inclusion
contribution to public safety
alternative to custodial sentence or remand and sentence
contribution to reducing the risk of re-offending
to prepare offenders to access mainstream housing
to fulfil conditions attached to probation, bail or prison release orders

Providers

Two voluntary sector organisations are currently funded by Glasgow City Council to provide accommodation with support for criminal justice clients.

The Dick Stewart Project managed by the Church of Scotland, provides 13 residential places in two registered hostel buildings, staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The programme provides up to four months accommodation for a range of clients involved with the criminal justice system, both male and female. Main service users are:

individuals subject to probation orders who require a residential programme to provide stability and a platform for work on the probation action plan
prisoners completing sentences who require a stepping-stone back to independent community living
individuals subject to supervised bail orders as an alternative to custodial remand

SACRO (Safeguarding Communities Reducing Offending) run a supported tenancy programme with five staff supporting 40 furnished tenancies provided to SACRO through the City Council's Social Work Services Homelessness Partnership. These are temporary tenancies but will lead to permanent mainstream (Glasgow Housing Association) tenancies in the event of good progress during the temporary phase.

Support provided includes:

practical tasks of managing independent living
monitoring behaviour
providing advice and support if required
advising the supervising officer in the event of any concerns

The tenancies are used for the full range of criminal justice clients subject to supervision. Referral may come direct from the community, from prison before release or from more intensively supported accommodation such as the Dick Stewart project when the client is ready to progress from hostel to more independent living.

Specialist Residential Facilities

Where it is part of a supervision management plan or there is a condition on an order requiring a drug or alcohol residential placement, the City Council funds access to specialist providers such as: