Glasgow to develop alternatives to remand programme for young people

A new programme which will create an alternative to remand for young people going through the court system has been launched by Glasgow City Council Social Care services.

Based on the successful Intensive Monitoring and Support Service (ISMS), the alternative to remand programme will see a multi-agency approach to working with young people under the age of eighteen while they remain the community. The service will draw upon expertise in Social Work, Education, Forensic Mental Health, Addiction Services and the voluntary sector as the young person awaits trial. Support can be delivered seven days a week and up to 24-hours a day where necessary.

Remanding young people to secure accommodation places significant costs upon the Council. A secure placement costs around £5000 per week and in 2007/08 fifty-eight young people were remanded through the courts, which left the Council with a bill of £1.8m.

In contrast the ISMS service costs approximately £1000 per week, but has also seen offending reduced by 50% for those going through the service, a reduction which has been sustained.  The existing service has also seen a 40% reduction in the number of young people being sent to secure care through the Children’s Hearing system.

It’s this kind of evidence which gives Social Care Services the belief that the service can handle young people who are remanded through the courts as well as those are placed in secure care through the Children’s Hearing Service. It is also driven by recent figures which indicate that just 8% of young people who were remanded into secure care were subsequently sentenced to imprisonment.

At the launch Councillor Archie Graham, the Council’s Executive Member for Social Care, said he felt the service could make a wide-ranging difference.

He said: “Placing young people in remand comes with a huge cost, not only financially but also in respect of the impact it has on the individuals concerned.

“Education, training or employment opportunities are disrupted or lost and the support which can make a difference is often difficult to access.

“Everything with ISMS points towards better outcomes for the young people, communities and the tax payers and we therefore feel it is sensible to extend the service to include those facing remand.”

David Williams, Assistant Director for Social Care Services, added: “Our experience with ISMS has shown that we can manage high risk, chaotic and vulnerable young people in the community, safely, effectively and efficiently.

“ISMS has been successful as an alternative to secure care for young people, delivering a significant reduction in offending as well bringing down the number of people being placed in secure care. The reduction in offending has been sustained over a long period.

“We are confident our success with ISMS can be translated into a robust community alternative for those facing remand through the courts.”

The service will only be aimed at young people under 18 for whom bail is being opposed.  This is to ensure that resources are directed to those most in need. It will apply to summary and petition hearings in the Sheriff Court only.

A small team of ISMS workers will operate within Glasgow Sheriff Court and they will conduct initial assessments which provide an indication of suitability for the service.

Glasgow Sheriff Ian Miller also spoke at the launch. He indicated that remand for a young person was always considered to be a last resort and said that he believed the new ISMS – alternative to remand service had ‘great potential’.

He added: “I wish the ISMS team well in their difficult task, and look forward to seeing the results reflected, not in dry statistics, but in lives redirected and changed for the better for themselves and for the community in which they live.”