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National Objectives for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System: Standards - Community Service
CHAPTER 13: MONITORING & EVALUATION
145.Information systems will be required for a variety of purposes, particularly the following:
145.1to assess the impact of Community Service on sentencing practice;
145.2to identify the characteristics of offenders given Community Service and assess their response;
145.3to assist with the efficient and effective management of local schemes, including forward planning estimates and the evaluation of professional practice;
145.4to monitor and evaluate the impact of National Standards on management and professional practice;
145.5to assess the cost-effectiveness of Community Service in relation to other court disposals;
145.6to inform and assist the review of legislation, policy and practice.
146.Much of the essential information required for these purposes is already available:
146.1SWSG currently provides each local authority with detailed information about national and local trends in sentencing practice to assist with strategic planning of social work services in the criminal courts. It will continue to provide this information annually. The amount and type of information provided will be modified in line with the planning needs of local authorities. The scope for the provision of analytical material will be considered in the light of available resources.
146.2The current national core data system for collecting, analysing and disseminating essential information will continue as the main source of statistical information about Community Service in Scotland.
147.The Community Service Officer will be responsible for the timeous completion and dispatch of Forms SWSCS 1 and SWSCS 2, (subject to 145.2 above).
148.The completed SWSCS Forms must be sent to Statistics Branch, Room 52, James Craig Walk, Edinburgh, within one month of the date of the court outcome (Form 1) or termination of the Community Service disposal (Form 2). This includes both Section 1 and Section 7 Orders. Computerised returns of Forms SWSCS 1 and 2 must be made quarterly and forwarded within one month of the end of that quarter. Returns should be made for the quarters ending 30 June, 30 September, 31 December and 31 March..
149.In order to ensure that local authorities have access to the most recent statistical data for planning purposes under the new arrangement, the following procedures will be adopted for the dissemination of statistical data about Community Service held by SWSG.
149.1SWSG will continue to publish a Statistical Bulletin for each calendar year. Each bulletin will be published within 6 months of the end of the year to which it refers. The Community Service Bulletin may be incorporated in due course into a wider bulletin covering social work services to the criminal justice system.
150.Each local authority should continuously review its Community Service Scheme and, at least once every 3 years, carry out a formal review and submit a report on the review to #SWSG. The terms of reference and framework for undertaking such reviews will be agreed between SWSG and COSLA.
151.Information collected regularly will be supplemented by periodic surveys into particular aspects of Community Service policy and practice as agreed by Central and Local Government.
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