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Appendix D: Interview Discussion Guides
Police Interview Guide
Overview
1 - Please can you describe the main tasks that you (and your organisation) perform that are associated with the operation of the MDTA service? Has your role changed as the pilot has progressed and, is it in any way different from the role that you thought you would be performing?
Arrestee Profiles
2 - How would you describe the groups of arrestees who have taken part in the MDTA scheme with regards to gender, age, ethnicity, etc?
3 - Have there been any issues with the pilot in terms of meeting the requirements of individuals from equalities groups? (arrestees of different genders, ages, races, sexual orientation, disability, faith, etc)
4 - How effective do you think the MDTA scheme is in identifyingeligible arrestees for drug testing, assessment and treatment?
5 - And, how effective do you think it is at identifyingthose who may benefit most from drug assessment and treatment?
6 - Are there any specific groups of arrestees who you think have benefited more than others from the service? (for example, women, young people)
7 - Overall, have arrestees benefited from the service? If yes, please explain how. If no, please explain.
Operational Issues
8 - How effective do you think the MDTA scheme is in engaging arrestees in drug treatment? For example, do you think that they welcome the opportunity to access treatment via this route? Do you think that they understand the aims of the scheme?
9 - Is there anything about the way that mandatory drug testing of arrestees operates in this area that you think encourages or discourages uptake of assessment and treatment by arrestees? For example, the location of initial assessments, the different treatment options available, etc.
10a - What do you think are the main reasons for non-compliance with:
- initial drug testing
- assessment
- treatment
10b - Is there anything that could be done operationally to change this?
11 - Do you have any evidence which may indicate what the impact of MDTA has been for arrestees? In particular, do you consider that MDTA is effective in reducing drug consumption in the short term? The long term? And, has MDTA impacted on offending behaviour? If yes, in what way?
12 - What has been your experience of working with the other partners involved in the process and operation of MDTA? For example, police, social work services, other treatment providers, COPFS and the SPSA?
Training
13 - What training did you receive for the use of MDTA equipment? How effective was the training that you received for use of the MDTA testing equipment? Was there appropriate support/quality checking of the testing following training? Would you suggest any changes to the training that was received?
Comparisons with Arrest Referral
14 - Do you think that the mandatory approach to drug testing is more or less effective at targeting those who may benefit from treatment than voluntary services, such as Arrest Referral? Why do you think this?
15 - Have you experienced any differences in the level of motivation and engagement of arrestees undergoing assessment and/or treatment depending on the mandatory/voluntary route by which they reached the service?
16 - Do you think that the MDTA scheme/service has impacted on the arrest referral schemes locally and, if so, in what ways? (positive or negative impact?) Is there a relationship between the two?
Lessons Learned
17 - Is there anything about the way MDTA is run within your area that you would highlight as an example of good working practice? For example, please tell us about what works well, if anything, and what doesn't work so well, if anything.
18 - Looking back over the pilot, what (if any) have been the main factors that have facilitated the process and operation of the MDTA pilot in this area?
19 - Have there been any barriers to the running of the MDTA pilot scheme? If so, please can you say what these factors are and how they impacted on the process and operation of the scheme.
20 - Are there any lessons that you think can be learned from the pilot to inform future decisions regarding MDTA? What would you say, for example, to a colleague who has been recruited to work in a new MDTA site being set up elsewhere?
21 - What are your views regarding the way forward for MDTA in Scotland and, in particular, any impacts and barriers to its potential roll out across the country?
22 - What are your own views regarding the overall success or failure of the MDTA pilots?
Other Questions
23 - Are there any other MDTA issues would you like to discuss with us?
24 - Do you have any questions for us?
Assessors and Treatment Providers Interview Guide
Overview
1 - Please can you describe the main tasks that you (and your organisation) perform that are associated with the operation of the MDTA service? Has your role changed as the pilot has progressed and, is it in any way different from the role that you thought you would be performing?
Arrestee Profiles
2 - How would you describe the groups of arrestees who have taken part in the MDTA scheme with regards to gender, age, ethnicity, etc?
3 - Have there been any issues with the pilot in terms of meeting the requirements of individuals from equalities groups? (arrestees of different genders, ages, races, sexual orientation, disability, faith, etc)
4 - How effective do you think the MDTA scheme is in identifyingeligible arrestees for testing, assessment and treatment?
5 - And, how effective do you think it is at identifyingthose who may benefit most from drug assessment and treatment?
6 - Are there any specific groups of arrestees who you think have benefited more than others from the service? (for example, women, young people)
7 - Overall, have arrestees benefited from the service? If yes, please explain how. If no, please explain.
Operational Issues
8 - How effective do you think the MDTA scheme is in engaging arrestees in drug treatment? For example, do you think that they welcome the opportunity to access treatment via this route? Do you think that they understand the aims of the scheme?
9 - Is there anything about the way that mandatory drug testing of arrestees operates in this area that you think encourages or discourages uptake of assessment and treatment by arrestees? For example, the location of initial assessments, the different treatment options available, etc.
10 - Do you have any evidence which may indicate what the impact of MDTA has been for arrestees? In particular, do you consider that MDTA is effective in reducing drug consumption in the short term? The long term? And, has MDTA impacted on offending behaviour? If yes, in what way?
Comparisons with Arrest Referral
11 - Do you think that the mandatory approach to drug testing is more or less effective at targeting those who may benefit from treatment than voluntary services, such as Arrest Referral? Why do you think this?
12 - Have you experienced any differences in the level of motivation and engagement of arrestees undergoing assessment and/or treatment depending on the mandatory/voluntary route by which they reached the service?
13 - Do you think that the MDTA scheme/service has impacted on the arrest referral schemes locally and, if so, in what ways? (positive or negative impact?) Is there a relationship between the two?
Lessons Learned
14 - Is there anything about the way MDTA is run within your area that you would highlight as an example of good working practice? For example, please tell us about what works well, if anything, and what doesn't work so well, if anything.
15 - Looking back over the pilot, what (if any) have been the main factors that have facilitated the process and operation of the MDTA pilot in this area?
16 - Have there been any barriers to the running of the MDTA pilot scheme? If so, please can you say what these factors are and how they impacted on the process and operation of the scheme.
17 - What has been your experience of working with the other partners involved in the process and operation of MDTA? For example, police, social work services, other treatment providers, COPFS and the SPSA?
18 - Are there any lessons that you think can be learned from the pilot to inform future decisions regarding MDTA? What would you say, for example, to a colleague who has been recruited to work in a new MDTA site being set up elsewhere?
19 - What are your views regarding the way forward for MDTA in Scotland and, in particular, any impacts and barriers to its potential roll out across the country?
20 - What are your own views regarding the overall success or failure of the MDTA pilots?
Other Questions
21 - Are there any other MDTA issues would you like to discuss with us?
22 - Do you have any questions for us?
COPFS Interview Guide
1 - Please can you describe your (level of) involvement in the MDTA pilots?
Number of cases referred?
(Has this been in any way different from the level of involvement you thought you would have?)
2 - What kind of information did you receive about the MDTA pilots before they were implemented? And ongoing information?
Training?
Information leaflets?
Involved in any planning groups?
Involvement in local implementation groups?
3 - Do you have any evidence (including anecdotal) about legal professionals understanding of the MTD A pilots?
Do arrestees understand it?
4 - What has been your experience of working with the other partners involved in the process and operation of MDTA? For example, police, social work services, assessors, treatment providers and the SPSA?
5 - Is there anything about the way MDTA is run within your area that you would highlight as an example of good working practice? If so, please describe (for example, information sharing) or please tell us about what works well, if anything, and what doesn't work so well, if anything.
6 - What are your own views regarding the overall success or failure of the MDTA pilots?
7 - What are your views regarding the way forward for MDTA in Scotland and, in particular, any impacts and barriers to its potential roll out across the country? (ie lessons learned)
8 - Do you have any views on the legislation and how it might be changed if the MDTA pilots were rolled out?
9 - Are there any other MDTA issues would you like to discuss with us? Do you have any questions for us?
Arrestee Interview Guide
1 - How were you first told about the Mandatory Drug Testing of Arrestees scheme?
2 - Have you had the MDTA scheme explained to you (YES/NO)? If yes, by whom? (Prompt if more than one source)
3 - Were you given an information leaflet about the scheme? If yes, where and by whom?
4 - Was the information that you were given easy to understand? Why do you say that?
5 - Do you understand why you were asked to take part in the scheme?
6 - Do you understand what you are required to do/what your role is as a participant in the scheme?
7 - Why did you decide to take part in the scheme?
8 - What are you hoping to get out of the scheme?
9 - Do you think the scheme is a good idea? If so, why do you say that?
10 - Is there anything about the scheme that you don't like?
11 - Has taking part in the scheme helped you in any way? If so, how?
12 - What contact, if any, have you had with the following: police, assessors, treatment providers?
13 - How would you describe the contact that you have had with the police, assessors and treatment providers? Was it informative, supportive, relaxed, etc?
14 - Is there any other kind of information that you would like or that would have been helpful? In particular, do you have any special needs that you think have not been taken into account by the scheme? (for example, disability issues, language barriers, childcare issues)
15 - Is there any other kind of support that you would like or that would have been helpful? In particular, do you have any special needs that you think have not been taken into account by the scheme? (for example, disability issues, language barriers, childcare issues)
16 - Is there anything else that you would like to add or any questions that you would like to ask me?
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