Social workers’ intervention helps to bring down rates of reoffending

Alternatives to prison sentences and court appearances are helping to curb reoffending in Dundee, a new council report has concluded.

The study said allowing social workers to tackle underlying issues with people who commit crimes had helped to bring down rates of reoffending.

The report for Dundee City Council’s community safety and public protection committee also found there had been a dip in the number of community payback orders (CPOs) being issued.

However, despite the progress, Dundee continues to have crime rates above the Scottish average.

Kevin Cordell, convener of Dundee City Council’s community safety and public protection committee, said: “What we see is when one scheme is used more or less it has

a knock- on effect for others, but with the overall positive effect of maintaining and improving community safety and social inclusion.”

The report, which will be considered by councillors today, covers the period from April 1 2018 and March 31 2019.

It details work by offenders on a series of projects such as transforming a neglected allotment at West Law into a community garden, beach cleaning at Broughty Fe r r y, renovating furniture for public spaces and preparing food parcels.

T he s tudy says the efforts of offenders were unanimously welcomed by the people who had the work done and by 90% of those who had been made subject to a CPO by the courts.

Since CPOs were introduced in 2011-12, successful completion rates have increased in Dundee from 52% to a high of 81% in 2017-18.

The average successful completion rate over that period is 73%, higher than the national average of 70%.

Re-conviction rates continue to fall in Dundee from 33% in 2014-15 to 25% in 2017-18, the most recent figures available from the Scottish Government show.

Councillor Kevin Cordell.