FEARS AFTER VIRUS HITS CHECKS ON OFFENDERS

Social workers relying on calls

There is growing concern after it was revealed the number of offenders monitored in face- toface meetings with social workers took a nosedive between January and May.

At the start of the year, 1501 were visited by West Lothian Council criminal justice social workers – but four months later this had dropped to just 179.

The figures show that in January, 1501 offenders received face-to-face appointments, in February it was 1308, in March it dropped to 904, April was 155 and in May, 179 offenders were seen.

Because of the pandemic, social workers instead had to rely on telephone calls to speak with offenders in their charge.

Staff also used Skype, Zoom and Facetime on a small number of occasions.

But it has raised questions about whether offenders can be properly monitored using such technology.

The figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request from Conservative MSP Miles Briggs.

He said: “It is understandable that the number of face-to-face meetings between criminal justice social workers and offenders would go down during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is concerning how significantly the number of meetings has dropped.

“Face- to- face meeting with offenders are important to ensure that released prisoners are reintegrating with the community and back on track with their lives.

“West Lothian Council must be

properly resourced to properly monitor offenders once they have been released from prison.”

A West Lothian Council spokesperson said: “Essential face- to- face Criminal Justice meetings with those assessed as having high risk or needs continued in West Lothian throughout the Covid-19 outbreak.

“We continue to carry out more face- to- face meetings than any of the other local authorities surveyed as part of our programme to support and monitor those on court order and parole licences.

“We follow national guidance that states that only essential meetings should currently be faceto- face, with telephone and online meetings where possible. All cases have been reviewed and assessed, with devices such as phones provided to help clients keep in contact with staff.

“We also work closely with partner agencies, such as Police Scotland and NHS Lothian, to avoid duplication of visits.”

Labour list MSP Neil Findlay said the figures showed the dramatic impact of Covid on public services. He continued: “It is understandable that contact with offenders reduced during this period but I hope that a robust and workable system can be reinstated as soon as possible to ensure our communities are safe and offenders are supported to end their offending behaviour.”

SNP MSP Fiona Hyslop

I hope that a robust system can be reinstated as soon as possible

said she hopes face- toface meetings between social workers and offenders will resume once it is safe to do so.

She said: “As with many face- to- face services during Covid, these social work and offenders contacts will have had to change to different formats, such as using the phone or by other means.

“As we relax restrictions it is important these services resume face-toface as soon as it is safe to do so.”