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Early findings from the prolific and other priority offenders strategy
Research indicates that a small number of offenders is responsible for a disproportionately large amount of crime. The Prolific and other Priority Offenders (PPO) programme, which was implemented nationally on 6 September 2004, directs resources to this group of offenders. This report informs practitioners and other interested parties of the early findings from the national PPO evaluation
Title: Early findings from the prolific and other priority offenders strategy
Author: Paul Dawson
Series: Home Office Development & Practice Report 46
Number of pages: 10
Date published: October 2005
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Summary
Offenders on PPO schemes
Those targeted by the scheme started offending earlier and were more criminally versatile than a general sample of offenders. They also had more convictions in the previous five years. This indicates that in general the right people have been identified for the scheme.
Selection and de-selection
In general, schemes adopted a two-stage procedure to select offenders: identification of potential targets, followed by the application of a selection matrix. Criteria used in the matrix varied between schemes according to local priorities.
A wide range of de-selection criteria were used to withdraw PPO status from offenders. Staff in PPO schemes gave less consideration to de-selection compared with the selection process and expressed concerns over the consequences of de-selection.
Interventions
Staff on the schemes reported that offenders on the scheme received a more intensive package of interventions than non-PPO offenders. This may be viewed as evidence of the premium service that the guidance encourages Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) and Community Safety Partnerships to develop.
Less than a third of CDRPs implementing the scheme had dedicated PPO staff. Approximately half of schemes had co-located staff.
There was a degree of mismatch between PPO offending-related problems and the involvement in the schemes of appropriate agencies that can address such needs.
Overall, staff interviewed were positive about the PPO programme, particularly the benefits of increased partnership working and data sharing.
Data sharing was judged by practitioners to be a crucial aspect of the PPO programme. Ensuring that all relevant agencies share data appropriately is seen as a priority for an effective PPO scheme.
Indications of impact
There are some promising early results. In their first six months on the scheme there was a 10% reduction in recorded convictions compared to the six months prior to the start.
Further work is required to disentangle the effects of the PPO programme from other factors (such as changes in the overall levels of crime and offenders brought to justice).
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findings from the prolific and other priority offenders strategy
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Last update: 04 November 2005