RAND Europe’s Assessment and Data Analysis: Examining the Use of Out of Court Disposals (OOCD) for Adults with Health Vulnerabilities
RAND Europe, commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and in partnership with Get the Data and Skills for Justice, published a report on the use of Out of Court Disposals (OOCD) for adults with health vulnerabilities across England and Wales.The findings of this assessment shed light on the disparities, challenges, and potential improvements in OOCD processes.
Make Time Count’s software, including an end-to-end OOCD case management system and service provider platform, fulfills the need of key challenges and recommendations in RAND’s report.
Below, we detail how the Make Time Count platform aligns with RAND Europe’s observations and recommendations to create a more efficient and effective OOCD process.
RAND Europe’s Observations
1. Variation in OOCD Processes Across Police Forces
RAND observed that there is significant variation in how OOCDs are administered across different police forces, leading to inconsistency in outcomes for offenders and victims. It is important to note that outcomes were not evaluated for offenders and victims, (although this was included in RAND’s literature review).
How Make Time Count Addresses This:
Make Time Count’s case management system provides an end-to-end solution that guides police forces through a consistent OOCD process. The system ensures all stakeholders follow standardised workflows, making OOCD processes more predictable and efficient across different regions. By streamlining decision-making, this reduces disparities and enhances overall fairness in the system.
2. Gaps in Service Provision for Vulnerable Offenders
Another major observation was the lack of sufficient interventions to address the needs of vulnerable offenders in many force areas. It is also important to note that feedback from study participants was that available services may not be appropriate or accessible for offenders also.
How Make Time Count Addresses This:
Through a partnership with Clinks, Make Time Count has integrated relevant regional service providers and interventions into the platform. This ensures that police forces have access to a diverse range of resources tailored to the needs of vulnerable offenders, helping them connect individuals with the right services at the right time. These interventions are critical in reducing reoffending rates and improving offender outcomes. The software also allows forces to assess which services work for individuals
3. Limited Use of Vulnerability Assessments
RAND found that vulnerability assessments were infrequently used in the OOCD process, and there was limited involvement from Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services.
How Make Time Count Addresses This:
Make Time Count includes configurable needs assessment modules tailored to the requirements of different police forces. These assessments allow officers to screen for vulnerabilities and recommend appropriate interventions based on an offender’s health, financial, and social needs. This linked approach ensures that individuals with specific vulnerabilities receive the targeted support they require.
4. Lack of Data on Offender Engagement and Compliance
RAND also highlighted the challenge of obtaining meaningful data on offender engagement and compliance with OOCD conditions, which makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the interventions.
How Make Time Count Addresses This:
Make Time Count’s platform tracks compliance rates with OOCD conditions and gathers data on which conditions are most effective for particular types of offences. This information helps forces refine their OOCD strategies based on actual offender behaviour, enhancing the ability to measure the success of specific interventions.
Key RAND Recommendations & Make Time Count’s Response
1. Addressing Service Gaps Through Data Analysis
RAND recommended that forces analyse local needs data to identify gaps in service provision and work with service providers to close these gaps.
How Make Time Count Responds:
The Make Time Count platform enables unlimited participation from local service providers, A comparison of “demand” of specific needs can be matched to local supply, thus addressing gaps in services. Analysis of local needs data ensures that interventions are available and tailored to the vulnerable offenders in each region.
2. Consistent Communication with Service Providers
To enhance the administration of OOCDs, RAND recommended that forces establish consistent communication with service providers, especially concerning condition compliance.
How Make Time Count Responds:
Make Time Count’s platform facilitates standardised communication between forces and service providers through integrated 360-degree feedback, real-time status updates, and seamless in-system messaging via email, chat, and SMS. This ensures that all parties are kept informed, and any breaches or successes are logged and communicated promptly.
3. Addressing Disproportionality in OOCD Use
RAND emphasised the need for forces to review their OOCD practices to ensure they are not discriminating against individuals based on health vulnerabilities or demographic factors.
How Make Time Count Responds:
Make Time Count’s system collects detailed demographic data, including ethnicity, gender, and sexuality, allowing police forces to assess the fairness of their OOCD practices. This helps identify any potential disproportionality in the treatment of individuals or groups, ensuring OOCD processes are equitable and nondiscriminatory.
4. Consistent Vulnerability Assessments
RAND Europe calls for a more consistent approach to screening for health vulnerabilities across police forces, finding that most forces were found not to have a force-wide policy requiring a health vulnerability screening and assessment during the OOCD decision-making process. There was also a lack of use of a tool to accurately assess health vulnerabilities with a reliance on front line officers and supervisors to make decisions regarding OOCD condition setting.
RAND suggests that, where possible, services attached as a condition should be appropriate for and ideally tailored to the offenders’ needs and are feasible as a condition. Furthermore, the most effective interventions were determined by a dedicated OOCD team.
How Make Time Count Responds:
The platform features two fully configurable needs assessment tools, a “simple” and “full” version. The simple is often used for on street referrals by front line officers and the full for interviews conducted on site by a dedicated team. These tools guide officers in identifying an individual’s complex needs and recommending appropriate and tailored interventions.
The needs assessment includes specific modules on health vulnerabilities and addiction. In the next stage of the process on Make Time Count, Conditions are suggested to officers based on their suitability to vulnerabilities identified in the needs assessment. By ensuring that these assessments are consistently used, Make Time Count enhances the ability of officers to identify vulnerable individuals and connect them with the most suitable services.
Data Collection and Feedback Loops
RAND placed significant emphasis on the importance of data collection to monitor and improve the OOCD process. The ability to collect, analyse, and report data across all stakeholders—frontline officers, senior leadership, victims, and offenders—was identified as crucial for success.
How Make Time Count Supports Data Collection:
The Make Time Count platform captures a wealth of data, some of which is not currently collected leading to significant improvements in potential insights. Data include offence type, disposal type, gender, ethnicity, and vulnerability assessments. This data is used to track compliance, assess outcomes, and identify areas for improvement. Additionally, the platform allows for ongoing feedback loops between officers and offenders to ensure continuous refinement of the OOCD process.
Conclusion: A System Built for Transformation
Make Time Count’s case management and service provider platform aligns closely with the RAND observations and recommendations, providing a robust, data-driven, and user-friendly solution that supports police forces in the delivery of fair, consistent, and effective OOCD programs. By addressing service gaps, improving communication, and delivering detailed data analysis, Make Time Count is playing a pivotal role in transforming the justice sector and supporting vulnerable offenders.