Since September 2005, Sacro has been piloting a model of service that assists in the support and management of short-term prisoners returning to the community from the three main prisons serving the Edinburgh area, namely HMP Edinburgh, HMP YOI Polmont and HMP Cornton Vale. This model will play an important role in contributing to the reduction of re-conviction rates among the short–term prison population and also the number of drug-related deaths within this vulnerable group.

Concept

The Community Links Centre (CLC) incorporates the expanded Sacro Voluntary Throughcare/Throughcare Addiction Service (VTC/TAS) which acts as the primary case management team for short-term prisoners returning to the Edinburgh area. It is responsible for co-ordinating the support for short-term prisoners in preparation for their release back into the community. The team achieves this through the following principles:

• Operating a clear and robust referral route into the service across the three main prisons serving the Edinburgh area.
• While in custody, short-term prisoners referred to the service are supported through a comprehensive assessment of their needs to plan the arrangement of important community appointments. These appointments are ideally set up with the agencies based within the CLC and, if required, with agencies based in the wider community.
• At both pre-release and post-release stages, the Sacro team employs a consistent system of standards in practice to maximise the chances of the individuals leaving prison engaging constructively with Sacro and partner agencies.
• Ensuring that the CLC is able to act as a one-stop-shop where the ex-prisoner can attend in the knowledge that they will be able to have their complex range of needs met under one roof. In order for this to work effectively, it is important that key agencies from City of Edinburgh (CEC) Housing, Employability/Training Agencies, the NHS and Benefits support are all fully resourced to operate within the CLC.

Current status

• The Sacro VTC/TAS team has six criminal justice workers who case manage referrals from the three Prisons serving Edinburgh.
• The CLC currently has four interview rooms and five agency rooms set up for external agencies to use and meet service users. Two large meeting/training rooms are also available.
• Representatives from CEC Housing Options Team, an expanding group of Employability/Numeracy Literacy agencies and the NHS all regularly use the CLC and receive referrals from existing Sacro teams within the CLC.
• Steering group and operational monitoring groups set up to ensure the service is able to adapt strategically and deliver operationally.

Proposed Model from April 2008 to March 2011

As above but with the following key additional resources:

• Successful joint bid in partnership with NHS to have two full-time CPN’s based within the CLC to assist in meeting key health needs of service users.
• Successful joint bid in partnership with CEC Housing that will help ensure housing needs are met within the CLC.
• Increased presence of employability/numeracy literacy agencies within the CLC.
• Job Centre Plus represented, to meet benefits needs of newly released prisoners and ex offenders.
• Citizens Advice represented within the Centre for advice and advocacy.
• StreetLegal lawyer operating regularly from centre offering civil legal advice.
• Prison Records 2 (PR2) IT terminal installed to facilitate full and integrated case management of offenders from custody through to end of contact within the community.