Called PI, short for Prolific and Other Priority Offenders Intensive, the programme targets serial criminals who would otherwise face a prison sentence. Offenders are selected onto PI by Crown Court judges on the recommendation of Bedfordshire Police and Probation Trust.

Offenders must admit all their previous crimes and demonstrate a genuine desire to stop offending. If they commit a crime while on PI - or fail to complete it - they will be sent back to court and sentenced for all the crimes they have confessed to.

While on PI, offenders will be subject to strict supervision and monitoring while they undergo extensive rehabilitation such as drug and alcohol treatment and support in gaining employment.

Similar approaches to PI have seen excellent results in other areas of the country. For example, in Hertfordshire, an independent cost/benefit analysis of their Choices and Consequences (C2) programme revealed savings of up to eight times the investment. Based on an average offending rate of 112 crimes per year, the costs to society of one prolific offender committing crime per year is £178,640, the costs of imprisoning an adult for a year is around £45,000 while the C2 scheme costs around £3,000 per offender per year.

PI is one of three strands of the recently launched Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management approach, which works with offenders to look at why they commit crime and help them make changes to lead a crime-free life.

Linda Hennigan, Chief Executive of Bedfordshire Probation Trust and Chair of Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management said, "The public needs a long-term solution to the reduction of crime rather than the vicious cycle of offending, prison, reoffending. PI is a demanding programme that challenges offenders to make tough changes with swift and tough retribution if they don't."

Media Contacts:

Mary Sung, Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management Communications Officer: 07818 028 377
Katie Morgan, Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management Co-ordinator: 07810 824 202

Notes:

1. Who is involved?

• The key partners in Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management are Bedford Borough Council, Bedfordshire Police, Bedfordshire Probation Trust, Bedfordshire Youth Offending Team, Central Bedfordshire Council, Community Resettlement Support Project (CRSP), Crown Prosecution Service, Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP), Her Majesty's Court Service, HMP Bedford, Job Centre Plus, Langley House Trust, NHS Bedfordshire, NHS Luton, Luton Borough Council, Luton Youth Offending Team, SERCO and Supporting Others through Volunteer Action (SOVA).

• Partnership work to develop and deliver Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management is led and monitored by Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Luton's Community Safety Partnerships, Bedfordshire Criminal Justice Board and Bedfordshire Chief Executives Forum.

2. How does PI work?


• PI is a four-year programme that targets serial, non-violent offenders who would otherwise receive a prison sentence. Crown Court judges will select candidates suitable for PI. If candidates admit all previous crimes and demonstrate a genuine desire to stop offending, their sentences are deferred for 6 months.

• During the first 6 months, offenders will be strictly supervised and monitored while they undergo extensive rehabilitation aimed to remove the causes of their offending such as drug and alcohol treatment and life skills training.

• If the offender has successfully completed the 6 months, then Crown Court Judges will consider a community order for a further 3 years. The community order can include orders such as supervision, unpaid work or a curfew. During the 3 years, the offender's conduct is kept under review by periodic meetings in court and with Probation.

• If, at any time, the offender commits a crime or refuses to engage in PI, they will be returned to court to be sentenced for the full extent of their criminality.

• There is likely to be around 20 offenders on PI each year.

3. What are the potential benefits of PI?

• Less crime and less victims of crime
Nationally nearly half of crime is committed by the same 10% of offenders. PI concentrates resources on stopping the most prolific criminals through intensive rehabilitation and supervision.

• Better use of public funds

PI aims to provide a cheaper and more effective alternative to prison for those offenders willing to commit to PI. Re-offending rates for those leaving prison are high with nearly 60% of people leaving short prison sentences (of less than one year) being reconvicted within one year, costing taxpayers £13b per year. (Source: Report by the Controller and Auditor General. NAO. ‘Managing Offenders on short custodial sentences'. March 2010)

There is also a saving in police investigation costs from both those crimes admitted by the PI candidate and the prevention of potential crimes whilst candidates are adhering to the conditions of the programme.

• More crimes solved

PI offenders are likely to admit hundreds of unsolved crimes. Every victim of their crimes is updated that the person responsible has been caught and is being punished.

4. How is it funded?

PI is one of three strands of Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Management (IOM) which is funded by its partners within their existing budgets. A detailed cost-benefit analysis was conducted to understand the economic case for IOM, demonstrate financial viability, and secure on-going partner commitment and resourcing. The analysis conservatively estimated a positive net financial return over the first three years of £3.5m.

5. What is Bedfordshire Integrated Offender Manaement (IOM)?

• Bedfordshire IOM iworks with the worst re-offenders to address the root causes of their criminal behaviour and help them make life changes that will break their cycle of re-offending. The countywide team, with bases in Luton and Bedford, are resourced by professionals from public, private and voluntary services. Bedfordshire IOM supports re-offenders in the areas that influence the likelihood of re-offending such as housing, employment, training, drugs, alcohol, mental health and family counselling. Work to rehabilitate offenders is supported by close monitoring to ensure that offenders who re-offend are swiftly caught and convicted.

• Bedfordshire IOM is delivered through three programmes based on offender profile. All offenders are managed through risk assessment to ensure an appropriate balance between rehabilitation and supervision.

i. Prolific and Other Priority Offenders (PPO) - Offenders who predominantly commit serious acquisitive crime e.g. car theft, burglary.
ii. Prolific and Other Priority Offenders Intensive (PI) - Intensive community order package for prolific non-violent serious acquisitive crime offenders who are ready to change their lives and admit their full criminal history. Likely to involve 20 offenders per year.
iii. High Volume Offender (HVO) - Other prolific offenders most at risk of offending.

• Bedfordshire IOM does not manage registered sex offenders, serious violent and other types of sexual offenders. These offenders are managed under the existing Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). Bedfordshire IOM will work with MAPPA teams where linkages occur.