UK Home Office: annexb

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DRUGS ANNEX BINTRODUCTION

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This section offers suggestions on the data sources partnerships

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might considerduring the audit process to ensure that the drugs element of the joint crime anddisorder and misuse of drugs strategy is based on an accurate assessment of theextent and nature of the local misuse of drugs problem.

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It provides only suggestions for data collection and is not intended to beprescriptive about how an audit (formerly known as review) should be completed.Partnerships should therefore simply use this as a guide about the range of dataavailable, collecting whatever information is relevant to their individualcircumstances.

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It also clarifies how the audit process links to the National Drug StrategyPerformance Management Framework (PMF).

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This annex should be used in conjunction with the main toolkit on this websitewhich offers advice on the format and content of joint crime and disorder andmisuse of drugs audits and provides guidance on general principles surroundingdata collecting and analysis.

AUDITING THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF LOCAL DRUG MISUSE PROBLEMS

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The audit and strategy process should form part of the planning already takingplace in Drug Action Teams (DATs). Information on drug misuse and drugrelated crime would have also been included in crime and disorder audits sincetheir inception.

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Through this process local partnerships

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will need to ensure that there is athorough understanding of the problems and needs in their area in order toformulate joint crime and disorder and misuse of drugs audit and developstrategies.

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Partnerships will be expected to adopt a proactive stance on diversity and pursuea robust anti-discriminatory approach in all aspects of their work to ensure thatstrategies meet the needs of all diverse communities and groups living in the area

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DATs have previously undertaken drugs audits and needs analysis in theirnormal business planning and review processes. The information collected bypartnerships to gather the information pertaining to drugs misuse for the auditshould therefore be the formalisation of the planning already undertaken by DATsin the commissioning of its drugs services and in its delivery of the National DrugsStrategy.

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There should be no need to re-invent the wheel in order to comply with the newstatutory requirement (although it is recognised that some areas will be moreversed than others) to complete joint crime and disorder and misuse of drugsaudits. DATs have collected a range of data – through task groups, throughannual returns and through commissioning services – that should be analysedand built upon as part of the audit and form part of the joint strategy.

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refers to CDRPs/DATs either working as one partnership or working closely in two tier areas

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The audit is the process of measuring the extent and nature of local drugsproblems including the needs of a particular target population so that servicescan respond to them. It should inform decisions on strategic priorities, resourceallocation, detailed planning and commissioning of services and enable progressto be tracked.

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During the audit, partnerships will want to examine the significant drug and crimeproblems in their area. This should include how problems are distributed acrossthe area, and how they affect local people, as well, as how problems may havechanged over time. Whilst the primary purpose of an audit is not performancemanagement it will assist in this process by establishing baselines and datasources for future monitoring and evaluation and reviewing progress againsttargets.

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Good decisions are based on good information. It is essential that a systematicand rigorous approach is adopted to assess, analyse and interpret data todevelop a response across the four themes of the National Drugs Strategy whichis appropriate to local circumstances. All relevant agencies need to be activelyengaged in solving problems to achieve success. Data needs to be sufficientlyrobust to:

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Provide a clear picture of the problems.

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Establish reliable baselines.

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Track changes over time.

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Measure progress.

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Analysis of data is key as this will support understanding of the causes ofproblems and help to determine appropriate mechanisms for tackling them, whichcan be built in to the strategy.

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There is no single best way of auditing misuse of drugs problems and assessingthe needs of specific target populations in a local DAT/CDRP area. However, it isvery important to be clear at the outset how the data collected can be used toidentify problems.

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The audit can be undertaken on a number of different levels: at a regional level,at a community or neighbourhood level, or at the level of a single agency orservice, as services for drug users can involve multiple agencies. Diversityissues need to be considered.

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Partnerships (where not integrated) may wish to consider setting up a dataworking group and co-opting partners to help consider data and undertakeanalysis and/or consider if data collection can be done by a data analyst workingto the DAT. This may be particularly helpful in two tier areas in terms ofeconomies of scale and avoiding duplication of effort. BSCF funded police dataanalysts could be extended in role to map non-offence related data alongsidepolice intelligence and to give composite GIS hotspot maps. A number of areasfind this approach beneficial. For example, although such things as discardedneedles are not a police responsibility, mapping this kind of background datahelps build more comprehensive intelligence pictures.

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GO crime teams and CDRP analysts have experience of two previous crimeaudits, and will therefore be a valuable source of information and knowledge.Partnerships should also ensure that they contact their Regional Home Office

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Team who will provided guidance and support.

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Finally, partnerships should remember the importance of incorporation of localcommunity perceptions and views about the extent of drugs across all areas ofthe strategy, alongside the more formal data sets compiled from police, agency orother provider data streams.

CORE DATA SOURCES

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Data produced to monitor the key performance indicators (KPIs) for thePerformance Management Framework will contribute towards a core data set.

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The local estimates of problematic drug users, available through the TreatmentDemand Model, provide an overall context for partnerships to develop their localreview of the levels and patterns of drug use. Further details of the TreatmentDemand Model are provided in Annex F of the PMRP.

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Some suggestions of data and data sources that partnerships might considerexamining across the four themes of the National Drug Strategy are set outbelow, together with a few general suggestions which cut across each of thethemes.

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Primary Care Trusts have been Responsible Authorities within partnerships since30 April 2004. They should therefore be involved in the audit and strategyprocess and may be able to provide some valuable information sources.Guidance on the changes for PCTs will be available on the drugs and crimereduction website soon.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS WHEN USING AND INTERPRETING THE DATA

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Partnerships will need to consider the extent to which collection of this data isrelevant and available in their area, and how this will help determine theinformation, problem or issues being examined.

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What is collected and how it is examined will differ in each partnership areaaccording to local performance and problems – this document therefore does notoffer a minimum data set as these decisions need to be made locally according tolocal circumstances. It should be remembered that there may be temporary localfluctuations in any data collected.

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Such fluctuations may occur when, for example, monthly data is compared. It isgood practice, where possible, to have year on year and quarterly comparisonswhich provide a truer analysis of trends.

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Where possible, data should be broken down by age, gender, ethnicity, disabilityand sexuality to enable diversity to be considered and monitored.

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Clarity about the definitions being used is essential i.e. 'problem drug users','drug users', 'vulnerable young people' and 'vulnerable young users'.

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Where percentages are given, it is advisable to indicate the ‘base’ (the totalnumber within the ‘population’ that the percentage is derived from)

e.g. 20% of all arrests in 2003-04 (n=1437)_were for dealing (‘n’ is equal to the base i.e. all arrests made in 2003-04).

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