Staffordshire Police

Ex-prolific offender gets with the new programme to live crime-free life

A man who used to have a £40-a-day drug habit has been crime-free since February 2011, after becoming the first offender from North Staffordshire to be subject to an innovative alternative to custody.

Gary Rogers, aged 38, from Biddulph, north Staffordshire, stole to fund his addiction. At the peak of his offending four years ago, he was classified by police and probation as a Prolific and Priority Offender (PPO).

PPOs are targeted because they commit the most offences in the community. Many of them have drug problems and commit crime to support their drug habit. It is estimated that one in ten of all active offenders have three or more convictions and are responsible for half of all crime.

Gary was managed by the PPO scheme, which then involved Staffordshire probation and police services working with a range of partners, including the police, youth offending teams, addiction services, housing and Third Sector agencies. This approach has now evolved to become part of the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) unit, which incorporates an innovative alternative to custody, known as the Custody Diversion Programme (CuDP).

After being subject to PPO scheme for three years, Gary’s rate of offending reduced. However, in February 2011 Gary was convicted of a burglary from a local supermarket. He received a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement order, while becoming the first offender in North Staffordshire to start CuDP.

Launched in North Staffs in May 2011, CuDP is designed to provide courts with a credible alternative to custody for offenders facing prison sentences of less than 12 months.

Gary’s Probation Service Officer, Joe Holford, explains: “Although by May 2011 Gary was no longer classified as a prolific offender, his rate of offending meant that he was suitable for CuDP, which offers a real and credible alternative to custody.

“When the programme is combined with other community requirements, it becomes more intensive and onerous than other types of community sentence. It involves joint police and probation working to support the rehabilitation of offenders and ensure their criminal behaviour is closely monitored.

“Typically, short term prison sentences do not provide offenders with access to the various support interventions designed to address their offending behaviour and drug addiction and effectively fail to break the cycle of offending. This programme can offer additional monitoring and support which can help to avoid the revolving door of offending and short term custody, which Gary has experienced.”

Gary, who had been to prison several times before, says: “I couldn’t believe I’d been given a chance to stay out of jail. I’d been inside so many times that it wasn’t making an impact. I was at a stage when I got used to being banged up.”

Gary seized that chance and has not re-offended since February 2011.

“I’ve come a long way from when I used to take heroin and drink,” he admits. “At my worst, I was doing £40 of gear a day and drinking four cans of strong lager. I had to find the money from somewhere. But things are a lot better now, as I’m clean and this programme taught me ways to stay out of trouble.”

Joe agrees with Gary in his belief that he has come a long way since his last offence.

“There were some challenging times at the start,” says Joe. “But after first few months, I could tell that he wanted to change.

“He learned to talk about his problems, instead of bottling them up and waiting for them to explode into another relapse of drugs and alcohol. In our one-to-one sessions, we worked on techniques to develop his patience and to slow his decision making process down. This combined with group sessions to address his alcohol and substance misuse.”

During his six-month community order, Gary had to attend weekly drug rehabilitation appointment sessions, and was subject to regular drug tests.

The order ended in November 2011 and he currently receives prescriptions for subutex, a heroin substitute.

Gary says: “After a couple of months, I started to notice the changes. I started to know the ‘triggers’ – such as arguing with my dad or missus. In the old days, I would get into a rage and go back into drugs and booze. But now I’ve learned to think first, and not rush into it.”

Gary is full of praise for Joe, and also the “two Daves” – Probation Officer Dave Flowers and Police Officer Dave Ellis, who work in the Offender Management Unit. They worked with Gary while he was a PPO and were available to support him after that time.

“I want to say a big thanks to Joe and the two Daves. I could have easily gone back to jail. But I respected them and they weren’t afraid to challenge me.”

While considering the company he used to keep, he is optimistic about his future.

“A lot of people I used to hang about with are now dead from being on gear. I could have been like them, as in the past I overdosed a few times.

“But now I’m looking to the future. When I was in prison I did some plastering training, which I’m hoping to continue on a college course in September.”

Finally, he has a message to his former self.

“If I could speak to the person I used to be,” he says, “I’d tell him to sort his life out and get on with the programme.”

Paul Levy, Deputy Head of Probation Staffordshire, adds: “CuDP is fast becoming established across Staffordshire and Stoke, offering extra support and intervention to offenders whilst ensuring more intensive oversight from agencies in the Integrated Offender Management Partnership.

“CuDP is a credible direct alternative to short term prison sentences, which we know often result in high reoffending rates.  Over the coming months, we are looking to further develop this structured intervention for offenders like Gary, who instead of going to prison, can be given the tools to live law-abiding lives.”