Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Frequently Asked Questions

This section contains answers to those questions the Home Office Programme Team are asked most frequently. If you have a question that is not answered here please click here to contact us.

Contents:

• Why are there different reporting periods for different measures on the collection tool?

• Should young offenders be included on this collection tool?

• What is the ‘form completion summary page’ on the collection tool for?

• What is the ‘feedback form’ for?

• How does this fit with other PMFs that have been issued to us?

• What will happen if we are shown to be performing badly?

• Are we going to be part of a league table?

• Who should I send this to once I have completed it?

• Who should I contact if I have any questions?

• How often will these FAQs be updated?

• What reports will I get back, what will they cover, and when?

• What is JTrack?

• What is OASys?

• What should we do if we are unable to obtain the information in time?

• Why don't you collect this information through existing systems?

• What do I do if I merge with another CDRP?

• Should I reuse this tool next quarter, or will I be sent another one?
  

Why are there different reporting periods for different measures on the collection tool?

For some measures, there is a period of time that needs to pass before it can be judged which category to put a PPO in for that measure. For example, the proportion of adult PPOs who entered custody and had an OASys assessment completed by the prison service within the 8 week reception target set out in PSO 2205: eight weeks needs to pass after the end of a month before it can be gauged whether or not the target has been met for all PPOs entering custody in that month. The correct reporting period for each measure is clearly shown next to the measure on the collection tool. It is important to us the current version of the tool as the reporting dates are different each month.

Should young offenders be included on this collection tool?

The manual collection tool is for the Catch and Convict & Rehabilitate and Resettle strands of the PPO strategy. There is a separate Prevent and Deter PMF where all data is collected centrally for the Prevent & Deter cohort. Only data for those young offenders identified as PPOs (those targeted under Catch & Convict and Rehabilitate & Resettle) should be returned for the relevant measures on the data collection tool. Further information can be found within each measure description.

What is the ‘form completion summary page’ on the collection tool for?

This page has been designed to assist in quality assurance. It shows the level of completion of the form.

What is the ‘feedback form’ for?

We have improved this version of the collection tool by adding a ‘feedback box’ for each measure. This should be used where data for a particular measure are unavailable or not known. Please use the box to explain the reasons for why data for that particular measure have not been collected. This has been introduced to collect evidence of blockages and will assist in tackling these at all levels.

How does this fit with other PMFs that have been issued to us?

We have consulted widely with the owners of other PMFs – such as the ones for the Drugs Intervention Programme and Narrowing the Justice Gap to ensure that the PPO PMF is consistent. Wherever possible, we have also looked to source any data from existing PMFs to reduce any additional burdens on local PPO schemes.

What will happen if we are shown to be performing badly?

We and the Government Offices will use the PMF to monitor performance across a range of indicators to see what is going well and what is going less well. The PMF is not a naming and shaming tool, but is a way for us, the Government Offices and local schemes to oversee how things are going and suggest remedial action where necessary. The feedback form will inform this process. Equally, where the PMF is showing that a scheme is performing particularly well, we will want to capture that best practice and share it more widely.

Are we going to be part of a league table?

No, we have no plans for this, although Government Offices will continue to assess the robustness of individual schemes using a traffic lights system.

Who should I send this to once I have completed it?

Please send it to the Government Office for your region who will arrange for it to be forwarded onto the Home Office

Who should I contact if I have any questions?

Gregg Mead 020 7035 0321

Gwyn Jones 020 7035 0100

Subash Sharma 020 7035 0101

Alternatively, email ppo@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

How often will these FAQs be updated?

On a regular basis to reflect other questions that you have asked us. Please email ppo@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk if you would like to suggest a topice for inclusion.

What reports will I get back, what will they cover, and when?

Each quarter we will feed back to you, through the Government Office a full set of the data you have provided to us along with the data which we held at the centre, such as through JTrack. The data is shown in monthly ‘PPO PMF Headline Measures Reports’ which can also be downloaded from our website.

What is JTrack?

JTrack is the web-based system for tracking PPO progress through the criminal justice system.

What is OASys?

All PPOs aged 18 and over sentenced to community or custodial sentences of a year or more will have an OASys assessment to identify:

• their likelihood of re-offending
• their risk of serious harm,
• the needs related to their offending, and
• the interventions required to rehabilitate and resettle them.

The Offender Assessment System is a standardised process for the assessment of offenders that has been developed jointly by the National Probation Service and the Prison Service.

What should we do if we are unable to obtain the information in time?

Discuss this with your Government Office contact who will be able to help.

Why don't you collect this information through existing systems?

We are collecting as much of this information as we can from existing performance management frameworks such as the Drug Intervention programme.

What do I do if I merge with another CDRP?

Inform your Government Office.

Should I reuse this tool next quarter, or will I be sent another one?

A new tool is issued every quarter, with a different version number. It is important to use the correct version of the tool each month as that version will contain the most up to date information.

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Last update: Wednesday, November 14, 2007