AUTHOR=Waring Sara , Taylor Ellise , Giles Susan , Almond Louise , Gidman Vincent 

TITLE=“Dare to Share”: Improving Information Sharing and Risk Assessment in Multiteam Systems Managing Offender Probation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.869673

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.869673

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Managing offenders released from prison requires a multiteam system (MTS) approach, with teams from across police, probation and other criminal justice agencies. However, public inquiries highlight that current approaches are impaired by poor information sharing that compromises the risk assessment and recall decisions, allowing serious further offences to occur. Little research has focused on the causes of these information sharing difficulties. The current study draws on the perspectives and experiences of probation and police officers to improve understanding of causes of information sharing difficulties. The research is conducted within the context of a new enhanced information sharing ‘Direct Access’ initiative implemented in one region of the UK (Devon and Cornwall) that permits probation to directly access police information technology systems. This provides a novel opportunity to cross validate MTS theory to the real-world context of offender management and considers what works in practise to overcome information sharing challenges. Eleven semi-structured interviews were carried out with participants from police (N=4) and probation (N=7) settings. Thematic analysis revealed six themes:- ‘information sharing difficulties and impact’, ‘causes of information sharing difficulties’, ‘impact of ‘Direct Access’ on information sharing practices’, ‘workload inequality’, training’ and ‘evolution of ‘Direct Access’. Participants highlighted police reluctance to share intelligence due to a lack of clarity about GDPR, concerns about data loss and how information might be used. Interagency agreement is essential given the level of coordination and organisational resource needed to support the development of an effective information sharing approach. Transformational change was necessitated by a serious further offence and facilitated by pre-existing interagency collaborations. Practical problems exist in gaining access to police and police intelligence; intelligence may be gained too late or not at all leaving probation officers to rely on their ‘gut’ and offender honesty. ‘Direct Access’ has helped to develop offender management strategies, supporting probation to challenge offenders and monitor welfare. The burden of information sharing has shifted to probation, this additional workload needs to be addressed but also weighed against the benefits of gaining additional safeguarding opportunities – the main expression of perceived success. Participants advocated national roll out of inter-agency information sharing approaches.