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News Archives: Index

October 7, 2010: Probation Set For Industrial Action

October 5, 2010: Turning Prisoners Into Taxpayers

October 4, 2010: Murder Changes Now In Force

September 20, 2010: Probation Programmes Face Cuts

August 24, 2010: Victorian Poor Law Records Online

August 10, 2010: Justice Job Cuts

July 28, 2010: Prison Violence Growing

July 22, 2010: Police Numbers: Latest Figures

July 22, 2010: New Jurisdiction Rules

July 16, 2010: CCJS On Prison And Probation Spending Under Labour

July 15, 2010: Latest Statistics On Violent And Sexual Crime

July 15, 2010: Latest National Crime Figures

July 15, 2010: New Chief Prisons Inspector

July 14, 2010: Hard Times Ahead For Prisons: Anne Owers

July 14, 2010: Prison Does Not Work: Ken Clarke

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform: Sentencing and Rehabilitation

July 13, 2010: Criminal Justice Reform Priorities

July 12, 2010: What Price Public Protection, Asks Probation Chief Inspector

July 12, 2010: NOMS has failed, says Napo

July 10, 2010: IPCC To Investigate Death of Raoul Moat

July 9, 2010: Women In Prison: New Report

July 9, 2009: Unjust Deserts: Imprisonment for Public Protection

July 8, 2010: Police Search Powers Change

July 7, 2010: Make 'Legal High' Illegal, Says ACMD

July 2, 2010: Failing Children In Prison

July 2, 2010: Police Buried Under a Blizzard of Guidance: HMIC

July 1, 2010: Freedom To Change The Law?

June 30, 2010: A New Outlook On Penal Reform?

June 30, 2010: Revolving Door Of Offending Must Stop, Says Clarke

June 30, 2010: Ken Clarke: Speech on Criminal Justice Reform

June 29, 2010: No More Police Targets

June 26, 2010: Family Intervention Projects Questioned

June 25, 2010: Cutting Criminal Justice

June 24, 2010: Napo on Sex Offenders Report

June 23, 2010: Closing Courts: The Cuts Begin

June 23, 2010: Strategy To Tackle Gangs

June 15, 2010: Courts and Mentally Disordered Offenders

June 8, 2010: Working With Muslims in Prison

June 1, 2010: Your Chance To Nominate a QC

 June 26, 2010: Family Intervention Projects Questioned

There is little evidence to support the intensive Family Intervention Project according to a new briefing published by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.

The briefing, 'Family intervention projects: a classic case of policy-based evidence' is based on a comprehensive re-analysis of government funded evaluations on the effectiveness of the Family Intervention Project (FIP) strategy.

The FIPs became a flagship policy in New Labour's anti-social behaviour strategy. The FIP was said to apply 'assertive and non-negotiable interventions' and provide 'intensive support' for 'chaotic families', thereby eliminating anti-social behaviour (ASB) in communities and stabilising family status, reducing homelessness and improving the 'outcomes' for children.

The briefing author, Professor David Gregg, discusses the approach of the New Labour government to the academic evaluations of the FIPs and finds that:

  • Successive evaluation teams offered large caveats to claims of project success that were ignored by government in media statements and other public policy announcements, and the claimed success rates for FIPs is based only on a core sample of the families that were the most compliant.
  • Contrary to popular belief, the evidence suggests that rather than constituting a distinct minority distinguishable from the 'law abiding majority' FIP families tended to conform to the norms and values of the communities in which they lived but that:
  • The subjects of anti-social behaviour interventions often have mental health problems, learning disabilities and neurological disorders and whether ASB interventions are appropriate for this group should be seriously questioned.

The FIP is said to apply 'assertive and non-negotiable interventions' and provide 'intensive support' for 'chaotic families', thereby eliminating anti-social behaviour (ASB) in communities and stabilising family status, reducing homelessness and improving the 'outcomes' for children.

Professor Gregg commented:

`I was struck again and again during my analysis of the research by how weak is the evidence base for the claimed success of the Family Intervention Project strategy. A balanced review of the research into the effectiveness of the Family Intervention Projects shows that the FIPs have not delivered the successes claimed for them in the last decade.'
'By targeting the wrong people for the wrong reasons while failing to tackle the real underlying causes in those targeted or delivering support in key areas like mental health the FIP remains at root enforcement-led and sanctions-oriented, where someone must be blamed and punished for bad behaviour. This ethos justifies forcing very vulnerable families with mental health problems into projects under threat of eviction, loss of benefits and removal of children into care.'

Centre director Richard Garside added:

`This briefing raises serious questions about the efficacy of Family Intervention Projects. It was not unusual for the last administration to play fast and loose with the evidence base and it is to be hoped that a thorough review will be held of the FIP strategy and more evidence-led conclusions drawn.'