Checkpoint - Critical Pathways
‘Checkpoint’ is a programme which aims to reduce the number of victims of crime by reducing reoffending, which will also make all our communities safer places to live and work.
People are often motivated to commit crime due to underlying issues in their lives – these could include drug or alcohol misuse, mental and physical health issues, housing or homelessness, or problems to do with money or relationships.
Checkpoint offers eligible offenders a 4-month long contract to engage as an alternative to prosecution. The contract offers interventions to address the underlying reasons why they committed the crime to prevent them from doing it again to somebody else.
Serious offences such as rape, robbery or murder will not be eligible for Checkpoint. Neither will driving offences, cases of domestic abuse or hate crime.
The Checkpoint subject is supported through the process by a specialist ‘navigator’ who completes a detailed needs assessment with them and draws up the contract. This could include interventions around any of the issues the offender may have.
The contract is tailored to each person and has up to 5 conditions:
(1) Offending condition – not to reoffend over the period of the contract. (mandatory condition)
(2) Victims condition – to take part in a Restorative Approach if asked, to put right the harm caused.
(3) Pathway Condition – Interventions around issues that contributed to the subject committing the offence.
(4) Pathway Condition – Interventions around issues that contributed to the subject committing the offence.
(5) Complete 18-36 hours voluntary work in the community or wear a GPS tag.
Checkpoint is not a soft option – and it will be harder to complete than all of the current out of court disposals currently available (for example, a caution, or a fixed penalty notice).
If the subject successfully completes the contract and does not reoffend, no further action will be taken against them. If they reoffend or fail to complete the contract they will be prosecuted and we will inform the courts of the circumstances of their failure to complete the contract.
Durham Constabulary is working with Cambridge University to develop an innovative forecasting model as part of Checkpoint, which will forecast the subject’s risk of reoffending over the next two years.
Subjects will be graded green (low), amber (medium), red (high). This will allow us to highlight who we need to target our resources at to prevent them reoffending. We are the first police service in the world to use such a forecasting model.
And Cambridge University will independently evaluate the effectiveness of the Checkpoint programme.
Checkpoint - GPS Tracking
Durham Constabulary is utilising the latest technology to prevent reoffending by expanding the use of GPS tracking technology.
Offenders will be given the opportunity to wear a GPS tracker tag on their ankle, which allows the police to see where they are and where they have been 24/7.
The technology can accurately pinpoint the location of the wearer to within a few feet.
This means police can compare where the wearer has been against the location of any crimes and incidents which have taken place.
The tags are voluntary with many offenders asking to wear one as a means of breaking the cycle of reoffending. The tags have reduced the offending of those wearing them, which in turn means fewer victims of crime.