An evaluation of Gateway, an out-of-court community-based intervention programme

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: The study population of interest are 18-24 year-old offenders who have been arrested for a low level criminal offence. According to police statistics, the five main categories are: violence; possession or trafficking of drugs; theft; criminal damage; and public order offences. These young adults represent a vulnerable population with a range of complex needs, such as mental health issues and drug and substance misuse. They are more likely to come into contact with the police both as suspects and victims of crime and are significantly over represented in the formal justice process, accounting for approximately one-third of police, probation and prison caseloads; Not Applicable

• Registration Number: ISRCTN11888938
• Lead Sponsor: niversity of Southampton

Brief Summary

2021 Protocol article in https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063- 021-05905-2 (added 03/10/2023) 2024 Results article in https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38670611/ (added 02/05/2024)

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-05-14
• Study Completion: 2022-03-31
• Last Update Posted: 13 May 2024

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 191

Inclusion Criteria

Current participant inclusion criteria as of 09/09/2020:
1. Suspects aged between 18 and 24 years
2. Suspect resides within the Hampshire Constabulary Force Area (HCFA)
3. Anticipated guilty plea (i.e. admitted the offence and said nothing which could be used as a defence or has made no admission but has not denied the offence or otherwise indicated it will be contested)
4. Full code test met (i.e. there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge the suspect)

Previous participant inclusion criteria:
1. Offenders within the Southampton district policing area aged 18-24 years who accept responsibility for an offence in accordance with National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Guidelines for Community Resolution
2. Case where there is sufficient evidence to meet the Crown Prosecution Service Full Code Test 1 (Evidential standard)
3. 18 year olds that have previously been engaged by Southampton Youth Offender Service with community based orders in the last 12 months

Exclusion Criteria

Current participant exclusion criteria as of 09/02/2024:
1. Hate crime according to Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) Policy
2. Domestic violence related crime
3. Sexual offence related crime referred to CPS
4. Knife crimes
5. Where on conviction the court is more likely to impose a custodial sentence (based on sentencing guides)
6. Remand in custody order is sought
7. Breach of court or sexual offences orders
8. Any offence involving serious injury or death of another
9. Indictable only offences
10. All drink/drive or endorsable traffic offences
11. Offender already has a Gateway programme flag
12. Offender needs an interpreter
13. Any serious previous convictions within the last 2 years (i.e. serious violence, grievous bodily harm (GBH) or worse, serious sexual offences, robbery or indictable only offences)
14. Summary offences more than 4 months old
15. Persons subject to Court bail; Prison Recall, Red IOM (Integrated Offender Management) or currently under Probation

Previous participant exclusion criteria as of 09/09/2020 to 09/02/2024:
1. Hate crime according to Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) Policy
2. Domestic violence related crime
3. Sexual offence related crime referred to CPS
4. Knife crimes
5. Where on conviction the court is more likely to impose a custodial sentence (based on sentencing guides)
6. Remand in custody order is sought
7. Breach of court or sexual offences orders
8. Any offence involving serious injury or death of another
9. Offences under terrorism or official secrets legislation
10. Indictable only offences
11. All drink/drive or endorsable traffic offences
12. Offender already has a Gateway programme flag
13. Offender needs an interpreter
14. Any serious previous convictions within the last 2 years (i.e. serious violence, grievous bodily harm (GBH) or worse, serious sexual offences, robbery or indictable only offences)
15. Summary offences more than 4 months old
16. Persons subject to Court bail; Prison Recall, Red IOM (Integrated Offender Management) or currently under Probation

Previous participant exclusion criteria:
1. Hate crime according to Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) Policy
2. Domestic violence related crime dealt with under Project CARA (community intervention)
3. Domestic violence related crime referred to CPS
4. Offenders suitably dealt with by way of Community Caution as an immediate disposal
5. Where on conviction the court is more likely to impose a custodial sentence (based on sentencing guides)
6. Any offenders currently under multi-agency public protection arrangement (MAPPA) case management
7. Breach of court or sexual offences orders
8. Any offence involving a death of another
9. Offences under terrorism or official secrets legislation
10. Indictable only offences
11. All drink drive offences

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mental health and well-being measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Health and Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) at 4 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year post randomisation