‘We capture their comments before we leave the station’: Service User Involvement in the Delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes

Donna  Peacock; Stephen J Macdonald; Wendy Podd; Faye Cosgrove

doi:10.1921/swssr.v23i3.1655

Authors

Donna Peacock University of Sunderland https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7814-4811
Stephen J Macdonald Durham University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4409-9535
Wendy Podd University of Sunderland
Faye Cosgrove University of Sunderland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/swssr.v23i3.1655

Keywords:

Service user participation, National Appropriate Adult Network, Appropriate Adult Schemes, ‘vulnerable’ adults, Children, Service User Involvement

Abstract

The concept of participation is now widely accepted in healthcare and social services, but is less apparent in the delivery of services for vulnerable people who encounter the Criminal Justice System and its associated agencies (Buck et al, 2020). This article considers the extent to which children and ‘vulnerable’ adults who have been detained in police custody are currently able to actively participate in the design and delivery of Appropriate Adult Schemes. This paper draws together responses from 43 services in England and Wales concerning levels of service user engagement to ascertain the current level of participation, and to make recommendations for the future. The paper applies Forbat, et al.'s (2009) models of service user involvement to conceptualise ideological drivers which underpin the Appropriate Adult Scheme's commitment to involvement. The data reveal that while there is a genuine desire to improve service user participation, that institutional, financial, and attitudinal barriers mean that participation either does not occur or is at a very cursory level.

Author Biographies

Donna Peacock, University of Sunderland

Dr Donna Peacock is Associate Professor of Social Science at University of Sunderland. Donna’s current research focuses on interactions between suspects who have been defined as ‘vulnerable’ and the police, particularly in custody settings.

Stephen J Macdonald, Durham University

Professor Stephen Macdonald is Professor of Social Work at Durham University. Stephen’s work applies theoretical perspectives that emerge from within Disability Studies to the study of Criminology and Adult Social Work.

Wendy Podd, University of Sunderland

Dr Wendy Podd is Senior Lecturer of Social Policy, and Programme Lead for BSc Sociology at University of Sunderland, her research interests include youth studies, regeneration and participation. Wendy is currently undertaking research into foodbanks.

Faye Cosgrove, University of Sunderland

Dr Faye Cosgrove is a visiting lecturer and research fellow of the University of Sunderland. Faye’s research to date has focused on police organisational structures and culture and intersections between vulnerability and policing.

References

Allain, L., Cosis Brown, H., Danso, C., Dillon, J., Finnegan, P., Gadhoke, S., Whitaker, F. (2006) User and carer involvement in social work education, A university case study: Manipulation or citizen control? Social Work Education, 25, 403–413

Askheima, O., P., Beresford, P., and Heule, C. (2017) Mend the gap: Strategies for user involvement in social work education. Social Work Education, 36, 2, 128–140

Arnstein, S. R. (1969) A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of planners, 35, 4, 216-224

Buck, G., Harriott, P., Ryan, K., Ryan, N., & Tomczak, P. (2020) All our justice: people with convictions and ‘participatory’ criminal justice. in H. McLaughlin, P. Beresford, C. Cameron, H. Casey, H. and J. Duffy The Routledge Handbook of Service User Involvement in Human Services Research and Education Routledge (pp. 285-295)

Chavira, D., Fowler, P. J., and Jason, A. (2018) Parenting and the association between maternal criminal justice involvement and adolescent delinquency. Children and Youth Services Review. 87, 114-122

Crime and Disorder Act (1998) London: The Stationery Office

Charles, C., & DeMaio, S. (1993) Lay participation in health care decision making: a conceptual framework. Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 18, 4, 881-904

Cummins, I. (2011) ‘The other side of silence’: The role of the appropriate adult post-Bradley. Ethics and Social Welfare, 5, 3, 306-312

Dehaghani, R., & Bath, C. (2019) Vulnerability and the appropriate adult safeguard: examining the definitional and threshold changes within PACE Code C. Criminal Law Review, 3, 213-232

Durcan, G., Saunders, A., Gadsby, B., & Hazard, A. (2014) The Bradley Report five years on. London, England: Centre for Mental Health

Farrugia, L., & Gabbert, F. (2019) The ‘appropriate adult’: What they do and what they should do in police interviews with mentally disordered suspects. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 29, 3, 134-141

Finn, W., Hyslop, J. and Truman, C. (2000) Mental health, multiple needs and the police: Findings from the Link Worker scheme London: Revolving Doors

Edwards, I. (2004) An ambiguous participant: The crime victim and criminal justice decision-making. British Journal of Criminology, 44, 6, 967-982

Forbat, L., Hubbard, G., & Kearney, N. (2009) Patient and public involvement: Models and muddles. Journal of clinical nursing, 18, 18, 2547-2554

Gudjonsson, G. H. (2010) Psychological vulnerabilities during police interviews. Why are they important?. Legal and criminological Psychology, 15, 2, 161-175

Gudjonsson, G., & Joyce, T. (2011). Interviewing adults with intellectual disabilities. Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 5, 2, 16

Hanley, B., Bradburn, J. Barnes, M., Evans, C., Goodare, H., Kelson, M., Kent, A., Oliver, S., Thomas, S. Wallcraft, J. (2004) Involving the public in NHS, public health, and social

care research .(2nd Ed) INVOLVE Support Unit: Hampshire

Herrington, V., & Roberts, K. (2012) Addressing psychological vulnerability in the police suspect interview. Policing, 6, 2, 177-186

Hellenbach, M. (2012) Learning disabilities and criminal justice: Custody sergeants’ perceptions of alleged offenders with learning disabilities. British journal of learning disabilities, 40, 1, 15-22

HMIP (2014) Annual Report 2013-2014: Independent inspection of adult & youth offending work [Online]. Available at https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/06/HMI-Probation-Annual-Report-2013-2014.pdf

Honeywell, D. (2020) The research experience from an insider perspective: in M. Maycock, R.Meek, and J. Woodall (Eds.) Issues and Innovations in Custodial Settings Health Research. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (pp. 91-111)

Hughes, M. (2017) What difference does it make? Findings of an impact study of service user and carer involvement on social work students’ subsequent practice. Social Work Education, 36, 2, 203-216

Human Rights Act (1998) London: The Stationery Office

Hyun, E., Hahn, L., & McConnell, D. (2014) Experiences of people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42, 4, 308-314

Jessiman, T., & Cameron, A. (2017) The role of the appropriate adult in supporting vulnerable adults in custody: Comparing the perspectives of service users and service providers. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45, 4, 246-252

Little, R. (2015) Participation and practice in youth justice [Online] Available at https://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/ECAN-bulletin-24.pdf#page=16

Macdonald, S.J. & Taylor-Gooby, D. (2014) ‘Patient Zero’: A critical investigation into the concept of public and patient ‘involvement’ in the NHS. Social Work And Social Sciences Review. 17 , 1, 88–104

McBarnet, D. (1978) The Fisher report on the Confait case: Four issues. The Modern Law Review, 41, 4, 455-463

McCartan, K. F., Harris, D. A., & Prescott, D. S. (2019) Seen and not heard: The service user’s experience through the justice system of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. International journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology, DOI: 0306624X19851671

Mental Capacity Act (2005) London: The Stationery Office

Mental Health Act (1983) London: The Stationery Office

McKinnon, I. G., Thomas, S. D., Noga, H. L., and Senior, J. (2016) Police custody health care: A review of health morbidity, models of care and innovations within police custody in the UK, with international comparisons. Risk management and healthcare policy, 9, 213

Mclaughlin, H. (2006) Involving young service users as co-researchers: Possibilities, benefits and costs. British Journal of Social Work. 36, 1395–1410

Medford, S., Gudjonsson, G. H., & Pearse, J. (2003) The efficacy of the appropriate adult safeguard during police interviewing. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 8, 2, 253-266

NAAN (2015) The Home Secretary’s Commission on Appropriate Adults: There to help: Ensuring provision of appropriate adults for mentally vulnerable adults detained or interviewed by police. NAAN. [Online] Available at https://www.appropriateadult.org.uk/index.php/news/9-public-articles/154-theretohelp

NAAN (2017) Professional Development Day. Manchester 17.04.2017

NAAN (2018) National Standards. [Online] Available at https://www.appropriateadult.org.uk/national-standards

NAAN (2019) There to Help 2: Ensuring provision of appropriate adults for vulnerable adults detained or interviewed by police: An update on progress 2013/14 to 2017/18. NAAN. [Online] Available at https://www.appropriateadult.org.uk/policy/research/there-to-help-2

NAAN (2019) Professional Development Day and Annual General Meeting. London 18.09.2019

NAAN (2020) There to Help 3: The identification of vulnerable adult suspects and application of the appropriate adult safeguard in police investigations in 2018/19. [Online] Available at https://appropriateadult.org.uk/policy/research/theretohelp3

Oliver, M. (1996) The social model in context. in Understanding Disability. London: Palgrave (pp. 30-42)

Peacock, D., Cosgrove, F. (2018). The ‘New Normal’: Framing Vulnerability, Entitlement and Responsibility in Police Custody in Austere Times in P. Rushton, and C. Donovan (Eds.) Austerity Policies: Bad ideas in practice Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan (pp241-265)

Peacock, D. and Cosgrove, F. (2019) ‘Identifying ‘vulnerability’ in police custody: The impact of the 2018 revisions to PACE code C for police officer decision making’ at Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Annual Conference 2019: Leeds 05.04.2019

Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) London: The Stationery Office

Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) Code C (Updated 2019) London: The Stationery Office

Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) (Updated 2018) London: The Stationery Office

Price, C. and Caplan. J (1977) The Confait Confessions. London: Marion Boyers

Taylor-Gooby, D. (2012) What sort of NHS do we want?, Cambridge: Searching Finance

Webber, M., & Robinson, K. (2012) The meaningful involvement of service users and carers in advanced-level post-qualifying social work education: A qualitative study. British Journal of Social Work, 42, 7, 1256-1274

Weaver, B. (2011) Co-producing community justice: The transformative potential of personalisation for penal sanctions. British Journal of Social Work, 41, 1038–1057

Cases

R v Lattimore, Salih and Leighton (1975) 62 CR App R 53