Independence Trust delivers drug and alcohol interventions within the criminal justice system. Each team works in different arenas such as:

Alcohol Arrest Referral Service (AARS)

The Alcohol Arrest Referral Scheme aims to reduce alcohol related crime in Gloucestershire.

Referrals are made if someone is arrested when they have been drinking. People then attend two sessions that address:

• Links between their drinking and offending.
• Avoiding risky drinking situations.
• Longer term alcohol issues.

The scheme is extremely successful and is highly praised by government. Many agencies from around the country visit us for help with similar services.

Drug Intervention Programme (DIP)

The Drug Intervention Programme started life in 2003 and includes staff from Independence Trust and Gloucestershire Probation area.

The Independence Trust team work in police cells to identify drug users and get them into treatment.

People get rapid access to NHS prescribing services and intensive support within the community. Many are referred into specialist services.

DIP Aftercare Services help people coming out of prison to settle back into the community, access education and employment and rebuild their lives without drugs or the need to offend.

Prolific and Priority Offender (PPO) Scheme

The PPO Scheme includes staff from the Independence Trust, Gloucestershire Constabulary and Gloucestershire Probation Service and targets the minority who commit a large proportion of crime in the county. They work in the same way as the DIP scheme, often for longer and with the added support of the police.

Prison Liaison

Independence Trust works in the county's prisons to link drug services on the inside with those in the community. This approach increases the success of the schemes.

Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR)

Independence Trust supports Gloucestershire Probation in delivering the Alcohol Treatment Requirement as part of a community sentence. The aim is to enable people to change their drinking habits and reduce their offending.