Better Together: Resources for Professionals

This section includes practical resources and useful links for frontline professionals, and for researchers with an interest in the processes and data that informed the final report. 

These downloadable documents and links are to assist criminal justice and homelessness sector professionals to access services, understand each other's sector and develop opportunities for better joined-up working.

Frontline Resources

General Resources for Frontline Professionals
For Homelessness Services
For Criminal Justice Services and Agencies

Research resources

Literature Review
Interim Project Report
Client Input Report
Ministry of Justic statistics
 

Frontline Resources

GENERAL RESOURCES FOR FRONTLINE STAFF

Glossary of terms
One of the findings of the research was that criminal justice and homelessness sectors both have quite distinct language which can exclude each other. We have collated a range of criminal justice and housing/homelessness terms which arose during the project. Download the Glossary here.

Working With Offenders Directory
The Working with Offenders Directory is a database of voluntary and community organisations working with offenders and their families. The directory is for crimInal justice agencies, as well as other related VCS organisations, to search for partners and resources. VCS organisations can register their service through the site.


FOR HOMELESSNESS SERVICES
Community Safety Partnerships
Community Safety Partnerships are made up of representatives from the police and police authority, the local council, and the fire, health and probation services (termed the 'responsible authorities'), they also work with other groups such as landlords or community groups as appropriate. They develop local approaches on issues including antisocial behaviour, drug or alcohol misuse and re-offending. Click here to find details of your CSP.

The Probation Service
A general introduction to the role of the Probation Service as well as information on terms used by Probation and a brief overview of the courts system.

Integrated Offender Management (IOM) approach
IOM is the key to the Home Office’s reducing reoffending strategy. This link connects to the overarching IOM approach and principles. Different areas will have their own specific focus for the approach. Find your local IOM team by searching online for ‘Integrated Offender Management’ + your local area or through your CSP.

Restorative Justice
The principles and practices Restorative Justice may be of use to your service as tools in your support of clients with offending behaviours. There may also be opportunities for organisations to have more formal engagement with this programme. 

FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES AND AGENCIES
Advice a Guidance on Homelessness
Homeless Link has a range information on where to go for advice and support if you, or someone you know, is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
There are also links on this page to more specialised advice and guidance and links and helplines for a wide range of issues as well as housing.

Partnership working with homelessness services
With advice and guidance from NOMS we have developed a briefing based on the research to support probation staff in their joint working with homelessness services. The briefing focusses on the good practice examples and principles from frontline professionals Download the Joint Working Between Probation and Homelessness Services briefing. 

Homelessness Jargon-Buster
Guide to abbreviations, acronyms and terms used in homelessness and housing. Devised for use in London but also covers generic housing related terms.

Government notes and definitions of homelessness
A useful page for definitions and information on the key terms used in homelessness legislation and practice, as used by government.
 

Research resources

Literature review
A critical overview of what has been published on joint working between criminal justice and homelessness services, as well as the current policy context. Download the Literature Review here

Interim Report
Report from first phase of research, including detailed information and data from the online survey which received more than 300 responses from staff in both sectors. Download the Interim Report here.

Client Input Report
Over the course of the research project more than 75 clients gave us their views on what works in the journey to desistance and their experiences of cross sector working between criminal justice and homelessness services. Download the Client Input Report here.

Ministry of Justice statistics
The Ministry of Justice released a statistical report in March 2012 on the relationships between homelessness and reoffending. Download the report here.