Factors associated with progression in the London pathway project

The London Pathways Partnership (LPP) Community Service is an approach to mainstreaming the identification of offenders with severe personality disorder to address their needs and reduce their risk.

To evaluate the result of the full-scale implementation of the LPP and evaluate factors associated with an offender's progression on the pathway.

The data collected as part of the LPP project and Offender Assessment System data were used to evaluate who was screened into the pathway and their progression on the pathway.

Over 3,400 offenders were screened into the pathway in the first 48 months of implementation but fewer were recorded as having progressed. It was not possible to determine whether this attrition reflected appropriate pathway action, inefficient service provision or weak recording procedures. Certain types of offenders were represented at progressive stages of the pathway. Those who had violent or sexual offences, had received custodial sentences, had more personality disorder indicators and were of higher risk were more likely to be found at progressive stages of the pathway. When probation areas began implementing the service was also found to be related to pathway movement. Also, those of Non-White ethnicity were no less likely than those of White ethnicity to be recommended or referred for services but were significantly less likely to start services.

The LPP attempts to balance breadth (covering all offenders being convicted in London) with depth (developing a feasible pathway for all offenders identified with severe personality disorder) and has done so with some success.

Future research should examine the continued rollout of the LPP service, and importantly the relationship between salient individual, risk and personality features, pathway inputs and measures of later reoffending. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.