What is Integrated Offender Management (IOM)
IOM is the term we use to decscribe a multi-agency approach to managing persistent offenders who commit a lot of crime, causing damage and nuisance to communities. The approach recognises that repeat offenders have multiple problems which contribute to their offending which cannot be addressed by a signle agency such as probation.
Agencies involved in IOM include probation, police, local authorities, drug and alcohol services and health providers. These multi-agency teams are up and running in each of the Surrey and Sussex police command units.
Under IOM we also seek to work with offenders who have been released from prison sentences of less than 12 months and therefore have no statutory duty to work with probation. These offenders often pose a high risk of offending because they receive little support from agencies to get their lives back on track and address issues which contribute to their criminal lifestyle such as drug and alcohol addiciton, homelessness, unemployment, health problems and access to state benefits.
How does IOM work?
Offenders who are part of the IOM scheme will be allocated an offender manager, either a probation officer if they are subject to probation supervision or a police officer for cases who have been released from prison without probation supervision.
We then work together to:
- Limit offenders' criminal activity through the sharing of information and robust oversight by police
- Work to address the issues which contribute to their offending, involving other agencies where required.
