An interim evaluation of the pilot project: AVERT

The Avert pilot project developed to divert women at the first point of contact or at an earlier stage away from the criminal justice system. This project aimed to divert both low-level and persistent female offenders through the Avert conditional caution or voluntary referral. The pilot was conducted in Blackburn and referrals to the project were made from Greenbank custody suite to then be implemented within Eastern Lancashire Women’s Centres. Launched in 2013 by Lancashire Women’s Centres and Lancashire Police, the AVERT service aims to provide a holistic package of support to women who have been arrested for an offence, however minor. This report presents the interim evaluation findings of the pilot project AVERT from November 2013 to June 2014 highlighting the ways in which this early intervention initiative supported women’s journey to desistance from crime. This report presents a summary of the findings of the service and provides an estimate of key outcomes for women offenders and the cost benefits of the service.