The public rightly expect transparency with regards to decision-making for Out of Court Disposals (OOCD) for both adults and youths. It is very important that the decision-making process in relation to Community Cautions, Diversionary Cautions, and Community Resolutions are deemed appropriate.
It is seen as best-practice to convene a panel of Criminal Justice decision-makers to review disposals. The intention of the OOCD Scrutiny Group is to build and maintain confidence for local criminal justice stakeholders and the public.
The group independently review random selections of anonymised youth and adult cases that have been resolved by use of an Out of Court Disposal (OOCD). The aim is to determine whether the method of disposal is considered appropriate, based on a review of the information/evidence available to the decision-maker at the time.
These scrutiny arrangements provide generalised feedback to Humberside Police about whether their use of OOCDs is consistent and appropriate.
