A preliminary examination of the effect of Operation Turning Point Western Australia: An evidence based policing strategy

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Weissofner, Natalie M.; Henry, Pamela J. and Scott, Adrian J.. 2017. A preliminary examination of the effect of Operation Turning Point Western Australia: An evidence based policing strategy. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Evidence Based Policing, 2(1), pp. 30-35. ISSN 2206-5202 [Article]

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Turning Point Western Australia (WA) is a deferred prosecution initiative currently being trialled by WA Police as part of an evidence based policing strategy. The purpose of Turning Point WA is to divert firsttime offenders away from the criminal justice system and into specific treatment programmes aimed at addressing the underlying causes of criminal behaviour. Within the context of this paper (incorporating the WA Police definition), first-time offenders are those who have never received a criminal conviction prior to committing the offence for which they have been apprehended. Turning Point WA is voluntary, and may be viewed as a pre-sentence diversionary option. Diversionary justice initiatives, such as Operation Turning Point have two primary purposes: to limit eligible offenders’ contact with the traditional criminal justice system, and to provide treatment options that assist offenders in addressing the underlying causes of their criminal behaviour. Turning Point WA, therefore, requires eligible offenders to commit to a four-month personal agreement that is specifically developed for each individual to best assist them in overcoming issues that may lead to future criminality. Successful completion of an agreement results in charges against the offender being quashed. Failure to complete the agreement results in prosecution. As this evidence based policing strategy is one of the first to be implemented by WA Police, it provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on what was targeted, tested and tracked.

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