Jason strengthens partnerships across the criminal justice, Public Health and civil society system, bringing together key stakeholders, including people with lived experience to develop quality deflection practice. Using his knowledge and experience from a former career in Policing, Jason brings a unique blend of practical and evidence based experience gained from innovating policy design and it's implementation throughout the UK and beyond. JQ is a thoughtful leader and is proud Honorary Member of the Faculty of Public Health and Visiting fellow to University of South Wales.
Abstract
Experience in Advocating for Innovative Public Policy to Reduce drug Demand: Moving from Arrest to Deflection
Jason will discuss the current political and strategic landscape within the UK's Public Health and Policing consensus on reducing drug use and the components of the UK Govt.s new drug strategy where Deflection features prominently. He will also detail his own experience as a serving senior police officer, how he implemented new policy through culture change among his peers, and upwards through complex hierarchical policing and political systems to treat drug possession as a health issue whereby deflection can enable a person to receive an assessment, education and treatment where necessary, often for the first time.
Deflection into quality professional interventions is more than just policing. The whole public health and community system is involved, with examples where children, found with drugs in schools can be deflected instead of excluded, tenants are deflected instead of evicted.. an evidenced based approach, with meaningful outcomes benefitting Police, justice, health and whole communities but most importantly the person themselves.