This study of breach and compliance in Scotland uses quantitative and qualitative data to explore how offenders and professionals interpret compliance and breach; what factors relating to policy, practice and offender characteristics affect compliance and breach; and how breach policy and practice can be enhanced so as to encourage the cessation of offending. A literature review, the collection of aggregate data nationally and 375 interviews with professionals and offenders in 3 case study areas are the 3 methods to be used. The study seeks to impact politically (boosting confidence in criminal justice social work amongst the judiciary, offenders and the wider public), economically (ensuring that social work engagement with offenders works to secure their cooperation and reintegration), and operationally (offering new ways for supervising social workers to engage meaningfully with offenders subject to community-based disposals and post-custodial orders). Over 40 per cent of people serving community punishments are subject to breach (not complying with a disposal because of further offending or failing to keep to conditions), yet the processes of compliance and breach are little understood or researched.

125 professionals and 250 offenders were interviewed across Scotland, in one to one face-to-face or phone interviews. Professsionals included a random selection of sheriffs, JPs, judges, social work managers, social work practitioners, unpaid work officers, lawyers, and representatives of the police, prison service and Dept. of Work and Pensions. Offenders included a purposive sample of those on community-based disposals (unpaid work, supervision, probation, community service) and on post-release licence (parole/non-parole licence, extended sentences, life licence). We tried to sample equal numbers of breachers and compliers (as noted in social work records) and as many women as possible (who constitute only about 10-15% of all offenders on supervision).