FOI 121-2023 / Jan 2023 / Gambling Disorders, incidents & crimes

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: FOI-121-2023

 

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 26^th January 2023 as follows:

 

1. Does screening for gambling disorder take place among detainees in any part of your force? If yes:

 

1. a) Which detainees are being screened?
2. b) What are the triggers for a gambling screening?
3. c) Who does the screening and where?
4. d) What screening tools are used?
5. e) What pathways are in place if gambling problems are identified?

 

2. How many incidents attended during the period 1 January 2021 through to 31 December 2022 recorded the following key words – gambling, betting or casino?  Please provide for each incident:

 

1. a) The month/year the incident occurred
2. b) Alleged offence/reason for police attendance
3. c) Gender
4. d) Race
5. e) Age

f ) Outcome of the incident (e.g. charge and summons, caution, community

resolution)

 

3. How many crimes recorded during the period 1 January 2021 through to 31 December 2022 recorded the key word ‘gambling’?  Please provide for each instance:

 

1. g) The month and year the crime occurred
2. h) Alleged offence/reason for police attendance
3. i) Suspect/offender’s gender
4. j) Suspect/offender’s race
5. k) Suspect/offender’s age
6. l) Outcome (e.g. charge and summons, caution, community resolution)

 

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in providing the response to your request and for any inconvenience this may have caused you.  Please find the Warwickshire Police response set out below.            

 

Q1 response: No, there is no specific screening for gambling disorder.

 

However, I can advise that, although there are no questions in the Custody Risk Assessment that relate specifically to gambling addictions, there is opportunity for an individual to disclose this when asked if there are any other issues that may affect them whilst in custody.  In the event that an individual did disclose such information, then the custody staff would look to ensure that the individual was provided with relevant signposting prior to leaving.

 

Further, there is a Liaison and Diversion (L&D) team permanently based in both Warwickshire Police custody suites at Leamington Spa and Nuneaton.  They are there to carry out assessments with detainees once they have been booked into custody.  Although, as mentioned, there is no specific screening for gambling addiction, L&D screen for all vulnerabilities, and addictions would fall within this.  The team would always look to seek the correct support for each area of need and, with the consent of the detainee, discuss any observations or needs with the custody staff so that the detainee may be best looked after, in accordance with their needs, whilst in custody and signposted to any relevant support agencies before they leave. 

 

Q2 response: Please be advised that information in relation to points c to f is not held as it is not available from the incident recording system. With regard to points a and b, searches were conducted for incidents containing the keywords ‘GAMBLING’, ‘CASINO’ and ‘BETTING’ during the stated period. This brought back 202 records and the information is set out below; however, it should be noted that these will include instances that had no direct link to gambling or gambling premises (for example it may have been stated in the text ‘around the corner from the betting shop’). Keyword searches bring back both unreliable and inaccurate data, as they only include summaries which contain the words and do not include those that do not.

 

Total number of incidents by month/year
Month/Year	Total
2021
Feb	6
Mar	9
Apr	10
May	6
Jun	7
Jul	13
Aug	12
Sep	19
Oct	8
Nov	12
Dec	10
2022
Jan	10
Feb	5
Mar	12
Apr	6
May	6
Jun	6
Jul	4
Aug	11
Sep	13
Oct	8
Nov	3
Dec	6
Grand Total	202

 

Disposal Description	Total
ARSON	1
BURG BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY	1
BURG RESIDENTIAL	1
CONCERN FOR SAFETY	60
CONTACT RECORD	7
CRIMINAL DAMAGE	4
DAMAGE ONLY - RTC	1
DOMESTIC INCIDENT	30
DUPLICATE	3
FRAUD AND FORGERY	3
HARASSMENT / STALKING	3
HOAX CALL	1
MISSING PERSON	15
NUISANCE	13
OTHER CRIME	9
OTHER FORCE / AGENCY	1
PERSONAL	2
POLICE GENERATED ACTIVITY	4
PUBLIC ORDER	1
ROAD RELATED OFFENCE	1
SEXUAL OFFENCE (NOT RAPE)	3
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES	8
THEFT (NOT VEH RELATED)	10
THEFT FROM VEHICLE	2
VIOLENCE	18
Grand Total	202

 

Q3 response: Searches were conducted for all crimes, recorded during the stated period, that include the keyword ‘Gambling’ within the MO Description or Investigation Summary.  As stated above for Q2, these will include instances that have no direct link to gambling or gambling premises. Keyword searches bring back both unreliable and inaccurate data, as they only include summaries which contain the words and do not include those that do not.

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling' by month/year
Month/Year	Total
2021
March	2
July	1
October	2
December	3
2022
January	2
February	1
March	2
May	1
June	2
August	3
September	2
October	3
November	1
December	1
Grand Total	26

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling'
Classification Title	Total
Assault with injury	2
Stalking	3
Violence without Injury	1
Theft in a dwelling other than from automatic machine or meter	4
Other Theft	1
Criminal Damage	6
Other sexual offences	1
Assault without Injury	8
Grand Total	26

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling', by suspect gender*
Gender	Total
Female	3
Male	18
Grand Total	21

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling', by suspect self defined ethnicity*
Self Defined Ethnicity	Total
White	11
Not Stated / Not recorded	10
Grand Total	21

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling', by suspect age at time*
Age at Time	Total
18 or under	1
19 to 24	1
25 to 29	6
30 to 34	3
35 to 39	6
40 to 44	2
45 to 49	1
50 to 54	1
Grand Total	21

 

*Please note that the offence total and suspect totals do not match as, in some cases, there is no suspect identified.

 

Total number of crimes recorded with keyword 'gambling', by outcome type
Outcome Type	Total
Type 1 - Charged/Summonsed/Postal Requisition	1
Type 3A - Caution Adult - alternate offence	1
Type 14 - Evidential Difficulties Victim Based- Suspect Not Identified	5
Type 15 - Named Suspect Identified: Victim Supports Police Action But Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action	3
Type 16 - Named Suspect Identified: Evidential Difficulties Prevent Further Action: Victim Does Not Support Police	13
Type 18 - Investigation Complete; No Suspect Identified. Crime Investigated As Far As Reasonably Possible	1
Type 20 - Further action resulting from the crime report will be undertaken by another body or agency	1
Filed or under investigation	1
Grand Total	26

 

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible.

 

Your attention is drawn to the below which details your right of complaint.

 

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write or email the Freedom of Information Unit quoting the reference number above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Freedom of Information Officer

Freedom of Information Unit
Warwickshire Police

PO Box 4

Leek Wootton

Warwickshire

CV35 7QB

[email protected]