ValueSec use case scenario: Alcohol abuse intervention in Finland Director Tarja Mankkinen Ministry of the Interior Finland Brussels, 10 th December 2013 7.1.2014
Government Programme, 22 June 2011: The objective of the internal security is to make Finland the safest country in Europe, one of which people feel that they live in a fair and equal society regardless how they indentify themselves. 7.1.2014 2
The purpose of the Internal Security Programme Create a national vision and direction to safety and security-related work What is the situation in terms of everyday safety analysing and evaluating safety in Finland What needs to be improved so that we'll have a safer tomorrow measures in the Internal Security Programme Addressing matters that require cooperation different authorities, NGOs and the business sector 7.1.2014 "more than the sum of its parts" 3
Government Resolution 14 June 2012 7.1.2014 4
Challenges in security-related decision making Security problems more and more often involve processes that require participation from several actors the ones burdened by the consquences are less and less often the ones who can solve them the consequences are often divided across several actors (economical, welfare and political consequences) 7.1.2014 5
Example: substance abuse intervention through a wider network of intoxication shelters Alcohol is the most common cause for security problems in Finland homicides, violence in streets and in homes accidents Safety and security will improve, if as many target group individuals as possible reach intervention services early enough 7.1.2014 6
Current situation and aims The Finnish police incarcerates around 80 000 people per year due to heavy intoxication they are usually released in the morning, no abuse intervention is offered people with early stages of alcohol problems are not adequately steered to intervention Measure increase the amount of intoxication shelters with strong steering to abuse intervention service take the alcoholics from the jails to shelters reaching the individuals at the right time 7.1.2014 7
Challenges how to make the best decision taking into account the best of the society? Police and police jails state-funded, state authority Intervention services and shelters municipality-funded, local authorities Current costs of alcoholism (security, health) are shared by both actors substance abuse rehabilitation low threshold service 75-100 euros/day, specialized healthcare 600-700 euros/day cost of alcohol-related security problems 7.1.2014 8
ValueSec? How to use or could we use the ValueSec method to analyse the problem in a more holistic perspective? co-operation tool when drafting solutions to the complicated and cross-sectoral problems? 7.1.2014 9
Risk Reduction Assessment Key issue: the effectiveness of an abuse intervention programme initiated at an intoxication shelter right place, right time most of 80 000 annual incarcerations are those of chronic "street alcoholics", whose recovery rate is low, but 20-40 % are first- or one-timers how many succesful interventions are achieved per total nights spent at shelter? 7.1.2014 10
Cost Benefit Assessment Factors heavy consumption and alcoholism highly increases risk of several types of costs: general health care and (expensive) specialized care premature deaths crime unemployment/loss of productivity difficult to fully assess, but possible police resources tied to incarcerations (pickups & transfers, guarding, administration, facilities) vs. cost of additional shelters and intervention programmes? 7.1.2014 11
Qualitative Criteria Assessment Legal deadlock: municipalities are required to provide abuse intervention services, police are required to incarcerate overly intoxicated individuals if intoxication is a danger to their safety Political alcohol-related deaths and illnesses among the general public alcohol-related deaths during incarceration Social is incarceration due to drunkenness seen as self-inflicted (punishable) or as a sign of need for help? (illness) 7.1.2014 12
Conclusions The main problem is that the whole society's interest is not achieved due to contradictory interests of key actors (police, local health care) main question for implementation is costbenefit how many more intoxication shelters and rehab programs lead to less alcohol problems? how will potential savings be steered so that the new structures required will be compensated? 7.1.2014 13
Thank you! Tarja Mankkinen email tarja.mankkinen@intermin.fi www.intermin.fi 7.1.2014 14