CARA sits within the criminal justice system as an early intervention targeting domestic abuse offenders meeting specific criteria to be issued with a Conditional Caution.
Under the new two-tier policing framework CARA will be used for offenders receiving a Diversionary Caution.
CARA was first trialled in 2011 under experimental conditions in partnership with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, Hampton Trust and Cambridge University resulting in the first UK policing strategy to be evaluated under randomised control trial conditions. Conditional Cautions for domestic abuse had not previously been used and until 2024 remained subject to special Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) dispensation in select police forces. Since August 2024, all police forces have been given special dispensation to use Conditional Cautions for standard-risk domestic abuse cases, provided that the intervention follows CARA principles.
Sessions and delivery style take offenders on an awareness-raising journey, supporting opportunities for self-disclosure and promoting access to additional support. Through engagement in two workshops and feedback from victims, CARA is designed to enable offenders to understand what domestic abuse is, its impact and its consequences.The workshops are designed to maximise engagement with offenders and to nudge them into specialist services.
CARA is an evidence-based intervention proven to reduce reoffending. CARA promotes the safety of offenders’ families through a linked victim contact service offering safeguarding and support. Police benefit from support and guidance informed by Hampton Trust’s practice and experience of CARA.
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