A report examined an intensive supervision and monitoring project (which ran in Stoke-on-Trent between June 2000 and September 2002) based on a partnership between the police and probation services. The project involved intensive work with up to 16 prolific offenders at any one time with the primary objective of reducing their offending. The report drew a number of management lessons, but said that it was not possible to draw conclusions about the impact of the project on area crime rates.
Source: Anne Worrall, Rob Mawby, Geoff Heath and Tim Hope, Intensive Supervision and Monitoring Projects, Online Report 42/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
Researchers reported on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Joint Prison/Probation Services Accreditation Panel (subsequently the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel), in the performance of its central function of accrediting offender programmes and their delivery.
Source: Sue Rex, Roxanne Lieb, Anthony Bottoms and Louise Wilson, Accrediting Offender Programmes: A process-based evaluation of the Joint Prison/Probation Services Accreditation Panel, Research Study 273, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Study (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
Researchers evaluated resettlement pathfinders established in 1999 for short-term prisoners (those serving fewer than 12 months). Problems with accommodation, drugs and alcohol were seen by project team staff as having the highest priority for 72 per cent of the prisoners. Over 70 per cent of all offenders interviewed said they had benefited from the project, particularly in terms of increased self-confidence, having someone to talk to, help with practical problems and improved thinking skills.
Source: Sam Lewis, Mike Maguire, Peter Raynor, Maurice Vanstone and Julie Vennard, The Resettlement of Short-term Prisoners: Evaluation of seven pathfinders, Occasional Paper 83, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Sep
Researchers identified the factors relevant to the treatment needs of minority groups of offenders (women, minority ethnic people, and young people), showed how such factors affected drug use, and suggested how they might be combated.
Source: Jo Borrill et al., Differential Substance Misuse Treatment Needs of Women, Ethnic Minorities and Young Offenders in Prison: Prevalence of substance misuse and treatment needs, Online Report 33/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Online report (pdf) | Development and practice report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
Researchers examined drug-related mortality among newly released offenders (following evidence that this group was particularly vulnerable). It was recommended that general education and awareness-raising about the risk of drug-related death in the immediate post-release period should be made available to all prisoners as part of their release preparation. It was also recommended that links to community-based services be improved: prisoners at higher risk should be identified and linked with community-based care services immediately on release.
Source: Nicola Singleton, Elizabeth Pendry, Colin Taylor, Michael Farrell and John Marsden, Drug-related Mortality among Newly-released Offenders, Online Report 16/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
An evaluation found no differences in the two-year reconviction rates for prisoners who had participated in a cognitive skills programme (between 1996 and 1998) and a matched comparison group. This contrasted with a reduction in reconviction rates found in the previous evaluation relating to 1992 96.
Source: Louise Falshaw, Caroline Friendship, Rosie Travers and Francis Nugent, Searching for What Works : Evaluation of cognitive skills programmes, Research Findings 206, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A report by a charity highlighted the link between re-offending and the range of obstacles faced by people with mental health problems and multiple needs in getting help and support. It set out a broad range of policy proposals, covering areas such as access to family doctors, housing, and drug and alcohol treatment; the lack of provision for people with multiple needs; and the importance of multi-agency working.
Source: Snakes and Ladders, Revolving Doors Agency (020 7242 9222)
Links: RDA press release (Word file)
Date: 2003-Jul
The government published a progress report on efforts to cut re-offending rates. It said that it had 'a coherent, comprehensive programme' for tackling the problem, and a rigorous approach to evaluation and to measuring success.
Source: Making the Right Choice: Helping offenders quit crime the story so far, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A new community penalty was launched - the Intensive Control and Change Programme - designed to cut offending by young people aged 18-20. A pilot began in five areas. The programme would combine close monitoring and the restriction of liberty (for example through the use of a daily curfew to home address enforced by electronic tagging) with 25 hours a week of 'demanding and intensive' activity (including 18 hours a week at an offending behaviour programme, education, employment and training).
Source: Press release 3.4.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: HO press release | Crime Concern press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Apr
A pilot scheme was announced to help those leaving prison stay off drugs. The scheme, called 'Prospects', will provide an integrated support programme for short-term prisoners going from prison to approved premises and on to longer-term accommodation. It will seek to cut crime by targeting local offenders and focusing on offending behaviour, relapse prevention and life skills.
Source: Press release 11.2.03, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A report proposed strengthening existing throughcare arrangements, and building closer working relationships between the agencies involved, to help tackle re-offending rates by improving support for prisoners moving back into the community. The Scottish Executive said it supported the initiative.
Source: Throughcare Developing the Service: Report of the Tripartite Group, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400) | Press release 25.2.03, Scottish Executive
Links: Report (pdf) | Report | Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
The Prison Service launched 'Prison Service plus', a new facility designed to reduce re-offending. The facility, funded in part by the European Social Fund, will identify and address barriers to employment (including drug dependency, housing difficulties or lack of education) experienced by prisoners. It will draw on the expertise of a number of specialist groups to allow prisoners to combat obstacles to finding a job on release.
Source: Press release 18.2.03, Prison Service/Home Office (020 7273 4543)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Feb