An article examined the background to the Scottish Executive consultation on its strategy to reduce re-offending. It outlined the proposed changes and suggested how these could lead to more effective criminal justice social work services.
Source: James Maybee, 'Reducing re-offending and structural change in the delivery of criminal justice social work in Scotland', Probation Journal, Volume 53 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Dec
The government announced an action plan designed to improve offenders' skills and jobs prospects to stop them re-offending.
Source: Reducing Re-Offending through Skills and Employment: Next Steps, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Action plan | DfES press release | YJB press release | LSC press release | Nacro press release | Guardian report | BBC report | Community Care report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2006-Dec
Researchers examined the use, implementation, and management of the community responsibility order and the reparation order in Northern Ireland (requiring offenders to undergo instruction in citizenship and/or reparative activities). The new orders were well received by all those involved in the process of managing and delivering them.
Source: Helen Dawson, Seamus Dunn, Valerie Morgan and Caroline Donaghy, An Assessment of the Reparation Order and Community Responsibility Order in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (028 9034 8160)
Links: Report | NIO press release
Date: 2006-Dec
A report said that local organizations with local knowledge were best placed to work with the prison and probation services to reduce re-offending. Councils in particular had a key role to play, with their experience and expertise in critical areas such as housing, education, employment, drug and alcohol treatment, and family support.
Source: Neighbourhood by Neighbourhood: Local Action to Reduce Re-offending, Coalition on Social and Criminal Justice, c/o Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Date: 2006-Dec
Researchers examined the cultural and practical barriers to carrying out robust research into the impact of arts interventions in offender rehabilitation. Arts interventions in prisons and resettlement often lacked, or failed clearly to articulate, a developed or concerted methodology.
Source: Andrew Miles and Rebecca Clarke, The Arts in Criminal Justice: A study of research feasibility, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (020 7211 6200)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Dec
A report evaluated the new Offenders Learning and Skills Service. The majority of interviewees (41 out of 51) described the main overall impact of OLASS in positive terms. Most commonly mentioned in their accounts were: enhancements to the provision available to offenders, improvements to partnership working, a greater integration of services, and a raised awareness of learning and skills for offenders.
Source: Karen Halsey, Kerry Martin, Richard White, The Implementation of OLASS: An assessment of its impact one year on, Research Report 810, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Nov
An article examined the background and potential policy implications of a research project evaluating community support services for released prisoners with drug problems. Although short-term and remand prisoners posed particular problems, success with these groups in terms of dealing with their drug misuse would offer clear benefits both to the community and to individual prisoners themselves.
Source: Lol Burke, George Mair and Ester Ragonese, 'An evaluation of service provision for short-term and remand prisoners with drug problems', Probation Journal, Volume 53 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
An article examined the causes of widespread housing difficulties among former prisoners, such as a lack of appropriate advice in prisons and a failure to co-ordinate the work of the prison and probation services. Although the government had taken action to tackle these problems, a more fundamental difficulty was that social landlords might be unwilling to meet housing needs because they perceived that offenders posed a threat to community safety.
Source: Allison Harding and Jamie Harding, 'Inclusion and exclusion in the re-housing of former prisoners', Probation Journal, Volume 53 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jun
A report evaluated a tool developed to assess offending-related needs, likelihood of reconviction, and risk of serious harm. The most frequent needs were education, training, and employability thinking and behaviour. Patterns of need differed significantly between groups such as gender and offence type.
Source: Philip Howard, The Offender Assessment System: An evaluation of the second pilot, Research Findings 278, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Findings
Date: 2006-Jun
A new book examined the effectiveness of resettlement strategies, through three case studies of 'Resettlement Pathfinders' projects which tested new partnership-based approaches. The findings supported strategies based on promoting offenders' motivation to change, facilitating access to services, and continuing contact with staff or volunteers with whom a relationship had already been built.
Source: Anna Clancy et al., Getting Out and Staying Out: Results of the prisoner Resettlement Pathfinders, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-May
A literature review examined empirical evidence about interventions that focused on promoting employment for offenders.
Source: Jane Hurry, Laura Brazier, Mary Parker and Anita Wilson, Rapid Evidence Assessment of Interventions that Promote Employment for Offenders, Research Report 747, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Date: 2006-Apr
A report said that a course in oral communication and thinking skills could improve prisoners' quality of life in custody, and significantly reduce the likelihood of their re-offending.
Source: David Moseley et al., Developing Oral Communication and Productive Thinking Skills in HM Prisons, Learning and Skills Development Agency (020 7297 9144)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Feb
A study found that 85 per cent of people on probation or parole supervision had either low educational attainment, learning difficulties, problems expressing themselves, or problems understanding what was being said to them.
Source: Literacy, Language and Speech Problems Amongst Individuals on Probation or Parole, National Association of Probation Officers (020 7223 4887)
Links: Report | NAPO press release
Date: 2006-Jan
A report examined the provision of appropriate accommodation for ex-prisoners that would enable them to resettle into society.
Source: Paul Allender et al., Prisoner Resettlement and Housing Provision, Housing Corporation (020 7393 2000)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
A report said that programmes to stop offenders from committing further crimes were poorly adapted for people with mental health problems. They failed to address the most common causes of offending, such as lack of a home and lack of a job. Most offending behaviour programmes had low success rates, and some excluded prisoners with severe mental illnesses entirely.
Source: A Review of the Use of Offending Behaviour Programmes for People with Mental Health Problems, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (020 7827 8300)
Links: Report | SCMH press release
Date: 2006-Jan
A new book proposed an emphasis on constructive work with offenders that harnessed their positive strengths and resources, and offered inclusive approaches to effective offender assessment and intervention.
Source: Kevin Gorman, Marilyn Gregory, Michelle Hayles and Nigel Parton (eds.), Constructive Work with Offenders, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (020 7833 2307)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Jan