The Short Motivational Programme (SMP) is designed to enhance offenders’ motivation to understand their offending and assist them to learn how to make positive changes in their attitudes and behaviour.

The SMP is delivered one-to-one by a programme facilitator or psychologist. The programme includes components to increase problem awareness and recognition, reduce ambivalence, address cognitive distortions, consider options and formulate goals.

Motivational interviewing is a directive and client-centred style of interviewing. It is used in the Short Motivational Programme to encourage behaviour change by helping prisoners explore and resolve their ambivalence about, or reluctance to do something about, their problems. It focuses on increasing the prisoners’ commitment/motivation to change, rather than teaching them how to change.

Offenders who complete the Short Motivational Programme should:
- recognise the behaviours that contribute to their offending
- be motivated to address the factors that contribute towards their offending
- be able to formulate goals which will assist them to become offence free
- be motivated and prepared to participate in other rehabilitation programmes/supports in prison or in the community, which address the factors that contribute towards their offending.

SMP also prepares the offender for possible programmes and support in the community on release.

Length of programme

5 structured sessions, 1 per week, each session approximately 1 hour.

Location

The programme is delivered both within prison and within the community.

 

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