That sounds easy, but in most organisations this wonderful resource of good ideas and wisdom is either not recognised, or there are real difficulties in taking advantage of it.
Corrections is no exception. You can go anywhere in this organisation and you will find people who have insights that would make a difference if they were shared. But this is a big organisation, one of the country’s largest, and with several distinct activity streams, sharing ideas and information can be quite a challenge.
My goal in coming months is to find ways of getting the different parts of Corrections to work together better. At the senior management level, the Public Prisons Service, Probation and Offender Services, and Corrections Inmate Employment we are working on relationships that will enable them to view their activities on a whole of organisation basis. I am also looking at ways of improving the interactions between the different supervisory and management levels within Head Office.
I will be looking at ways of encouraging everyone in Corrections to work together to identify problems and provide solutions. One great outcome when people work out the solution for themselves is that they are more likely to take ownership of its implementation.
As we get better at doing this, we will be able to target our activities where they make a difference. At times, this will mean letting go on some activities where they are not producing the results we seek. This happened in March when we decided to stop providing Straight Thinking and the 100-hour Mixed Programme (MPRO).
Our own evaluation, backed by a growing body of international evidence, was telling us that these programmes were not as effective as more intense programmes.
They are to be replaced with rehabilitation programmes that will include a 300-hour high-intensity programme for high-risk offenders, a 120-150 hour medium-intensity programme for medium-risk offenders and a shorter option for individuals or small groups of offenders.
The new programmes will also be supported by a relapse prevention programme for those who complete the programmes. Corrections will also trial the widespread delivery of a short motivational programme for short-serving prisoners.
The new programmes will be focused on those offenders research shows are most likely to benefit from them, therefore having the greatest impact on reducing reoffending.
The programmes we are dropping are just some of our rehabilitation initiatives. We know that some are extremely effective, particularly those for sex offenders, but it is only by sharing our experiences of what works or doesn’t that we can get the best possible results.
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ISSN 1178-8453