B. Determining Reintegrative Needs

Introduction

Before taking action for reintegrative needs, the probation officer must determine what the needs are and the level of the needs. This topic covers:

how needs are identified and confirmed, and
principles for resolving identified needs.

Criteria

The following table sets out the criteria to identify an offender???s reintegrative needs through seven reintegrative objectives.

Objective	The offender has a need if they…
Acquire suitable accommodation	have no or unstable accommodation, or are living with other offenders.
Obtain employment	are not in training or education, or have no job (may not apply if the offender is in voluntary employment, a single parent, primary caregiver of child(ren), a sickness beneficiary, or retired).
Manage finances	have no income source (may not apply if the offender is supported by a partner or parents or is underage for benefits), or owe money (including child support).
Manage relationships	have difficulties with important relationships (partner, children and family/wh??nau).
Develop positive community supports	have no: involvement with community organisations hobbies or interests that are non-criminal, and/or supportive non-criminal family or friends.
Prevent victim related problems	are likely to be have contact with a victim that would cause problems for the offender, and/or the victim.
Achieve healthcare continuity	have ongoing health issues or problems.

Social functioning skills

Social functioning skills underpin the seven reintegrative objectives. They relate to developing skills in general functioning, such as:

communication
problem solving, and
management of emotions and conflicts.

Primary focus

The primary focus of reintegrative interventions is reducing the risk of re-offending. When considering reintegrative activities, consider how the specific intervention will:

give the offender strategies to manage or resolve the issue, and
minimise the risk of re-offending.

Confirming the need

When a potential need is identified, ask the question:

???Is the need serious enough to impact on the offender???s ability to comply with the conditions of the sentence or lead them to re-offend????

If the answer is ???yes??? then check that the offender:

agrees that there is a need, and
has the skills, knowledge and motivation to resolve or manage the need themselves (i.e. can they identify and act on possible solutions?).

Determine the level of need

If the need is confirmed, and the offender does not have the ability to manage the need themselves, then determine the level of need and the actions required.

Use the table below to determine the level of need.

If there are needs that…	then the level is…
can be resolved within a short timeframe (1 to 4 weeks)	RI 1
require ongoing support and monitoring	RI 2

Tailoring principles

When planning activities to help resolve identified reintegrative needs, consider options that will best meet the particular needs of the individual. They may include such factors as:

M??ori culture related needs
women
Pacific peoples, and/or
youth.

Appropriate tailoring may include:

referral to cultural social services rather than mainstream services
the importance of family of origin relationships
centrality of peer group relationships
isolation, and/or
the impact of past and present abusive relationships.

Link between rehabilitation and reintegration

Over the course of their sentence an offender may attend programmes to reduce their rehabilitative needs, as well as work on their reintegrative needs.

Integrate offender planning and management to ensure that rehabilitation and reintegration mutually reinforce each other, rather than conflict with or duplicate each other.