Extended Supervision Offender Planning

Introduction

This topic provides guidelines for developing or reviewing a plan for offenders subject to an extended supervision order.

The plan for extended supervision must reflect the offender's assessed risk of reoffending.

Timeframes

The offender plan review must be completed or reviewed in IOMS within one month of the extended supervision order starting, regardless of whether special conditions have been set.

Note: If the offender is transitioning from another sentence or order, the current plan will need to be reviewed.

If no special conditions have been set yet

If no special conditions have yet been set when the extended supervision order starts and the offender is on standard extended supervision conditions only, then discuss with a psychologist how to manage the offender in the interim.

Consider whether there is a need for:

• voluntary attendance at a relapse prevention or maintenance group
• voluntary psychological treatment/counseling
• relapse prevention planning
• an application for interim special conditions (if applicable), or
• directions under the standard conditions

The plan must be reviewed after special conditions are imposed if special conditions were not in place when the plan was developed.

Identifying objectives for extended supervision

The objectives relating to risk management and oversight are of particular importance for extended supervision.

The plan should contain objectives that:

• provide regular contact with community and family/support people to monitor behaviour
• reinforce standard and special conditions designed to mitigate risk
• encourage age appropriate relationships and activities
• take cultural considerations into account, and
• incorporate support planning meetings (where appropriate).

Reference: See Volume 4, Part I, Chapter 13, Support Planning Meetings for Child Sex Offenders. (Please refer to the related links section on this page).

Objectives to counter responsivity barriers

If the probation officer identifies barriers to treatment or compliance, they should consider objectives to address these. Barriers may include:

• lack of motivation
• poor problem solving or relationship skills
• substance abuse
• accommodation issues
• employment issues
• associations, and
• practical barriers, e.g. location, transport.

Health care

If the offender's health care needs are complex, then, as part of planning, establish contact with the relevant health professional. If possible, hold a meeting with the offender and relevant health professional to develop a management and monitoring plan.

Examples: A meeting should be held when:

• mental health issues are involved in the offence pathway.
• medication is being used to manage health problems.
• hormonal treatment, e.g. Androcur, is being prescribed for management of sexual arousal.

Note: The offender's written permission should be sought before contacting the health professional.

Additional relapse prevention / safety plan

In addition to the offender plan which sets out the objective to meet the conditions of the order, a relapse prevention plan or safety plan should be completed for offenders on extended supervision.

• If the offender already has a relapse prevention or safety plan, this should be updated.
• If the offender does not have a relapse prevention or safety plan, one should be developed. This may be done in several ways:
  • The probation officer works with the offender in consultation with a psychologist to develop a relapse prevention or safety plan, and/or
  • hold a support planning meeting safety plan.

Reference: See Volume 4, Part I, Chapter 13, Support Planning Meetings for Child Sex Offenders. (Please refer to the related links section on this page).

Person to person monitoring

If the offender is subject to person to person monitoring, a detailed, individualised plan needs to be developed in consultation with the relevant Department of Corrections psychologist. It may also involve other agencies (e.g. police).

Planning must include a timeframe for reviewing the person to person monitoring regime and for applying to the New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB) for a variation of the special conditions when the 12 month person to person period is due to expire (or sooner if appropriate).