Working Offenders
Leicestershire Community Punishment Pathfinder
Leicestershire is piloting a scheme for improved case management, and skills training and accreditation on Community Punishment & Rehabilitation Orders.
The pilot started in April 2000 and covers all CPROs in Leicester city. The remainder of Leicestershire and Rutland Area provides a control sample. The target intake sample of 170 cases was achieved in April 2001 with orders to be completed by November 2001.
The project is managed by a single SPO who coordinates the work of two community supervision units and a single Community Punishment unit, each with their respective SPOs. Two POs plus two reserves in each supervision team act as case managers for the CPRO cases, while the CP unit has two liaison CSOs allocated to each supervision team. The project has developed a range of management protocols and paper and electronic communication arrangements. These facilitate the high level of coordination needed between the various staff working in the different component parts of an order if the impact of combined orders in reducing reconviction is to maximised.
All cases start with a joint supervision planning meeting attended by the PO case manager, the supervising PO or PSO where different, the liaison CSO, and offending behaviour group programme staff where relevant. Offenders are then allocated to those Community Punishment work projects which can be used to address particular offence related needs and / or reinforce work to be carried out on the rehabilitation part of the order. This is facilitated by a system for auditing CP placements and both group and individual placements are available. A similar supervision review meeting is held at the end of the CP part of the order. Evaluation assessments (eg CrimePics) at the beginning and end of orders are the responsibility of the PO case manager and carried out by PSOs in the supervision units.
Training is offered in a range of vocational and life skills. On Community Punishment this takes the form of guided learning while performing work and does not form part of the 10% allowance within an order for non work activity. Vocational skills training is targeted at those cases where employment related needs are identified in the initial assessment undertaken at the start of the order. Since there is a significant correlation between unemployment and offending, it is hoped that by improving offenders’ employability the project will increase the likelihood of them obtaining stable employment and thereby reduce the likelihood of further offending.
Training in life skills can be undertaken in all elements of the combined order including offending behaviour group programmes, and the evidence included in the skills assessment process. Offenders work towards gaining Open College Network units which are awarded through the local Stephenson College as part of the National OCN. The ETE officer is also developing links with EdExcel. The training units gained are portable into further training undertaken with a college after the Community Punishment order, and offenders are encouraged and supported to explore this further by the ETE Officer.
An interim report on the initial findings of the projects has now been published. Copies of the Executive Summary are available from the NPD e-mail address below. A full evaluation report will be published in March 2002 to report on the findings of all the Community Punishment Pathfinder Projects; with a reconviction analysis following in 2003. Given its initial success the Area will continue to operate Community Punishment on the project model until it is incorporated into a new national framework for CP in the future.
Further information
Camille Naylor, Senior Probation Officer Leicestershire |
0116 251 6008 |
Steve Woodgate, Pathfinder Development Manager, National Probation Directorate |
020 7217 0684 |
Last update: 16/09/03