Presentation on a collaboration with London Probation Services – to implement a proven structured approach to intervention when working with service users within the statutory criminal justice system. Contributor: South Lanarkshire Council

1. Supporting Structured
Supervision within a
Criminal Justice
Context
Alex O’Donnell
Carol-Anne Soones

2. Background
 SLC focus group
 Training needs snapshot
 Partnership with London Probation
Service
 Exploring the Black Box of Community
Supervision (Bonta,J)

5. What Works Principles for Effective
Programmes
- Skills oriented
- Cognitive behavioural
- Staff able to model pro-social behaviour
- Multi–modal
- Community based
- Ongoing monitoring and evaluation
- High degree of programme integrity

6. What Works in 2013…?
 A major aim of correctional reintegration work is to help
individuals to construct a life plan that has the basic
primary goods and ways of effectively securing them,
built into it, and does not involve inflicting harm on others
(Maruna and Ward 2007)
SSP incorporates the Good Lives
Model and other elements of
desistance focussed practice

7. Desistance Focussed Practice
The Good Lives Model (Maruna &Ward)
 Model assumes offenders share the same inclinations and
basic needs as other people and are naturally predisposed
to seek certain goods or goals (i.e. same needs as the rest
of us)
 Criminal actions arise when individuals lack the internal and
external resources to attain their goals in pro-social ways
 Assisting individuals to achieve goods/goals via non-
offending methods may function to eliminate or reduce the
need for offending

8. Importance of therapeutic relationship to
support desistance…
- Offenders more likely to
desist when engaged in
supervisory relationship.
- ‘Half of probationers
revealed feelings of
personal loyalty and
accountability towards
supervisors which
contributed to desistance’
(Belief in offender
important)

9. PROGRAMME OUTLINE
 12 SESSIONS - AIMS
The programme aims to help offenders to:
 solve problems more effectively
 set goals for themselves
 take more control of their lives by thinking before they act
 develop more positive self narratives and develop pro – social
thinking and behaviour
 develop strategies for preventing relapse into offending behaviour
 develop victim empathy
 make links with community resources to help them achieve their
goals

10. PROGRAMME OUTLINE (cont.)
 5 MODULES
 Module 1 Thoughts/Attitudes/Motivation/Life goals
 Module 2 Problem Solving/Assertive
Communication
(links with achieving life goals)
 Module 3 Reframing beliefs/self talk – towards a
positive self narrative
 Module 4 Victim Awareness/Empathy
 Module 5 Relapse Prevention/ongoing work/linking with
community resources

11. SELECTION CRITERIA
 Men and women on (18+) who are subject to standard
supervision requirement via CPO/ probation with a
general pattern of offending
 Men and women who are deemed medium to very high
intensity via LSCMI-SV but excluding those where a
‘risk of serious harm’ is identified.
 * See FRAME guidance on establishing ROSH *

12. SSP Training & Support
 1 Day CBT Refresher Course
 2 days training (Manual and Theoretical Manual)
 Participation in group action-learning sets
 Direct observation and feedback
 On-going skills development

13. Evaluation of South Lanarkshire
SSP
 Six social workers chosen to pilot structured
programme throughout South Lanarkshire
 Outcome focussed approach to evaluation
 Link with Caledonian University
 Informed consent to take part in programme

14. Evaluation comments
 “SSP helped me to know more fully about the offender; his
feelings, problems, family life and his thinking/behaviour. It’s
a good way to make the offender think of his behaviour and
attitudes; one of the most positive outcomes of SSP was that
he was beginning to re-examine his life-style.”
 “SSP gives a plan and structure for supervision and as you
complete the sessions, offenders see their progress and can
measure themselves against it. SSP also gives them more
focus and helps them to identify their risk factors.”
 I’ve done really well, I’ve got clean whilst on the programme,
and I’ve got qualifications [...] I moved areas too, as I wanted
to move out of the way of temptation. Now I can stay
focused’

15. Questions or comments…