Application of Family Group Conferencing in the process of inmate support and after-care
Velez Edit2009. április 28.
Prisoners-released prisoners
Inmate support: Begins at least six months before the estimated
date of release from the correctional facility, or at least two months before the estimated
date of temporary release from the reformatory institution.
After care: Begins after release from correctional facility
or reformatory institution- Released prisoners can apply for after-care
within 3 months from release
Inmate support Prisoners Juveniles in reformatory institutions
After care: Prisoners released on parole without probation Prisoners released after serving their full
sentence Juveniles released from reformatory
institutions– threre is special after-care for them in the reformatory. Probation officers co-operate in this after-care.
Probation supervision
Juveniles released temporarily from reformatory institutions -obligatory
Prisoners released on parole with probation supervision-ordered by the prison judge
Case number of inmate support and after-care
1583
2483 (+57%)
2187(-12%)
2643(+21%)
3229(+22%)
411(+43%) 307
(-25%)268
(-13%)257(-4%)169
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
felnőtt korúakfiatalkorúak
After-care
Close to social work: Voluntary basis, focuses on the needs of the offender,
helping process developed by the client and the social worker together (e.g. contract)
Differences from probation supervision There’no control function There are no behavioural rules There are no legal consequences Duration depends on nature of the case
Fields of intervention
Family relationshipsReplacing lost official documentsEmploymentHousingEducationMedical care, healthImproving skills,changing behaviour
Methods
1. Questionnaire2. Providing information 3. Individual case work4. Group work
Aim
Improvement toolkit and resources Improvement toolkit and resources of probation supervision and after-of probation supervision and after-care care
Family Group Conferencing Project
„For a balanced, free life”
Involvement of the family, the community and the professionals in the after-care of prisoners with addiction problems
-project supported by the National Crime Prevention Committee
2007. 09.15.-2008. 04. 30.
Target group: prisoners before release with alcohol/drug problems
Organisations in the project
Pest County Office of Justice Partners:
Budapest Prison Tököl Juvenile Prison
Participants: Community Service Foundation Hungary, Negrea
Vidia, trainer in Family Group Conferencing From National Drug Prevention Institute: Ákos
Topolánszky , Edina Kósa Borbála Paksi researcher, Viselkedéskutató Kft Kortárs Segítő Műhely Foundation, József Zelenák
addictologist, psychiatrist
Aims of the project Strengthening family relationships of the
prisoner before release, finding resources of re-integration
Promotion of active attitude on individual and community, family level
Raising and maintaining motivation towards change with the help of family relationships
Make the prisoner aware of his/her alcohol/drug problems. Idea: drug counselors should take part in the conference
Method: FGC
Aims of the project
To train the probation officers to use FGCduring the inmate support and after-care
20 probation officers were trained
Actors in the process
Prisoners before release and their families
Prison staff Providing information about prisoners before
release Probation officers working in the prison Interviewing the prisoners, informing them about
FGC Facilitators
Contact with the prisoner Organizing the conference Follow-up, evaluation of the FGC
Conclusions:
Intention to co-operate is stronger in families that still function as a family and where prisoners are welcomed back at home
Involvement of families that suffered long time from the addiction of the prisoner is difficult. In these cases imprisonment of their family member was a relief.
It is easier to involve the familiy before the release. As the time passes it is getting more difficult.
Conclusions
Preparation of FGC requires the most work
It is not a suitable method to treat long and deep conflicts even after a well-based preparation
Conclusions
People with addiction problems often have difficulties to admit that they suffer from this kind of problem
Presumably one who doesn’t admit that he/she has an alchol/drug problem won’t take part in a FGC
ContinuationSeptember 2008-May 2009
Making an educational film about the FGC-s
Trainings: - Motivational interviewing with
drug/alcohol users during helping process - Method od FGC Facilitating FGC in 20 cases Providing supervision for probation
officers and prison staff who have taken part in the training of FGC
(51 probation officers and 2 members of prison staff)
Thank you for your [email protected]