how the offender management framework applies...

How the Offender Management Framework Applies to the Women’s Prison System

CSAC Women Offenders Conference –Better Pathways to Better Outcomes forWomen Prisoners and Offenders

December 2007

Background

• Reducing Re-Offending Framework (2004)– Describes how to assess, treat and manage

higher risk offenders in order to reduce risk of re-offending

– This relies on effective offender management by all staff to maximise opportunities for offenders to change their behaviour

Corrections Victoria’s Mission Statement

• To deliver a safe and secure corrections system in which we actively engage offenders and the community to promote positive behaviour change.

The Aims of Offender Management

• Maintain a safe, secure and supportive community;

• Motivate offenders to engage in and continue with programs and services;

• Identify and monitor offenders’ risks and needs; and

• Based on these risk and needs coordinate their access to appropriate programs, services and activities

• The role of staff in maintaining security and actively engaging offenders in programs and services is central to Offender Management.

Offender Management Framework

• Documents a number of practice principles based on the “what works” literature.

• The practice principles ensure that our offender management practices are linked to evidence based theory and enables a consistent, system wide approach.

Theoretical Principles

Practice Principles

Offender Management Practices

The Offender Management Framework

“What Works”Theoretical principles

IntegrityWhat approaches should be based on.

Risk-Need Approach (Andrews, 2001)Good Lives (Ward & Stewart, 2003)Therapeutic Jurisprudence (Wexler & Winick, 1996)

A system based on these three theories, provides a system that can protect the community by reducing antisocial behaviour and address individual offender needs by increasing prosocial behaviour and well-being.

“What Works”Theoretical principles

• Risk– Who should receive services?– What level of intervention should they receive?

• Need– What should be targeted?

• Responsivity– How should intervention be delivered?– Internal (Individual offender characteristics)– External (Offender-staff interactions)

Practice PrinciplesCorrections Victoria Offender Management Framework – Achieving the BalanceTheoreticalPrinciples Practice Principles

Integrity

Risk & Need

Responsivity

Internal

External


Maintain System Integrity• Offender management processes are evidenced-based and linked to theory.• Staff members are properly trained and supported/mentored.• Quality assurance processes are in place to ensure offender management processes

are monitored to identify areas of achievement and opportunities for improvement.• Offender management practices are evaluated.

Integrity

Risk & Need

Responsivity

Internal

External


Integrity

Manage Risk and Target Intervention Needs• Offender management processes are based on accurate and up-to-date information.• Offenders have access to an adequate range of services, programs and activities

to accommodate their identified needs.• Level of services and programs are matched to level of risk (includes risk

of re-offending, to staff, escape, self-harm etc).• Staff members monitor offender’s progress on goals.

Risk & Need

Responsivity

Internal

External


Integrity

Risk & Need

Increase Self Responsibility• Staff, services and programs are responsive to offenders’ learning styles and abilities.• Offenders are assisted to have responsibility for developing and implementing their plans to meet their goals.

• Offender management processes need to be individualised.

Responsivity

Internal

External


Integrity

Risk & Need

Responsivity

Internal

Provide a Constructive Environment• Staff maximise offender opportunity for rehabilitation and reduce risk to the community through the nature of their interactions.

• Staff members ensure expectations of offender management processes are communicated to the offender.

• Staff members deliver a consistent strategy of rewards and sanctions.• Processes need to be in place to ensure the offender can access and complete programs.

• Staff support processes of progression and enhance continuum of care.

External

Practice PrinciplesCorrections Victoria Offender Management Framework – Achieving the Balance

Stan

dard

s

TheoreticalPrinciples Practice Principles

Our

Pra

ctic

es

Maintain System Integrity• Offender management processes are evidenced-based and linked to theory.• Staff members are properly trained and supported/mentored.• Quality assurance processes are in place to ensure offender management processes

are monitored to identify areas of achievement and opportunities for improvement.• Offender management practices are evaluated.

Integrity

Manage Risk and Target Intervention Needs• Offender management processes are based on accurate and up-to-date information.• Offenders have access to an adequate range of services, programs and activities

to accommodate their identified needs.• Level of services and programs are matched to level of risk (includes risk

of re-offending, to staff, escape, self-harm etc).• Staff members monitor offender’s progress on goals.

Risk & Need

Increase Self Responsibility• Staff, services and programs are responsive to offenders’ learning styles and abilities.• Offenders are assisted to have responsibility for developing and implementing their plans to meet their goals.

• Offender management processes need to be individualised.

Responsivity

Internal

Provide a Constructive Environment• Staff maximise offender opportunity for rehabilitation and reduce risk to the community through the nature of their interactions.

• Staff members ensure expectations of offender management processes are communicated to the offender.

• Staff members deliver a consistent strategy of rewards and sanctions.• Processes need to be in place to ensure the offender can access and complete programs.

• Staff support processes of progression and enhance continuum of care.

External

Linking the Principles to Prison OperationsCorrections Victoria Offender Management Framework – Achieving the Balance

Enforce theorders of the court

Manage risks to thecommunity

Reduce Re-offending

Offender ManagementFramework

Maintain System Integrity

Manage Risk & Target Intervention Needs

Increase Self Responsibility

Provide a ConstructiveEnvironment

Our Process

Stan

dard

s




Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition


Ongoing Local Plan Review Meetings

(Meeting between case worker and prisoner)

Sentence Management Panels



Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition

Our Practices

Reception Intake Process

Induction R&A Committee

Initial Local Plan Meeting

R&A Committee Reviews


Pre-release R&A Committees

Intervention ScreeningAssessment – Tier 1

Tier 2A Assessment

Tier 2B Assessment

Offence-specific Programs

Offence-related Programs

Transitional Programs

Tier 2C Assessment



(Meeting between case worker and prisoner)

Sentence Management Panels



Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition

Our Practices

Reception Intake Process

Induction R&A Committee




Pre-release R&A Committees


Tier 2A Assessment

Tier 2B Assessment

Offence-specific Programs

Offence-related Programs

Transitional Programs

Tier 2C Assessment

The role of staff is to create an environment that maximisesbehaviour change in order to achieve a safer community




Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition

Our Practices


Is offender management responsive to the needs of women?

• The Women’s Correctional Services Framework - Better Pathways in Practice (2007) describes the key elements of a correctional system that is responsive to the needs of women offenders.

• Provide instructions on the development & delivery of gender appropriate:– Correctional programs and services– Offender management practices– Workforce training– Policy and planning

Operational Objectives

• Actively encourage personal responsibility and self-reliance by maximising women’s participation in, and control over, case planning and delivery.

• Increase Self Responsibility– Offenders are assisted to have responsibility for

developing and implementing their plans to meet their goals.

– Offender Management processes need to be individualised.




Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition

Our Practices



• Provide staff with sufficient information and support to accurately identify women’s needs and refer them to appropriate resources to address the practical needs of themselves and their families;

Relevant OMF Practice Principles

• Maintain System Integrity– Staff are properly trained and supported/mentored

• Manage Risk & Target Intervention Needs– Offender management processes are based on

accurate and up-to-date information

• Increase Self Responsibility– Staff, services and programs are responsive to

offenders’ learning styles and abilities.


• Incorporate assessment tools that have been developed specifically for use with women offenders, which are applied by practitioners with an understanding of the impact of gender differences on assessment;

• Maintain System Integrity – Offender management processes are evidence-based

and linked to theory

• Manage Risk & Target Intervention Needs– Offender management processes are based on

accurate and up-to-date information




Reduce Re-offending






Our Process

Stan

dard

s

Assessment

Interventions

Transition

Our Practices


Tier 2A Assessment

How do we achieve this?

• Offender Management Supervisors • Change Agents

– Review offender management processes to ensure they are inline with the Offender Management Framework.

– Train staff in offender management practices to ensure they are inline with the Framework.

– Quality assurance process

Contact [email protected]