REINTEGRATION and AFTERCARE

First exchange visit

Milan, 29-30 June and 1 July 2014

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Reintegration

• The Criminal Justice legislative framework in England and Wales is currently going through radical reform:– 35 Public Sector Probation Services are being replaced by 21

‘Community Rehabilitation Companies’– Private sector, co-ops/mutuals and VCSE are currently bidding

for these large contracts– It is envisaged that the winners will establish a ‘supply chain’ of

smaller providers (regional and local)

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Reintegration

• UK legislative framework distinguishes between co-ops/mutuals:– Co-operative Societies (member owned)– Community Benefit Societies (operate for the benefit of the

community and can be charitable)

• AND social enterprises– Community Interest Companies (CICs), not necessarily member

based AND 1 share, 1 vote (rather than 1 member, 1 vote)

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Reintegration

• Community punishment increasingly used as an option:– Curfew and exclusion methods: electronic tagging– Community Payback: the offender completes unpaid work such

as improving run down areas, clearing litter/graffiti

• Community payback case study: Moss Lodge– Former unoccupied haulage yard which was contaminated– Partnership between Council and Probation service– Site cleared and landscaped creating a community space

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One Idea, One Project

• Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA):– A mutual/co-operative approach to supervision, support and

reintegration of sex offenders in particular (but increasingly used with other groups)

– Groups of volunteers with professional supervision to support offenders to reintegrate into society

– COSA projects exist in Canada, UK and the USA

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One Idea, One Project

• Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA):

– Based on restorative justice principles– Each circle involves 4-6 trained volunteers from the community forming a circle

around the ex-offender (the core member)– The circle receives training and support from professionals (the outer circle)– The inner circle meets regularly to assist in the core member’s needs: medical

services, social networks, employment/housing as well as emotional support– Also to challenge the behaviours and attitudes that are related to the offending

cycle

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One Idea, One Project

• Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA):

– Partnership with local community, criminal justice professionals and the ‘core’ member

– They operate as an informal multi-stakeholder co-op/mutual– Evaluations of COSA indicate that participation by the core

member can reduce sexual offences by as much as 70% in relation to predictions following a risk assessment

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Our advice

• Move away from imprisonment:

– Better targeting of imprisonment and ensuring it is more effective. Reserved for offences that are so serious that no other form of punishment is suitable

– Paying back in the community should become the default position in dealing with less serious offences

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Our advice

• Take note of the Scottish Prisons Commission, 2008– 3 stage approach to sentencing and ‘paying back’

1. Judge makes a judgement about the level of penalty

2. What form of reparation is appropriate. Involves a dialogue between judge, probation, community payback staff and the offender

3. Checking up on the process. Report proposes the establishment of a progress court

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Our advice

• New rules/emphasis for Community Payback:– Ensuring that community based sentences provide rehabilitative

and reparative interventions rather than just PUNITIVE ones– Payback may involve making good to the victim and/or the

community:• Financial reparations• Unpaid work• Rehabilitative work

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THANKS!

For further information:

progetti@consorziotenda.it

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