Post-release supervision for short-term prisoners: Thematic review
| Author | Caroline Bald |
| Published date | 01 December 2019 |
| Date | 01 December 2019 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0264550519884790a |
| Subject Matter | Research & reports |
programme completion were are also noted alongside reductions in incidents of
misconduct and incidents of self-harm.
Qualitative feedback was also encouraging, revealing positive perceptions of
the programme from both participants and staff. Participants felt that they had been
well supported in the group and had been heard, some for what felt like the first
time, and most reported feeling equipped to use the skills learnt in achieving their
future goals on release from prison. Staff feedback focused on the perceived value
of providing a programme designed specifically for women. The content and
methods were also highly praised, specifically the use of narrative therapy, emotion
approach coaching, mindfulness, and the mentoring and advocacy service, all of
which were deemed valuable in achieving the programme aims.
A longer term impact study exploring the impact of the CARE programme on
reconviction rates is planned but will not be possible until a sufficiently large sample
has completed the programme, been released, and spent 3–5 years in the com-
munity. In the meantime, this study provided support for reaccreditation in 2016.
Intervening with Women Offenders; a process and interim outcome study of the
programme by Keeley Wilkinson, Sinead Bloomfield and Sarah Ashcroft,
2019, Ministry of Justice Analytical Series is available at https://www.gov.uk/
government/publications/intervening-with-women-offenders-a-process-and-
interim-outcome-study-of-the-choices-actions-relationships-and-emotions-care-
programme.
Rachel Reed
National Probation Service (North West)
Post-release supervision for short-term prisoners:
Thematic review
Published in May 2019, this thematic review stemmed from previous policy and
practice reviews of Through the Gate (2017) and Enforcement and Recall (2018),
as a review of post-sentence supervision (PSS). PSS processes were formally intro-
duced and presented as the common-sense cornerstone of Transforming Rehabili-
tation (TR) agenda. Given the centrality of post-release supervision programme, it is
concerning to read that there appears to have been little to no movement in practice
significantly impacting on the ‘successful’ transferring of learning and change for
those leaving custody to return to their community. Given the findings, one wonders
if this review further fuels speculation (or agreement) that while in principle TR was
indeed common sense but the restructuring to achieve it was deeply flawed.
It was identified early on that there was no national data on PSS and that further
research is welcomed. With the viability and impact of PSS being considered as
part of the wider review of probation, Strengthening probation, building confi-
dence, this report sought to ask six questions of leadership, coordination,
Research & reports 465
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