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Preventing prison suicide: Staff perspectives

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
Date01 June 2017
Published date01 June 2017
DOI10.1177/0264550517710873b
AuthorEmma Cluley
Subject MatterResearch & reports
PRB710873 155..160 158
Probation Journal 64(2)
driven by partnerships, not CRCs. There was no evidence of quality reviews, or an
evaluation mechanism of the RARs effectiveness.
Management of RARs: Engagement, enforcement and recording – The recording
systems in place were found to limit the effective implementation of RARs. The case
recording system nDelius predates the implementation of RARs and, although modi-
fications have been made, there is stil confusion over the recording of different
categories of RAR contacts (RAR activities and RAR appointments). With regard to
engagement, there was low consideration given to diversity factors and service users’
engagement. Generally, insufficient days had been implemented in the sample of
cases reviewed, and so the thematic review raised concerns about this potentially
undermining sentencer confidence. There were further concerns about the discretion
given to missed appointments and enforcement, and how the missed sessions con-
tributed to the lack of progress of RARs within a sentence and outcomes being
achieved. Low attention was being given to effective offender management, and this
was partly attributed to changing staff caseloads and insufficient local guidance
about how to record RARs and the delivery of them. National Offender Management
Service (now known as Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service) and NPS gui-
dance was found to be useful, although the pressures from more important work and
immediate changes overrode this information being drawn upon.
Recommendations – Several recommendations were identified for different
organizations within the CJS. The Ministry of Justice should examine whether the
RARs are working as they intended; HM Prison and Probation Service should pro-
vide clear guidance for court liaison staff to identify the appropriate number of RAR
days and guidance on what can be counted as the RAR element; NPS should only
include RARs in preference to other requirements when it is the most effective way of
achieving...

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