Socially creative activities in Psychologically Informed Planned Environments: engaging and relating in the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway

Published date13 August 2018
Date13 August 2018
Pages202-210
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-12-2017-0052
AuthorSue Ryan,Nick Benefield,Vikki Baker
Subject MatterHealth & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Law enforcement/correctional,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice
Socially creative activities in
Psychologically Informed Planned
Environments: engaging and relating
in the Offender Personality
Disorder Pathway
Sue Ryan, Nick Benefield and Vikki Baker
Abstract
Purpose Major developments in the management of and intervention for people with significant personality
difficulties who have offended are continuing, most recently with the implementation of the Offender
Personality Disorder (Department of Health/National Offender Management Service (DoH/NOMS), 2011)
Pathway. Included in this, is the Psychologically Informed Planned Environment model, currently being
implemented in Prisons and Probation Approved Premises. This model includes the provision of socially
creative activities(Benefield et al., 2018), opportunities for social learning and relationship building. The
purpose of this paper is to explore the rationale for and examples of the implementation of these.
Design/methodology/approach The paper offers a narrative review of research around child
development, personality, social learning and the policy context around the OPD Pathway. An overview of the
socially creative sessions and a rationale for them is provided.
Findings A conceptual understanding of the rationale for socially creative sessions is provided with a
description of the sessions that focussed upon development of imagination, narrative/story making, social
expression and relational experiences, i.e. singing, drama and reading with others. It is argued that the
activities offered opportunities to engage in a different medium for expression, learning and relating, that may
provide a catalyst for change in individuals with entrenched motivational and interpersonal difficulties.
Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual paper that provides a rationale for socially
creative sessions and describes the sessions. This paper does not feature outcome data which are outside
the remit of this paper; however, future research into the impact of this approach to aid relational
development and assist in emotional and behavioural stability is essential.
Practical implications The complex needs of this client group emphasise the need for services to offer
holistic ways to engage people who can have a positive impact upon relationships.
Originality/value The work presented in this paper is valuable for professionals working within the
personality disorder and criminal justice field, also for policy makers and commissioners.
Keywords Relationships, Engagement, Offender Personality Disorder Pathway, Child development,
PIPEs, Socially creative activities
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
There has been widespread interest in the management and treatment of the small proportion of
people with a personality disorder who pose a high risk to others, with policies (The DSPD
Programme, Department of Health/Home Office (DoH/HO), 1999) and subsequent reviews of
this (Department of Health (DoH) 2009b; The Bradley Report, Department of Health (DoH),
2009c), influencing the development and implementation of the Offender Personality Disorder
Received 5 December 2017
Revised 31 January 2018
31 January 2018
Accepted 31 January 2018
Sue Ryan is a Chartered Clinical
and Forensic Psychologist/
Deputy Service Director at
Resettle Team, Mersey Care
NHS Trust, Liverpool, UK.
Nick Benefield is a Programme
Advisor to NHSE/HMPPS
Offender PD Programme at
NHS England, London, UK.
Vikki Baker is a Consultant
Clinical Psychologist at Resettle
(Intensive Intervention and Risk
Management Service),
Liverpool, UK.
PAGE202
j
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
j
VOL. 20 NO. 3 2018, pp. 202-210, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794 DOI 10.1108/JFP-12-2017-0052

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT