Interventions News
Issue 27 – September 2007
Contents
Introduction
27/01: Update on Prolific and Other Priority Offenders
27/02: East of England PPO Conference
27/03: Rise in Numbers of Offenders on Drug
Rehabilitation Requirements
27/04: Publication of National Alcohol Strategy
27/05: Alcohol Best Practice Projects
27/06: NOMS Launch Planet Payback
27/07: Unpaid Work Annual Conference
27/08: Snapshot of Unpaid Work 2007
27/09: Revised Unpaid Work Training
27/10: Unpaid Work Self Assessment
27/11: Northamptonshire’s Criminal Justice
Pharmacy Scheme
27/12: OASYS, The Next Release
27/13: The Future Role of the Correctional Services
Accreditation Panel
27/14: One-To-One Process Evaluation
27/15: Offender Management Phases I and II – The View
From The Frontline
27/16: “This course has given me a real future...”
27/17: Some Forthcoming Events
NOMS Interventions and Substance
Abuse Unit Contact Details
INTRODUCTION PPO Toolkit
A toolkit (pin-board of good practice) has been put
This issue of Interventions News provides yet on EPIC – please have a look and let us know of
more information about the range of activities any other items that you may have; no matter
being carried out as we modernise and update how small!
our suite of interventions.
http://npsintranet.probation.gsi.gov.uk/index/servic
e_delivery/interventions/noms_probation_intervent
Read about our work with prolific offenders,
ions_and_substance_abuse_unit/drugs_alcohol_p
substance misusing offenders and the new
pos_young_adult_offenders/prolific_and_other_pri
Government alcohol strategy. If you have ever
ority_offender_ppo_toolkit.htm
wondered what Planet Payback has to offer you,
now is the time to learn more.
PPO Regional Events
The last two regions to hold their PPO events are
We are also pleased to welcome Phil Bowen to
the South East and the East Midlands; both of
the Unit to take over from Claire Wiggins, heading
which are still being planned, however they are
the Intensive Interventions Team.
aiming for November events. We will update you
nearer the time.
Accompanying this newsletter is an Interventions
News Special on Domestic Violence which
FURTHER INFORMATION:
outlines the work being done in this important
Corinna Griggs, NOMS Interventions and
field.
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Corinna.Griggs2@justice.gsi.gov.uk
I hope that these publications will be of interest to
Tel: 020 7217 0760
all probation staff and if you too have a story to tell
Robin Brennan NOMS Interventions and
why not share it with the rest of us by writing an
Substance Abuse Unit
article for this newsletter. Contact details for the
Email: Robin.Brennan@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
editor, John MacGregor, are on the back page.
Tel: 020 7217 0916

Sarah Mann
2. PPO Programme Team in the Home Office
Head of NOMS Interventions and
Substance Abuse Unit, Ministry of Justice
3 year contract provides stable future
for JTrack
Following formal tender, PA Consulting Group has
27/01: UPDATE ON PROLIFIC AND OTHER
been awarded the JTrack application support and
PRIORITY OFFENDERS
maintenance contract for an initial 3 year period
from 1 June 2007. The length of this contract will
1. PPO Team in NOMS Interventions and
provide stability and demonstrates commitment to
Substance Abuse
JTrack as the national system underpinning the
PPO strategy.
Performance Visits
London Probation Area will be the first to be
Development work will bring JTrack access to
visited to help enhance PPO performance; a pre-
the Government Secure Intranet.
visit questionnaire was sent out to Chief Officers
In recognition of the further benefits that could be
on the 17 August to allow areas to make
realised by extending JTrack access beyond
preparation for the visit.

2
Police and CPS users, PA Consulting Group will
be developing a gateway making JTrack
accessible to Government Secure Intranet users
– Probation, Prisons, Crown Courts and
Magistrates Courts. Extending access to these
key partners is expected to strengthen the role of
JTrack as a multi-agency tool for local partners
operating together to concentrate their joint efforts
on those individuals identified locally as causing
most harm to their communities.
Prison data available for PPOs on JTrack
The Home Office have secured a weekly
download from Prison Service IT systems that
allows for routine cross reference with JTrack to
reveal the location of PPOs in prison custody and
their release information. This functionality
represents a significant development allowing
PPO scheme practitioners to use JTrack to
monitor the movements of PPOs through the
prison estate.
“Power Search” Functionality
New advanced searching functionality allows
users to quickly identify which PPOs in an Area:
• Are frequent offenders across scheme
boundaries.
• Are being released from prison in the next
28 days.
• Have been convicted this month.
• Have committed an offence, by offence type,
in the past 3 months – including multiple
offence search criteria.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Gwyn Jones, Home Office Drugs Unit
Email: Gwyn.Jones@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7035 0100
3
27/02: EAST OF ENGLAND PPO
CONFERENCE
People dedicated to working with the East of
England’s most prolific offenders were able to
learn from each other in a bid to improve the
management of PPOs, at a key conference this
summer.
About 150 people from the complete range of
organisations involved in managing PPOs,
including probation, police, drug agencies, prisons
and councils took part in the conference. The aim
of the conference, which was held at the Rowley
Mile Racecourse, Newmarket, was to examine
“PPOs and the premium service: what is it and
how can we improve it?”
Keynote speakers included Bernard Lane, head
of the PPO programmes team at the Home Office,
Robin Brennan, policy development manager at
NOMS, and Tim Scotson, strategic manager for
PPOs, Leicestershire and Rutland.
Delegates were able to take part in two of six
workshops:
• Moving Forward Together, exploring the
partnership and links between Bullingdon
Prison and the Oxfordshire PPO system,
Project Iris.
• PPOs in a rural area: delivering the premium
service in Lincolnshire.
• The offenders’ experience: what the premium
service means in reality, which included video
interviews with offenders.
• Lessons from the national evaluation, looking
at the key findings and discussing possible
implications for supervising PPOs.
• Through the gate (in and out) – what does it
mean for a PPO, focussing on how to deliver
an effective multi-agency approach to PPOs
leaving custody.
• Alignment of DIP and PPO, which examined
what is required for the two programmes to
work effectively together.
The conference ended with an opportunity for
representatives from the six counties that took
part to work out an action plan for their area.
Steve Johnson-Proctor, Essex Probation
Area assistant chief officer said: “Input from
Leicestershire was very interesting. It looked as if
they had devised a model, which could be taken
and applied to most areas with a little modification.
I gained the impression throughout the day that
this is what people wanted, a PPO model that
was clear to them and all involved and worked
the same in one part of any county to another.
Jon Frayne, Hertfordshire Probation Area
assistant chief officer said: “I thought that the
conference was a great idea for people to share
ideas and to learn about different models for what
a premium service could look like. It also allowed
people from different agencies within areas to
discuss ways forward and to come up with some
quite innovative thinking.”
Norfolk Probation Area assistant chief officer
Judith Blackman said: “This was a wonderful
opportunity for people working with PPOs to talk
to practitioners from other agencies in their own
county and also to find out and learn from what is
going on in other counties. Participants really
enjoyed having the time and space to be able to
do both of these things. They also went away with
a feeling of being valued for the work that they do.”
Suffolk Probation Area assistant chief officer Julia
Sharp said: “This day was an excellent opportunity
for networking between regional cross-grade and
multi-disciplinary staff. The programme offered
delegates the opportunity to hear the national
picture and then focus on what this meant to them
as an area.” She added: “The key messages
were clearly that the PPO intensive approach
4
works, in terms of reducing reoffending, and
there were some good examples of what areas,
including Suffolk, could look at to replicate
some of the more intensive programmes.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
Juliette Maxam, Communications Officer,
Suffolk Probation Area
Email: Juliette.Maxam@
suffolk.probation.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 01473 282345
27/03: RISE IN NUMBERS OF OFFENDERS
ON DRUG REHABILITATION
REQUIREMENTS
The Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR) is
the main delivery route for drug interventions
within community sentences for adult offenders,
having replaced the Drug Treatment and Testing
Order (DTTO) for offences committed on or after
4th April 2005. DRRs are more flexible than
DTTOs, are aimed at a wider target group and
treatment is more closely tailored to individual
need. The result is that courts can now address a
wider range of drug-misusing offenders within the
community sentence framework. This has been
reflected in the substantial rise in the number of
orders made from around 6,000 DTTOs in 2002/3
to 15,798 DRRs/DTTOs in 2006/7, of which 98%
were DRRs.
Whilst the profiled commencement target for
2006/7 of 16,000 was narrowly missed (by 1%),
the profiled target for completions, 5,000, was
exceeded by 19% with 5,939 completions. This
was an increase of 49% in the number of
completions compared with the 2005/6 (3,977).
The growth in orders made and completions has
continued into 2007/8 (April to July), with the
number of commencements up 8% (5,466) and
completions up 16% (1,957) on the same period
last year.
It is also encouraging that the completions rate
of those on DTTOs/DRRs has also increased
considerably from 28% in 2003/4 to 44% in
2006/7. We know from DTTO research that
offenders who complete have significantly lower
reconviction rates (53%) than those that don’t
(91%).
Guidance for DRRs issued under PC57/05 is
currently under review and there will be further
help available through Managing Drug Users
under Probation Supervision – guidance for
probation offender managers, CJITS and CARAT
teams. Both documents will be issued in autumn
2007.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Fiona Bauermeister, NOMS Intervention and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Fiona.Bauermeuster@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 0768
27/04: PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL
ALCOHOL STRATEGY
A new Government Alcohol Strategy for England,
Safe, Sensible, Social – The next steps in the
National Alcohol Strategy, was published on 5
June along with a review of progress made
against recommendations in the Alcohol Harm
Reduction Strategy for England 2004 and a series
of new actions and next steps as annexes.
The Strategy focuses on promoting sensible
drinking as the norm and targets three specific
groups of drinkers who experience, and are
responsible for, the greatest harm:
• Young people under 18, in particular those
aged between 11-15.
• Young adults, especially 18-24 year old ‘binge’
drinkers.
5
• Harmful drinkers whose patterns of drinking
damage their physical and/or mental health
and who may be causing substantial harm to
others.
From a NOMS perspective, the Strategy
recognises the range of provision we currently
offer to alcohol misusing offenders in custody and
the community and commits to support our key
strategic aims and objectives with reference to a
number of priority actions for 2007-08.
Copies of the strategy are available from:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/
Alcohol-strategy.pdf
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/
Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/
DH_075218
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Robert Stanbury, NOMS Intervention and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Robert.Stanbury@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 0767
27/05: ALCOHOL BEST PRACTICE
PROJECTS
Further to their successful bids under PC 31/2006
and the interim event on 14th February 2007,
representatives from the seven probation areas
and partner agencies were invited to give final
reports at an event held on 11 May 2007. The
presentations covered the nature and scope of
the project, and included progress made, the role
of partners, barriers or difficulties encountered
and how these were addressed, plans for
continuation of the project or wider roll-out, key
learning points and outputs.
Copies of the presentations given on the day can dioxide emissions and reforestation by engaging
be found at: in environmentally innovative projects.

http://npsintranet.probation.gsi.gov.uk/index/
Planet Payback was launched at a national seminar
service_delivery/interventions/noms_probation_
held at London’s Wetland Centre in Barnes. The
interventions_and_substance_abuse_unit/drugs_
day, attended by Gerry Sutcliffe the then Under
alcohol_ppos_young_adult_offenders/alcohol_
Secretary of State for Justice, and representatives
best_practice_event_may_2007.htm
from probation areas, environmental organisations,
NOMS and DEFRA, was an opportunity to share
NOMS Interventions and Substance Abuse Unit is
good practice, network and meet potential future
also holding a conference on 11 October 2007 to
‘green’ partners. Inspiring presentations were given
launch outputs from the 7 alcohol projects. The
by North Wales, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire
main purpose of the event is to disseminate the
and their partners on current successful
best practice learnt from the projects in order to
environmental projects working in partnership
inform the wider development of alcohol provision
with a variety of green organisations and other
across the NPS.
agencies. The presentations are available to
download from EPIC.
Representatives from the probation areas and
partner agencies involved will give presentations
Speaking at the event Gerry Sutcliife said:
and take questions on the key learning points.
Reports, manuals and guidance from the projects • “I am delighted to be here today with
will be available for delegates to take away. organisations that strive to make a difference
to our planet. I want us all to start looking
Details of this event and booking information will ahead and making a difference. That is why
be available on EPIC in due course. we are here today creating this drive for
offenders to take that step.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
• Community Payback schemes were
Stephen Lee, NOMS Intervention and
introduced in 2005 to raise the profile of
Substance Abuse Unit
projects carried out by offenders, and to give
Email: Stephen.Lee32@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
local people the chance to decide what
Tel: 020 7217 8003
projects they work on. Today is the next step
which I hope will see this work further reduce
the carbon footprint in England and Wales.”
27/06: NOMS LAUNCH PLANET PAYBACK

NOMS are currently working to develop central

In June, NOMS Interventions and Substance
partnerships with a variety of green organisations
Abuse Unit launched Planet Payback, a
in order to support the probation areas regionally.
Community Payback initiative to increase the
Progress in this area will be reported at the
number of unpaid work projects that reduce climate
Annual Unpaid Work Conference.
change and continue the push to stay green.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
The initiative encourages environmental charities
Alexa Gainsbury, NOMS Interventions and
and organisations to work with probation areas in
Substance Abuse Unit
delivering environmentally friendly unpaid work
Email: Alexa.Gainsbury@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
projects such as recycling, reduction of carbon
Tel: 020 7217 8992

6
27/07: UNPAID WORK ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
NOMS Interventions and Substance Abuse Unit
plan to hold the next Unpaid Work Annual
Conference on 13 December 2007 at The Crown
Plaza, Birmingham NEC.
Through a series of presentations, panel
discussions and workshops the Conference aims
to communicate ministerial and policy objectives
on targeting resources on medium and high risk
offenders and the commissioning and contracting
of unpaid work.
It will also offer an opportunity to discuss and
update probation areas on the recent national
initiatives, the Mayoral Project and Planet
Payback, designed to increase the visibility of
unpaid work. NOMS Interventions and Substance
Abuse Unit are currently developing partnerships
to support the delivery of these initiatives and the
conference will be used to update providers on
progress made.
David Hanson, Minister of State for Sentencing
and Offender Management, has been invited to
address the delegates giving his views of where
unpaid work fits into the government agenda.
Roger Hill, Director of Probation has been asked
to chair the day alongside Sarah Mann, Head of
NOMS Interventions and Substance Abuse Unit.
The conference will consist of workshops run by
probation areas exhibiting best practice in the
areas of commissioning, Planet Payback,
successful partnerships and financial
management and will offer a useful networking
opportunity.
The conference will be of benefit to Probation
Area Managers, including Chief Probation
Officers, Directors of Interventions, Assistant
Chief Officers, and middle managers, and will be
attended by third sector representatives and
7
NOMS and ROMs representatives. The day will
be hosted by NOMS Interventions and Substance
Abuse Unit.
Attendance information and the day’s Agenda will
be provided nearer the time.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Alexa Gainsbury, NOMS Interventions and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Alexa.Gainsbury@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 8992
27/08: SNAPSHOT OF UNPAID WORK 2007
The second national Snapshot survey of unpaid
work was conducted during March 2007. This
involved probation areas recording details of all
unpaid work projects taking place during the
month, with the result that a total of 3465 projects
were included in the Snapshot survey. The
national picture of unpaid work which emerged
was broadly similar to that of the first Snapshot in
March 2006, with the most numerous projects
involving environmental work or painting and
decorating. Charity shops were also well
represented in the survey, as were the number of
projects which were directly related to improving
community safety. Overall 37% of projects were
‘badged’ in some way as part of the Community
Payback initiative, compared to 25% of projects
in March 2006. In some areas the publicising of
work projects to local communities appears to be
the predominant model of delivery.
The largest commissioners of unpaid work were
again the voluntary sector, local authorities and
community groups, closely followed by schools,
colleges and faith groups. The Snapshot provides
a vibrant demonstration of the broad range of
unpaid work and the many links established by
probation areas with a wide range of partner
organisations.
The number of projects taking place as individual
placements was 14% fewer than recorded by the
2006 Snapshot. Some areas have reported that
their use of individual placements has declined as
a result of concerns relating to risk management
in these placements. This was not the intention of
Probation Circular 20/2006 on Assessing and
Managing Risk in Unpaid Work or the guidance
contained in Section B of the Manual on the
Delivery of Unpaid Work. In contrast the Snapshot
also revealed that a number of areas are actively
promoting the use of individual placements as a
cost effective means of delivering unpaid work.
It was intended that the Snapshot would also
demonstrate the extent to which unpaid work
benefits diverse groups in the community.
Unfortunately, this information appears to have
been misreported by a proportion of areas and it
was therefore not possible to include the data in
the Snapshot report.
Copies of the Snapshot report will be distributed
to probation areas during September and a copy
will be posted on Epic.
It is planned to repeat the Snapshot during March
2008.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
David Mead, NOMS Interventions and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: David.Mead6@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 5120
8
27/09: REVISED UNPAID WORK TRAINING
The Unpaid Work training materials have been
revised in line with the requirements of the
Manual on the Delivery of Unpaid Work. Like the
Manual the training materials are designed to be
suitable for any organisation responsible for the
unpaid work intervention. To ensure unpaid work
is delivered to the required standards, all staff
should have access to relevant elements of the
training. Some the revised training materials are
based on those developed to support the delivery
of ECP, whilst others are new. Staff who have
undertaken the ECP pro social modelling and
placement quality standards training should not
need to repeat these elements of the unpaid work
training. The Risk Assessment and Risk
Management, Performance Management and
Skills Learning are new training materials.
The Unpaid Work training materials are therefore
divided into a total of five modules:
• Risk Assessment and Risk Management of
Offenders. This training is intended for all
unpaid work staff. The learning outcomes
include knowledge of the principles of risk
assessment, risk management and public
protection, with particular reference to the
delivery of unpaid work. The training module
is designed to complement the Risk of Harm
Guidance and Training Resources prepared
by De Montfort University on behalf of the
National Offender Management Service, but
in a format tailored and contextualised to the
needs of unpaid work staff. Managers may
decide that staff, who have demonstrated
competence in the use of the De Montfort
materials, need not undertake this element
of the unpaid work training.
• Performance Management. This training
module is also intended for all unpaid work
staff and is designed to inform staff of the
performance management framework in which
the unpaid work intervention operates.
 This may be of particular relevance in a
contestable environment. The module outlines
the performance measures applied to unpaid
work and encourages staff to explore the
contribution they as members of teams and
as individuals make to the performance of the
organisations in which they work. The
Performance Management training includes
introductions to the National Offender
Management Model and to motivational
interviewing. It also examines the ways in
which unpaid work supervisors are able to
contribute to the implementation of sentence
plans and to improve compliance.
• Pro Social Modelling. It was an important
requirement of ECP that all staff should be
familiar with PSM and build its principles into
their contacts with offenders. PSM remains a
key rehabilitative element of unpaid work,
which is able to make a contribution to
reducing re-offending. Problem Solving at
Work is no longer a separate element of the
unpaid work training. However, unpaid work
staff should have knowledge of structured
approaches to problem solving and be able to
consciously model effective problem solving to
offenders. Problem solving has been included
in the revised pro social modelling training.
• Placement Quality Standards. This training is
intended for staff responsible for the
assessment and quality assurance of unpaid
work placements. The training provides the
necessary skills to identify and negotiate the
provision of good quality work placements.
Good quality placements will effectively
engage offenders, maximise compliance
and provide the opportunities for offenders to
gain employment related skills.
• Skills Learning. The Skills Learning module is
intended for supervisors and other staff who
may be required to work with adult education
tutors and others to deliver skills for life and
accredited vocational learning. The module is
9
designed to provide unpaid work staff with an
awareness of the importance of learning and
skills as a means of reducing re-offending. It
also provides an enhanced understanding of
adult learning and the opportunity to explore
the ways in which unpaid work staff are able
to support learning and skills development.
This includes strategies to engage and
motivate potential learners.
With the exception of the PSM and PQS training,
all of the modules are one day training events.
The PSM training is a two day event and the PQS
is a half day event. Some degree of flexibility can
be used to tailor the training to the particular
needs of staff groups.
Launch events for the new training materials are
being co-ordinated by the Regional Training
Consortia. Areas will be asked to nominate
delegates for these events, who will then be
expected to deliver the training within their areas,
or on a co-ordinated regional basis.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
David Mead, NOMS Interventions and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: David.Mead6@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 5120
27/10: UNPAID WORK SELF ASSESSMENT
Probation areas have been asked to conduct a
self-assessment of unpaid work, to be completed
by the 28th September 2007. The assessment
template and associated standards were issued
via Probation Circular 16/2007. This enables
areas to review unpaid work provision against a
range of indicators, designed to provide an
assessment of quality of delivery. The self
assessment exercise is intended to identify
potential quality improvements, as part of
probation areas preparations for contestability.
The standards against which the self assessment As part of their treatment many offenders
is conducted are divided into three sections: use prescription heroin substitutes, such as
methadone. The medication is given out daily by
• Delivery outcomes – which consider
chemists and must be collected and consumed by
consistency of provision of work and outcomes;
the person it is prescribed for on-site. Director of
which reduce re-offending, such as
Operations, Andy Pemberton, who helped set up
employment entries and skills provision.
the scheme, said: “Northamptonshire is leading
• Delivery mechanisms – which focus on the way with this new initiative for drug misusers.
working practices; which maximise successful We are the first probation area in the country to
completions, including PPWS provision and run this scheme. The early indications are that
the contributions made by unpaid work staff to offender compliance with the project stands at
sentence planning. 100 per cent. If an offender fails to keep their
supervision appointments, they are returned to
• Supporting structures – which invite review of
court.”
staff training and support arrangements and
links with partner organisations, such as
Andy said the new provisions would mean
CDRPs.
probation officers could maintain contact with
addicts who tended to lead chaotic lives, often
It is intended that the self assessment exercise
failing to turn up for appointments, but always
should be simple and relatively quick to complete
arriving for their daily methadone.
and yet provide a helpful picture of existing
unpaid work provision. Areas may then choose to
FURTHER INFORMATION:
prepare local development plans, to ensure that
Andy Pemberton, Director of Operations,
improvements identified are made and sustained.
Northamptonshire Probation Area
Email: Andy.Pemberton@
FURTHER INFORMATION:
northamptonshire.probation,gsi.gov.uk
Neill Martin, NOMS Interventions and
Tel: 01604 658073
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Neill.Martin33@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 8877
27/12: OASYS, THE NEXT RELEASE

This autumn will see the next release of the

27/11: NORTHAMPTONSHIRE’S CRIMINAL
OASys IT system being deployed across the
JUSTICE PHARMACY SCHEME
probation and prison services.

One of the schemes implemented by

Since the introduction of Phase ll of Offender
Northamptonshire Probation Service recently is
Management in November 2006, offenders
having officers meet offenders when they collect
presenting a high or very high risk of serious
their drug prescriptions. Probation staff work with
harm, PPO offenders and offenders sentenced to
drug abuse offenders across the county to offer
determinate sentences of more than 12 months in
support to addicts who have been given a
custody have been Offender Managed. Release
community sentence by the courts with a drug
4.2.2 is a major and very important release as it
rehabilitation requirement.
will change the OASys IT system to better support
the business requirements of Offender
Management.

10
Currently when an offender, within scope of
Phase ll of Offender Management, is in custody
it is not possible for the Offender Manager to fully
complete an OASys assessment.
As a result of Release 4.2.2 Offender Managers
will be able to complete assessments for Phase ll
offenders.
The main changes that Release 4.2.2 will bring
are as follows:
• The temporary control/transfer process is not
new to OASys users.
Currently when offenders within scope of
Phase II are in custody temporary control of
the OASys assessment is granted manually by
the prison. As a result of this release, however,
the functionality that operates requests for
temporary control will be changed so that it is
automatically granted. Of necessity, though,
rules do apply to the automatic granting of
requests.
Timescales have been set at 60 days for
offenders subject to Phase ll of Offender
Management and 30 days for non-Phase ll
offenders. After these periods of time
temporary control will need to be rescinded to
enable LIDS (the prison service case
management system) to complete updates to
information contained within the case
identification section.
• All padlocked fields will be unlocked when a
request for temporary control is made. This will
allow Offender Managers to complete, what
were, previously prison specific questions
within OASys.
• Rescinding of temporary control by the
Offender Manager can be carried out
manually and a button has been added to the
probation system to enable this to happen. It is
recommended that users complete work as
soon as possible and then rescind temporary
11
control without delay. Automatic rescind will
occur at the end of the set time period.
• It is now a mandatory requirement that
probation OASys users enter a reason for
wanting temporary control and accurate
contact details. Probation staff have
sometimes, when asked by prison colleagues,
questioned why this information is needed.
With the changes now being made to the
OASys IT system, accurate recording of this
information is important so that, if necessary,
contact can be made with the person making
the request.
• Where either service is completing work on an
assessment and there is in effect ‘work in
progress’, users will be notified that time is
running out and the work needs to be finished
without delay. In such situations temporary
control will not be granted immediately.
• Two new boxes have been have been added
to the Offender Record to identify when a
request for access expires and when already
granted temporary control expires.
There is now, more than ever, a need for OASys
users, in both services, to talk to each other and
‘best practice’ would suggest that Offender
Managers and Offender Supervisors should be
in regular contact.
All these changes, together with further
information, have been documented and
circulated to probation areas and prison
establishments in the form of a ‘What’s new’
document, practice guidance, process maps and
a power point briefing presentation.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
NOMS OASys Team:
Janet.Corcoran@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Denise.Kenealy-fox@justice.gsi.gov.uk
Pauline.Hill2@justice.gsi.gov.uk
Caroline.Nowell@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Victoria.Quilliam01@hmps.gsi.gov.uk
Jackie.Seaton2@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Trisha.Borrows4@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
27/13: THE FUTURE ROLE OF THE
CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
ACCREDITATION PANEL
In 2004, Ministers agreed parameters for the
Panel’s future development. This included:
• Individual programmes for offenders will
continue to require accreditation.
• The final decision on accreditation will be
taken by NOMS. When Parliamentary time
allows, legislation will be introduced to remove
the Panel’s NDPB status, as implicit in Section
202 of the Criminal Justice Act.
• In developing a strategy for effective
interventions, NOMS will be able to draw on
the advice of a panel of experts.
Legislation was introduced in the Offender
Management Bill which received Royal Assent
on 26 July 2006. The provision to bring the
accreditation process in-house will commence on
1 May 2008, when Panel members’ appointments
end. In the meantime, a recruitment campaign will
be undertaken to recruit a non-statutory panel of
experts to replace CSAP and NOMS Interventions
and Substance Abuse Unit will draw up proposals
for the future role of this Panel.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Carole Wham, NOMS Interventions and
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: Carole.Wham@justice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 5714
12
27/14: ONE-TO-ONE PROCESS EVALUATION
One-to-One (OTO) is an accredited Offending
Behaviour Programme delivered on a one-to-one
basis, providing an alternative for offenders who are
unsuitable for group work. OTO uses a variety of
cognitive behavioural methods such as role-play,
offence analysis and victim perspective taking.
There are currently 15 probation areas in England
and Wales running the programme to differing
extents.
A process evaluation of One-to-One was
undertaken by West Yorkshire Probation’s research
team during 2007. The research looked at the
implementation and use of the programme in four
research areas: Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire,
West Mercia and West Yorkshire. A number of
interviews were conducted with staff and offenders
in each of the areas to obtain their views on
delivery of the programme, programme content and
the value of the programme itself. A total of 15 staff
members and 12 offenders were interviewed. An
IAPS data extract was also analysed in order to
look at referrals, starts and completions in each of
the study areas and to investigate attrition rates.
The IAPs data sample consisted of 237 offenders
who had been referred to OTO in a 12-month
period between 2005-6.
Tutors considered OTO to be one of the most
beneficial programmes available to offenders
particularly as it can provide move-on for those
with more entrenched problems. There were a
wealth of comments regarding the value of the
programme from tutors and offenders. Offenders
appeared to particularly value the one-to-one
delivery style. Comments from offenders included
‘never in a million years would I have talked about
that in a group’ and ‘it’s a bit more comfortable in
a one-to-one session, it’s a bit more private so it
works better for me’. Tutors also felt that the
programme is extremely valuable and were able
to give examples of cases where OTO has had
a significant impact. One tutor commented ‘I’m
totally all for OTO, it’s the only course I’ve done
that I’ve really felt the benefit from, for myself,
and for the guys who receive it’. Tutors also
commented that it could be worthwhile
commissioning a reconviction study on a sample
of cases who have completed OTO and to
compare the reconviction rate with other General
Offending Behaviour Programmes.
However, despite these very positive comments
the research revealed that OTO is less well
promoted in areas than other Accredited
Programmes, and is often seen as the ‘quiet’
programme, poorly advertised with few staff
outside of programmes teams aware of its value.
There were some comments from interviewees
regarding how the programme can be improved.
13
Feedback from both tutors and offenders suggested
that sessions 13-20 of the programme can be very
repetitive and in some cases unnecessary, perhaps
suggesting that the programme could be shortened
without losing the programme impact. Interestingly,
the average number of sessions completed by
offenders in this sample was thirteen. The length of
the programme was also considered to be
problematic for delivery in hostels due to the short
length of stay of some residents.
Across the four areas the completion rate was
35% suggesting that offenders referred to OTO
might be one of the more difficult client groups to
motivate. The IAPS data revealed a significant
amount of attrition between the referral and
assessment stage and between commencing and
completing the programme. In this sample, the
attrition rate was 65% at both of these stages.
Motivation of offenders on the programme
appeared to be tied to several factors. Rapport
with the programme tutor appears to be one of
the more important elements alongside the fact
that the programme is structured in such a way as
to allow offenders to see how far they have
progressed. One offender, for example,
commented ‘I have been able to see how much
better a person I am, and how strong a person I
have become, from the wreck I was then to the
more confident person I am now’.
Recommendations from the report included
adapting the manual or shortening the
programme to allow more flexibility, promotion
of OTO development days for practitioners,
provision of more practical training material and
the commissioning of a reconviction study.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Emma Robinson, Research Assistant
West Yorkshire Probation Area
Email: Emma.Robinson@
west-yorkshire.probation.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 01924 885300
27/15: OFFENDER MANAGEMENT PHASES
I AND II – THE VIEW FROM THE
FRONTLINE
In spring this year, NOMS conducted a stocktake
in probation areas to find out how well phase I of
offender management had been going and see
what issues had now arisen.
At the same time, around 500 staff from the
prison and probation services and members of
the regional implementation groups contributed to
a series of consultations on the implementation of
phase II.
14
Stocktake
The first phase of offender management was
launched in April 2006 with the application of the
model to all offenders on community sentences.
The stocktake was designed to assess what was
working and highlight areas for improvement.
Areas reported that they:
• were strongest in sentence and risk-
management planning, closely followed by
implementing sentence plans;
• had least confidence in monitoring, reviewing
and evaluation; and
• felt challenged by the continuity principle –
one person providing end-to-end offender
management from pre- to post-sentence
stage.
Consultations
Phase II of offender management was rolled out
in November 2006, applying the model to prolific
and priority offenders in custody for more than
12 months.
The series of consultations on phase II revealed
one very clear message – people across the
system strongly support the principles of offender
management. But some problem areas also came
to light such as the impact of offenders being
allocated to prisons outside of their home regions
and the lack of clarity about some roles.
The findings
Full reports of the stocktake and consultations are
available on EPIC and the NOMS intranet.
Detailed findings from both are being used to
inform the strategic review of offender
management that NOMS is currently undertaking.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Karen MacLeod, NOMS Offender Assessment
and Management Unit
Email: Karen.MacLeod@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7217 2082
27/16: “THIS COURSE HAS GIVEN ME A
REAL FUTURE…”
Warwickshire Probation Area has successfully
used European Social Fund Equal funding to
develop an intensive construction industry training
programme in conjunction with an independent
centre in Nuneaton.
An initial cohort of 7 offenders all completed the 8
week full time course and 6 have already moved
into employment, including 1 apprenticeship with
a local carpentry company and 4 waiting to join a
15
rail track company. They were recently presented
with certificates by the local Mayor, Bill Sheppard,
who praised the initiative as a very positive way of
rehabilitating offenders within the community. All
seven have completed modular skills training in:
plastering and skimming techniques; carpentry;
brick laying and health and safety (including first
aid, manual handling and abrasive wheel usage)
and all will complete the CSCS* and PTSC**
exams required to enter the construction and rail
maintenance industries.
*Construction Skills Certification Scheme
**Personal Track Safety Certificate
Ian Nickson, managing director of the recognise and value the training.”
Construction Training Centre, said:
The finally, another learner, Andy sums up what
“We took these guys on and gave them a
this has meant to him:
good work ethic. I think that’s what makes it
work. There is a misconception that offenders “I cannot thank you enough for what you have
are unreliable and disruptive but they prove done for me…after committing an offence I
what can be done…” was on the employment scrap heap…I had a
total lack of confidence and self pride and
Dave Wright, one of the course graduates, was absolutely no ambition. But thanks to the
clear about the difference it has made to him: support and encouragement whilst on the
course I now have a definite chance of
“I really enjoyed the course because it is
employment and above all else a future…”
hands on…and I’m looking forward to
working…the company has really good
FURTHER INFORMATION:
prospects which I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t
David Preston, NOMS Interventions and
been on the course…”
Substance Abuse Unit
Email: David.Preston7@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
Key elements of the course structure include a
Tel: 020 7217 8323
work placement with local companies (which has
the dual benefit of allowing potential employers to
assess the individuals and their skill and
27/17: SOME FORTHCOMING EVENTS
motivation), one to one support from a Skills for
Life trainer and on site support from an ETE
• 26 September 2007
personal advisor and mentor. Continuing IAG and
PS Plus Partnership Conference
mentor support from Warwickshire Probation will
Metropole Hotel Birmingham
be available to help with sustaining employment.

• 20/21 November 2007

Len Hardy, Partnerships Unit Co-ordinator at
National Equal Offenders Network
Warwickshire, who organised the course says that
(NEON) Conference
a lot has been learnt from this first run:
Central Hall, Westminster
“The current format of 8 weeks creates
problems with Job Seekers Allowance and we FURTHER INFORMATION:
have worked with Job Centre Plus to design a Marcus Smart, NOMS Interventions and
shorter 4 week model and re-order the Substance Abuse Unit
content. We will also seek to have smaller Email: Marcus.Smart@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
cohorts with staggered starting dates to ease Tel: 020 7217 0766
pressure on the centre together with efforts to
improve still further the links with employers,
especially those with skills shortages such as
the rail industry.

Whilst the course does not result in a

nationally recognised qualification (other than
the site safety cards), the centre itself is used
extensively by local employers and they

16
 NOMS INTERVENTIONS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE UNIT CONTACT DETAILS

Head of Interventions & Substance Abuse Sarah Mann 020 7217 8432
Personal Secretary Julie Taylor 020 7217 8546

fax 020 7217 8496

Community Reintegration Team
Head of Community Reintegration Jill Shaw 020 7217 0673
Personal Secretary Julie Taylor 020 7217 8546
Skills for Life Manager Roger Stevens 020 7217 8283
Employment & Skills Policy Manager Ian Henshaw 020 7217 0682
Unpaid Work Project Implementation Manager Neill Martin 020 7217 8877
Business Services Manager Alexa Gainsbury 020 7217 8992
Unpaid Work Scheme Manager David Mead 020 7217-5120
PS Plus Manager David Preston 020 7217-8323
Employment & Skills Advisor Marcus Smart 020 7217 0766
Team Support Manager Olubusola Shokan 020 7217 8448
Team Support Mark Chidwick 020 7217 0681
Team Personal Secretary Marie Malone 020 7217 0686

fax 020-7217 0693

Intensive Interventions Team
Head of Intensive Interventions Phillip Bowen 020 7217 8646
Personal Secretary Julie Taylor 020 7217 8546
PPO Development Manager Robin Brennan 020 7217 0916
Drug & Alcohol Implementation Manager Fiona Bauermeister 020 7217 0768
Drug & Alcohol Development Officer Robert Stanbury 020 7217 0767
Drug & Alcohol Advisor Stephen Lee 020 7217 8003
PPO Development Officer Corinna Griggs 020 7217 0760
Team Support Mark Chidwick 020 7217 0681
Team Personal Secretary Marie Malone 020 7217 0686

fax 020 7217 0693

Attitude, Thinking & Behaviour Team
Head of Attitude, Thinking & Behaviour Danny Clark 020 7217 0675
Programme Implementation Manager Elizabeth Hayes 020 7217 8401
(SOTPs)
Programme Implementation Manager Jonathan Martin 020 7217 8081
(ETS/Think First/One to One/Women’s Acquisitive Crime/DID)
Programme Implementation Manager Phil McNerney 020 7217 8895
(ART/CALM/LIAM/Standards)
Programme Implementation Manager Phil Mackin 020 7217 8044
(IDAP/CDVP/CSB/OSAP/ASRO)
Programme Development Advisor Penny Rickman 020 7217 0674
Head of Psychology & Evaluation Liz Bird 020 7217 8418

17
Principal Psychologist Jo Day 020 7217 8999
Senior Psychologist Karl Williams 020 7217 8991
Trainee Forensic Psychologicalst Assistant Sinead Bloomfield 020 7217 8813
Psychological Assistant Vacancy 020 7217 2238
Senior Research Officer Victoria Dawson Wheeler 020 7217 8815
Research Officer Joe Longman 020 7217 0676
National Training Manager Tudor Williams 020 7217 8068
Training Development Advisor Eileen Davis 020 7217 8211
Training Development Advisor Alex Law 020 7217 8211
Training Development Advisor Anita McLeod 020 7217 8211
Training Development Advisor Karen Townend 020 7217 8211
Executive Officer Lesley Smith 020 7217 8336
Executive Officer Ruth Taylor 020 7217 1779
Administrative Officer Ali Moghal 020 7217 0679
Team Personal Secretary Cecily Krishna 020 7217 0677

Business Support & Communications Manager John MacGregor 020 7217 8520

fax 020 7217 0693

Drug Strategy Team (Custodial)
Head of Drug Strategy Team Martin Lee 020 7035 6156
Secretary to Martin Lee Michelle Sandilands 020 7035 6155
Head of Treatment Policy Caroline Bonds 020 7035 6149
Secretary to Jacqueline Townley/Caroline Bonds Priya Meisuria 020 7035 6154
Senior Treatment Policy Manager Firoza Saloo 020 7035 6152
Research Officer Kim Tyler 020 7035 6150
Senior Treatment Policy Manager Caroline Bonds 020 7035 6149
Treatment Policy Manager Eleanor Church 020 7035 6146
Treatment Policy Manager Abena Baffoe-Bonnie 020 7035 6132
Treatment Policy Manager Mark Payne 020 7035 4667
Treatment Policy Manager Simon Pannell 020 7035 6130
Head of Supply Reduction & Drug Testing Policy Jacqueline Townley 020 7035 6147
MDT Programme Manager Rupert Woods 020 7035 6138
Supply Reduction & VDT Policy Manager Carlo Azzopardi 020 7035 6139
MDT Programme Deputy Manager Jeffrey Tribe 020 7035 6137
Supply Reduction & VDT Policy Manager Lesley Franklin 020 7035 6140
Head of Strategic, Aim 5 Liaison & Ministerial Briefing Vacancy 020 7035 6153
Programme & Finance Manager Lai Pedro 020 7035 6133
Finance Manager Rosina Rashid 020 7035 6136
Administration Kevin Brown 020 7035 6150

fax 0870 336 9189

& 020 7035 6131

18
Thanks to all contributors to this edition of
Interventions News.

If you have a story to tell about

implementation of what works/ interventions,
why not write an article, preferably with a
photograph, and send to:

JohnA.MacGregor@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

19