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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 2:24 am
Time: 2:24 am
Results for asian offenders
1 results foundAuthor: Robinson, Emma Title: Added Value? HIMMAT in Halifax Evaluation Report Summary: Currently Himmat are contracted to work with South Asian offenders in Halifax. This evaluation forms part of a best value review and investigates whether the Himmat service adds value over and above the standard offender management practice. Specifically the evaluation looks at whether Himmat helps to improve order compliance and completions, whether it reduces the likelihood of breach and if offenders value the service. This study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches in order to address the question of whether the HIMMAT service adds value above that of standard offender management practice in Halifax. The aims of the research where to assess whether HIMMAT helps to improve order completions and compliance, whether it reduces instances of breach and whether the offenders themselves value the service. Quantitative data was obtained from CRAMS and Performance Information packs for West Yorkshire. A file-read was also conducted on the first 34 cases who had contact with the HIMMAT service. Interviews were also conducted with Offender Management staff (n=5) who have worked with HIMMAT in producing SDRs on their cases, and offenders (n=5) who had been in contact with HIMMAT for at least 6 months. Compliance and breach figures were analysed for the first 6 months (26 weeks) of the order/licence for each offender, this matching the process which is used for area auditing on these measures. Data was obtained for 2006/7 and 2007/8 on the number of National Standards appointments kept and instances of breach. The file-read results were very positive and revealed an average compliance rate of 90% for offenders in the sample. Only 3 cases (9%) had any breach action recorded in the first 26 weeks of their order. A total of 21 offenders (88%) went on to complete their order successfully. When compared to data for Calderdale (61%) and Area figures (61%), these results were statistically significant. These results were compared to those for Asian offenders in other districts and offenders across the area as a whole by using Nsmart data held by the Performance Information team. The results for 2006/7 showed that overall, Asian offenders in Calderdale have performed better on compliance with National Standards appointments and matched the results from the file read with a 90% compliance rate. The overall compliance rate for offenders in Calderdale was 79% in 2006/7, which showed that offenders in Calderdale are only slightly more compliant then the total caseload (76%), thus suggesting that there is indeed a high rate of compliance amongst Asian offenders in this district rather than the results being a product of Calderdale being a more compliant district in itself. The figures for 2007/8 were much closer between the districts. Although Calderdale has maintained a high compliance rate, it appears that the other districts have drive up their compliance during this period, thus they are now more on a par with Calderdale. Breach is also monitored for the first 26 weeks of an offender’s order/licence. Results are recorded by means of a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ for each individual. The breach data was less conclusive with regards to the impact of HIMMAT when looking at results for Asian offenders in other districts. The percentage success rate for Asian offenders was fairly consistent across West Yorkshire districts in 2006/7. Data for this year showed that the average success rate for Asian offenders was 68% (compared to 63%) for the total caseload, suggesting that Asian offenders performed better on breach measures. Data for 2007/8 showed that there had been improvements across the area on breach for Asian offenders (now ranging from 75% to 87%). The average rate for Asian offenders in this time period was 80%, an improvement of 12% on the previous year. This is likely to be, in part, a result of performance improvement projects that were implemented across the area in order to improve compliance figures. However, there were some significant findings when comparing results for the HIMMAT offenders against area figures. In 2006/7 the pass rate for breach was 65% for the area (1590/2447). When compared to the HIMMAT sample results, Chi Square testing showed the better performance of the HIMMAT sample to be a statistically significant result (p=0.003). In 2007/8 the rate was 67% (1528/2267) for the area compared to the 91% for HIMMAT offenders. Again, this was a statistically significant result (p=0.007). All offenders interviewed spoke positively about the value of HIMMAT both in terms of the flexibility offered around appointments and also the way in which HIMMAT staff can help them to address often multiple issues which may have cultural implications. Offender Managers also talked about the value of HIMMAT to the offenders they supervise. Overall comments appeared to be linked to they way in which HIMMAT can assist Asian offenders in dealing with issues linked to relationships, employment, family and health whilst taking into account the offenders culture. Offender managers talked about the value of HIMMAT in terms of being able to have someone they can consult with regarding a case but also someone who can challenge offenders on things that they might not feel confident approaching themselves. Some staff members gave examples of where HIMMAT had challenged an individual in the early stages of their order and this had impacted positively on engaging that individual in supervision. There were few suggestions as to how the service could be improved. Where suggestions were made these tended to relate to whether the service could be expanded out to other districts or whether HIMMAT could offer a wider range of services (i.e. whether HIMMAT could offer support to drug misusing offenders). Offender Management staff also felt that the service could be used more by their own colleagues as it was considered that use of the service could be variable at present. Details: Wakefield, UK: West Yorkshire Probation Service, 2008. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008 Shelf Number: 128273 Keywords: Asian OffendersProbation (U.K.)Probation OfficersProbationers |