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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 1:25 am
Time: 1:25 am
Results for psychological services
2 results foundAuthor: King, Lucy Title: Tai Aroha – The First Two Years: A formative evaluation of a residential community based programme for offenders Summary: Since October 2007, the number of community-based sentencing options available to the judiciary increased. This led to an increase in the number of offenders in the community requiring rehabilitative interventions. Although the range of rehabilitative options increased, very few programmes focused on the highest risk offender group. Community Residential Centres (CRCs), such as Montgomery House, were originally established to deliver services for high risk offenders in the community but rarely did so, leaving a service gap. In addition, offenders attending the CRCs were on temporary release from prison rather than being permanently in the community. To address these issues, the Psychological Services of the Department developed and tested an intensive residential rehabilitation programme for male offenders serving community sentences. In November 2008, the Executive Management Team (EMT) agreed that this programme would be an open rolling programme with content based on the 300- hour programme delivered in the Special Treatment Units in prison (particularly the Violence Prevention Unit) and the Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme. It included a specific focus on the needs of Māori offenders. The Tai Aroha therapeutic community was based on the hierarchical model described by De Leon (20001). The format involved full residence (24 hours, 7 days per week) with an expected stay of 14 to 16 weeks. Offenders transitioned through 4 phases from orientation to full community living over the course of the programme. The core programme (including skills training) was based on best practice principles in offender rehabilitation and adhered to risk, needs and responsivity principles. Cognitive behavioural and relapse prevention informed treatment. Elements of the Good Lives Model were incorporated to enhance programme responsivity. Targets for treatment included: antisocial attitudes and offence-related thinking, antisocial and criminal associates, emotion and behaviour self-regulation difficulties, relationship problems (marital and family), impaired self-management and/ or problem solving skills, and alcohol and drug abuse. The programme was based on open group membership where new residents joined as former residents exited. To graduate residents had to complete assignments associated with each core module and achieve programme learning objectives. The design phase produced a complete group treatment programme containing 10 modules and related assignments. The modules were. 1. Assessment 2. Orientation (includes mindfulness and distress tolerance) 3. Aspirations 4. Life history and self-evaluation 5. Acceptance of responsibility/restructuring problem and offence-related thinking 6. Offence pathways 7. Emotional management 8. Substance abuse management 9. Relationship management 10. Relapse prevention. Details: Wellington, NZ: Psychological Services, Department of Corrections, 2012. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/641218/COR_Tai_Aroha_WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/641218/COR_Tai_Aroha_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 127965 Keywords: Alternatives to IncarcerationCommunity Based CorrectionsPsychological ServicesRehabilitationTherapeutic Communities |
Author: Kilgour, Glen Title: Breaking the Cycle of Crime: Special Treatment Unit Evaluation Report Summary: This summary report outlines a multi-layered evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of the four High Risk Special Treatment Units (HRSTUs) run by the Department of Corrections, New Zealand. Projects covered the description of programme participants, completers’ perceptions of the programme, programme integrity, pre- and post-programme results on psychometric measures, misconduct rates following treatment and recidivism outcomes. The evaluation found that: • The HRSTUs are generally targeting the offenders for which they were designed; Maori participants are represented in proportion to their presence within the high risk prisoner population. • The programmes are well received by programme completers; the units are typically regarded as ‘safe’ places that effectively challenge antisocial thinking and behaviour. • Programme integrity is generally satisfactory but changes in some areas could improve the ‘therapeutic community’ aspect of the environment and other indicators of integrity (e.g. supervision, staff selection, adherence to manuals). • Initial indications show changes in the right direction on several measures of programme outcome including psychometric testing results, prison incidents, and recidivism. The recommendations are divided into five sections: changes to programme eligibility criteria; HRSTU programme improvements; post-programme support and reintegration; general management of the units, and ongoing research and evaluation. The recommendations include: • reviewing the use of key programme assessment measures • refining aspects of the selection and retention of programme participants • ensuring regular and robust supervision of programme staff • improving post-treatment support, release planning, and reintegration initiatives for programme attendees • changing structural aspects of the programme and improving staff selection procedures and training to strengthen the therapeutic community • maintaining an ongoing evaluative component of the programme following an internal review of appropriate psychometric measures and the model of data capture. Details: Wellington, NZ: Psychological Services Department of Corrections, 2012. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 15, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/641217/COR_Breaking_the_Cycle_of_Crime_WEB.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/641217/COR_Breaking_the_Cycle_of_Crime_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 127966 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsCorrectional Rehabilitation Programs (New Zealand)Mental Health ServicesPsychological ServicesRecidivism |