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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:10 pm
Time: 8:10 pm
Results for service user involvement
1 results foundAuthor: Hayes, Clare Title: A Review of service user involvement in prisons and probation trusts Summary: Offenders engaged with the Criminal Justice System (CJS), whether they are in prison or under the supervision of a probation trust, are also citizens. Service user involvement refers to the process by which the people using a service become involved in the planning, development and delivery of that service to make changes and improvements. Over recent years, there have been efforts in the CJS to promote and develop the involvement of offenders in the services with which they engage. Desistance theory supports the view that playing an active role in one's community and taking on a measure of responsibility can assist in the offender journey away from crime. This review investigates the extent and nature of service user involvement in prisons and probation trusts across England & Wales and raises a number of recommendations to improve quality and ensure sustainability. Main findings Service user involvement was generally more developed in the prisons than the probation trusts in our sample. Of those prisons and trusts interviewed: The researchers interviewed staff at prisons and probation trusts to generate information on staff experiences of service user involvement and the perceived benefits and challenges of using different models. ✪ Prison and probation staff viewed service user involvement as a dynamic process with a number of benefits including voice and empowerment, a way of channelling difficult issues and reducing conflict, gaining expertise, and measuring quality of services. ✪ There was evidence of Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) contribution to focus group and consultative committees, particularly in the prisons. However, there was uncertainty over the extent and nature of VCS provision in this area and this report calls for a further mapping exercise and improved collaboration. ✪ There was a perception that service user groups have been more successful and meaningful where they are co-designed and co-developed by the service users themselves and the offenders involved have a role in taking actions forward. ✪ More consistency is needed to ensure that service user representatives are genuinely representative and diversity is monitored. Prisons that have introduced Council elections have reported a transformation in the way that consultative bodies operate. ✪ More guidance is needed on recruitment, providing incentives and training for both service users and staff involved. ✪ Some organisations, particularly prisons, have moved beyond communication and consultation, to a more proactive model where offenders participate in taking solutions forward. Greater service user ownership precipitates a more sustainable and dynamic process. ✪ Wide-ranging changes have been seen in response to service user involvement projects. ✪ Challenges to effective service user involvement include staff apprehension, the prevailing culture of criminal justice agencies, knowledge and understanding of the service users, reluctance of offenders to be involved and decreasing resource. ✪ There is very little research on the outcomes of service user involvement in prisons and trusts. This is an area that requires development to provide evidence for the widely held perception that service user involvement is a very useful mechanism for making services more effective, improving offender confidence and self esteem and assisting on the path to desistance. The review concludes that guidance and a more systematic approach to service user involvement is required. It is essential, particularly in a time of reducing budgets and competing priorities, that the learning from evolving service users projects is shared and capitalised upon. Offenders are a source of ideas, creativity and direct experience of NOMS services and service user involvement should be a priority for every prison and probation trust. This review has raised a series of recommendations in response to the identified challenges and barriers to service user involvement and staff views on how to set up and sustain an effective service user involvement project. Details: London: Clinks, 2011. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 2, 2017 at: https://www.clinks.org/sites/default/files/Service%20User%20Findings%20Sept%2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.clinks.org/sites/default/files/Service%20User%20Findings%20Sept%2011.pdf Shelf Number: 141258 Keywords: PrisonersProbationProbationersService User Involvement |