Circles of Support and Accountability - Interim report [PDF ... - Quakers

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Countering Hatred and Fear The work of Thames Valley Circles of Support and Accountability provides an outstanding example of how communities can counter and manage their anxiety about sex offenders. The commitment to do this work comes from our understanding that it is through relationships of compassion that those who have been damaging to others (and often as a result of being damaged themselves) can change by acceptance and social reconciliation. This transforming process challenges the stereotype that sex offenders are frightening people, deserving of hatred and exile. The experience of commitment from courageous volunteers and dedicated staff has demonstrated that the concept of Circles works within our setting of statutory supervision and controls. We are still at an early stage of development and evaluation but the experience has been that working towards emotional health and active citizenship within a group of supporters provides powerful and safe opportunities for growth. The work achieved so far has major implications for the management of risk in the criminal system. The signs are that serious offenders respond to the opportunity of being held accountable by their fellow citizens. The signs are that there are people willing to volunteer to become involved in this demanding involvement on our behalf. The signs are that there is a wider acceptance that this is the right way to restore dangerous, damaging and damaged people into full community. Tim Newell October 2003 2
Introduction It is not difficult to imagine some of the negative feelings of a man being released after years in prison, especially if he has been rejected by family and friends because of the nature of his crime. Bitterness, loneliness, fear of being recognised, alienation from society… And it is increasingly being acknowledged that a sex offender who comes out of prison in that frame of mind is more likely to re-offend, even if he starts off with the best of intentions. Circles of Support and Accountability is a scheme which was first developed in Canada in the mid 1990s to address that very situation, and Quakers and many others are working to get the same approach established in Britain. At its heart is a way of working which might be described as a partnership between voluntary and statutory agencies and the community. In Canada it grew out of the principles of restorative justice, which seeks to involve, and work for the benefit of, the victim, the offender and the wider community. In the Canadian criminal justice system there was a paradox. Most prisoners were released from prison before the end of their sentence and for the remainder of the period were given some form of supervision in the community. But prisoners who were considered too dangerous to release before the end of their sentence were given no support or supervision after release. Ministers felt some moral obligation for these ‘warrant expired’ prisoners and this formed one of the catalysts for Circles. There was also a felt need to address the sense of powerlessness within the community when potentially dangerous prisoners were released. Groups of individuals, mainly churchgoers, responded by spontaneously forming small groups or circles around one or two particular offenders and from these informal beginnings a project grew, partly funded by the Correctional Service of Canada (which runs their prisons and probation) and administered by the Mennonite church. The police in the parts of Canada where Circles have been operating for some time have become convinced that the scheme works and now co-operate with it. How the scheme works in Canada It seems sensible at this point to describe the ‘classic model’ of a Circle of Support and Accountability, though there are many slight variations. The offender is identified while still in prison – up to a year before release. He (and it was always ‘he’, at least in the early years) will be a high risk sex offender, with high levels of need and little or no support from family or friends in the community. He is usually at ‘warrant expiry’. He is referred to as the ‘Core Member’ of the Circle. Many of the Core Members will have committed offences against children, but those who have offended against adults are also included in the scheme. The volunteers have to be prepared to make a substantial commitment of time, over a period of one year in the first instance. They must be willing to befriend the Core Member, but don’t need to be experts. They need to be responsible people with their feet on the ground, mature about their own sexuality. Volunteers are screened, trained and supported by the Circles scheme. Typically, four to six volunteers will be allocated to a Circle. If possible, the Circle of Support and Accountability will meet with the Core Member before he is released. 3
Page 1: Circles of Support and Accountabili
Page 5 and 6: who had been assessed and treated b
Page 7 and 8: would otherwise be unavailable. How
Page 9 and 10: communities can and should take res
Page 11 and 12: climate where there is understandab
Page 13 and 14: The second perspective has been wri
Page 15 and 16: had not at this point given much th
Page 17 and 18: motivation or expectation. Personal
Page 19 and 20: He warms to his subject right away:
Page 21 and 22: girl, and what your life is like no
Page 23 and 24: A Police Perspective Throughout the
Page 25 and 26: ‘They challenge me but they don
Page 27 and 28: The Management and Supervision of C
Page 29 and 30: On several occasions I was required
Page 31 and 32: Evaluation It is important that all
Page 33 and 34: evaluation rather than a tool of co
Page 35 and 36: Motivation to Change If men are mot
Page 37 and 38: package for the offender. Professio
Page 39 and 40: Beech, A., Fisher D. (2000) ‘Main
Page 41 and 42: Acknowledgements The staff of Thame

Circles of Support and Accountability - Interim report [PDF ... - Quakers

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?