Joint Irish Prison Service & Probation Service Strategic Plan 2013 ...

Joint Irish Prison Service & Probation Service Strategic Plan 2013-2015Published May 2013

ForewordThe Programme for Government 2011 – 2016 gives the commitment to ensure better coordinationbetween the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service to create an integratedoffender management programme.The Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service have worked closely together, over manyyears, to help prisoners reduce their risk of reoffending and to make a positive contribution totheir communities, through proactive sentence management and the provision of prisonerresettlement programmes.This document sets out an interagency strategic plan for how the two organisations willcontinue to develop and co-ordinate our joint working, in conjunction with our statutory andcommunity and voluntary sector partners, to further improve outcomes in our sharedobjectives, to help create a safer and fairer Ireland.Michael Donnellan,Director General, Irish Prison ServiceVivian Geiran,Director, Probation ServiceMay 20131

Joint Irish Prison Service & Probation Service Strategic Plan2013-2015Programme for Government 2011-2016Ensure better co-ordination between the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service tocreate an integrated offender management programme.Our Strategic ObjectiveThe Irish Prison Service and Probation Service will develop a multiagency approach tooffender management and rehabilitation from pre to post imprisonment in order to reduce reoffendingand improve prisoner outcomes.Our Operating EnvironmentThe Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service both manage orders of the CriminalCourts handed down in respect of convicted offenders.It is the work of the Probation Service to manage such offenders in the community and thework of the Irish Prison Service to manage those sent to prison, in the first instance.Both organisations have as their primary goal the maintenance of public safety through thereduction in offending of those in their care. Increasingly offenders are sentenced to periodsin custody followed by periods under supervision in the community after release.For the majority of those incarcerated, and for those sentenced to sanctions in the community,similar criminogenic needs and risks exist. Lack of employment, abuse of alcohol and drugs,anti-social attitudes and companions, emotional and personal difficulties, poor educationalachievement, family problems, and lack of housing or accommodation are prominent amongthem. Such multiple needs are often interrelated and mutually reinforcing.Essential to offender focused interventions is that both criminal justice and non-criminaljustice agencies encourage the development of a multi-agency problem–solving approach byfocusing on offenders, not on offences. Approaches which tackle the complex range of needsare more likely to be effective than focusing on single issues in isolation.The Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service in their combined efforts to address thecycles of sustained offending behaviour, which place a tremendous burden on nationalresources, especially through prison overcrowding, need to bring together partners to developand deliver responses that work.Community resources need to have strong links with prisons so that work can start early,building motivation and planning for release.2

Irish Prison Service & Probation ServiceOur Strategic ActionsActions1 Continuum of Sentence management – Wewill work to enhance sentencemanagement from pre to postimprisonment in a way which will facilitateimproved prisoner outcomes.2 Community Return – we will continue thenational roll out of the Community ReturnProgramme in 20133 Social Impact Investment – we will seek topilot a Social Impact Investment initiative toprovide a programme of support to shortterm prisoners.4 Initiatives in Cork and Limerick – we willdevelop specific prisoner reintegrationinitiatives in Cork and LimerickStrategic OutcomesImproved resettlement and reintegration outcomesfor prisoners.Reduced reoffending.Increased number of prisoners benefiting fromstructured temporary releaseImproved resettlement and reintegration outcomesIncreased public safetyA reduction in reoffending rates among short termsentenced prisonersImproved resettlement and reintegration outcomesIncreased public safetyIncreased availability of structured releaseprogrammes in the community to aid reintegrationof prisoners on releaseImproved resettlement and reintegration outcomesfor prisonersReduced levels of overcrowding5 Women Offenders – we will develop aspecific strategy to address the needs ofwomen offenders6 Young Offenders – we will develop a specificstrategy to address the needs of youngeroffenders7 We will enhance co-operation betweenboth agencies to improve the collation andpublication of data and statisticalinformation.Improved resettlement and reintegration outcomesEnhanced case management and throughcarearrangements.Enhanced, age appropriate prison based regimesand programmes pending the transfer of 17 yearsolds in detention to IYJS.Yearly updating and analysis of recidivism rates andtrendsAbility to better plan resource allocation3

Strategic Action 1 : Continuum of Sentence ManagementWe will work to enhance sentence management from pre to post imprisonment in a way whichwill facilitate improved prisoner outcomesActionsThe IPS and the PS will provide a framework toengage with statutory and voluntary partners todevelop and deliver programmes to address thereintegration of prisoners into the community.We will develop a schedule of offender programmesto be delivered in prison in order to reducereoffending.Through appropriate through care arrangements, wewill seek to maximize therapeutic gains made byprisoners through participation in post prison basedprogrammes.In partnership with local authorities and theDepartment of Social Protection, through jointfunding arrangements, we will enhance through careaccommodation needs of prisoners prior to release.ResponsibilityCare and Rehabilitation Directorate, IPSAsst. Director, Operations, PS.IPS and PSPSIPS and PS4

Strategic Action 2 : Community ReturnWe will continue the national roll out of the Community Return Programme in 2013ActionsIn 2013 we aim to have 300 prisoners servingsentences of 1-8 years released onto theprogramme.We will develop joint funding arrangements in orderto maximise the availability of structuredprogrammes in the communityWe will establish a Community Return project inThornton Hall:ResponsibilityIPS/PS Community Return UnitIPS/PS Community Return UnitIPS/PS Community Return Unit- We will complete the necessary site work,through the assignment of a Prison WorkParty by March, 2013.- We will conduct an assessment of the siteand outbuildings to assess the work to beundertaken to allow for use by the project.- We will develop in partnership ahorticultural project to be in place by spring2013.5

Strategic Action 3: Social Impact InvestmentWe will seek to pilot a Social Impact Investment Initiative to provide a programme ofsupport to short term prisoners.ActionsIn partnership, we will seek to pilot a SocialImpact Investment Initiative to support anoutcome based contract with a community basedorganization to provide a programme of supportto short sentence prisoners (serving sentences ofup to 12 months), commencing in prison, butparticularly on their release, to reducereoffending and enable reintegration in theircommunities.ResponsibilityDirector PS,Director of Corporate Affairs, IPS.It is envisaged that the pilot will take place over atwo-year period.To this end we will be represented on the DPERSocial Impact Investing Steering Group in orderto bring the project to pilot stage.In the event that it is not possible to reach pilotstage for the project, we will introduce analternative resettlement pilot on a smaller scalein a number of prison locations.IPS and PS6

Strategic Action 4: Cork and LimerickWe will develop specific prisoner reintegration initiatives in Cork and Limerick to increasethe availability of support and structured release programmes in the community in orderto aid the reintegration of prisoners on releaseActionsCork:-We will continue to implement the actionscontained in our Cork specific strategy“Unlocking Community Alternatives – A CorkApproach”.ResponsibilityGovernor Cork Prison /Probation ServiceRegional ManagerIPS/PS Community Return Unit-We will fund a prisoner advocacy worker forCork Prison who will serve as the link betweenthe prison and the community for short termprisoners.Limerick:-We will enhance the usage of CommunityReturn placements in Limerick;Governor Limerick Prison/Probation ServiceRegional ManagerIPS/PS Community Return Unit-We will enhance community involvement in thepre and post release of offenders.7

Strategic Action 5 : Women OffendersWe will develop a specific strategy to address the needs of women offendersActionsWe will develop a strategy which ensures a moretargeted response to women offendersincluding:ResponsibilityStrategic Group comprising IPS, PS, HSE andHomeless Executive.-identifying and diverting women at risk of acustodial sentence through greater availabilityand PS use of diversion, community sanctionsand supports and inter-agency co-operation;-strengthening early intervention measures inthe community through adopting a co-ordinatedmulti-agency approach;Probation Service-improving outcomes for women currently incustody; andIPS-exploring the potentials of women centricalternatives to custody.PS- we will develop a suitable step down facilityfor women offenders.IPS and PS-we will enhance co-operation with thecommunity and voluntary sector.IPS and PS8

Strategic Action 6: Young OffendersWe will develop a specific strategy to address the needs of younger offendersActionsThrough enhanced co-operation and multidisciplinaryworking we will implement a YoungOffenders Strategy which will seek to, inter alia,:-introduce age appropriate prison based regimesand programmes in co-operation with the IrishYouth Justice Service pending the transfer of 17years olds to that agency.ResponsibilityGovernor, St. Patrick’s InstitutionDirector, Corporate Affairs, IPSAsst. Director, Operations, PS.-address all concerns raised by the Inspector ofPrisons in his report in relation to St. Patrick’sInstitution-enhanced case management and through carearrangements-implement the Children First National Guidance,2011 in St. Patrick’s Institution and across theprison estateStrategic Action 7: Statistical AnalysisWe will enhance co-operation between both agencies to improve the collation andpublication of data and Statistical Information.ActionsWe will continue to work with the CentralStatistics Office to produce accurate RecidivismRates which can be used to support targeted,evidenced based interventions.We will explore possibilities for joint publicationof IPS/PS statistics.ResponsibilityStatistical Units – IPS/PSStatistical Units – IPS/PS9

www.probation.ieProbation Service,Haymarket,Smithfield, Dublin 7.Tel: + 353 (0)1 817 3600Fax: + 353 (0)1 872 2737www.irishprisons.ieIrish Prison ServiceIDA Business Park, Ballinalee Road,Longford, Co. LongfordTel: +353 43 33 35100Fax: +353 43 33 3537110