Why study offender Why study offender management?management?

Peter RaynorMaurice VanstoneSwansea UniversityApril 2009

Until 1990s: not proper Until 1990s: not proper criminologycriminologyResearch on probation was done by

‘administrative criminologists’ (Martin Davies, RDS – though what about Radzinowicz, Wilkins?) or by social workers

Mainstream criminologists (after Martinson 1974 and Brody 1976) thought ‘nothing worked’ (this suited libertarians, ‘just deserts’ theorists and right-wing welfare-cutters)

Do-gooders were not cool - social workers were labellers, deviancy amplifiers etc.

Some convergence in 1990s Some convergence in 1990s – why?– why?Probation training and therefore

research separated from social work in mid-90s

The ‘nothing works’ consensus weakened

Some key criminologists showed interest (e.g. Tony Bottoms)

Offender management research improved

Mainstream criminologists followed the CRP money in 1999

Good reasons for doing OM Good reasons for doing OM research:research:Social purpose: with 83,000 in prison, the

penal system costing £4,111m in 2008 (over half on prisons) and a recession coming . . . what can be achieved?

Contributions to criminology: applied research allows reality tests of interesting theories in use: do they help us understand what we see?

For example:For example:

What is sentencing for? ‘Ought’ implies ‘can’: what outcomes are achieved/achievable in rehabilitation?

What makes authorities legitimate and able to secure consent or compliance with minimum coercion? (Why does anyone co-operate with a community sentence?)

How in practice does ethnic or gender discrimination happen?

And more broadly:And more broadly:What is the balance of structure and agency in

becoming, remaining or ceasing to be an offender? Are Zamble and Quinsey right, or Maruna’s narrative theories?

Zamble and Quinsey (1997) on The Criminal Recidivism Process: released prisoners face obstacles > negative affect > pessimism about non-offending solutions > re-offending

Maruna (2000) Making Good: recidivist narratives are about being a victim of circumstances; narratives of desistance are about autonomy and self-determination

Zamble and Quinsey on Zamble and Quinsey on structure and agencystructure and agency

‘In the case of criminal behaviour, factors in the social environment seem influential determinants of initial delinquency for a substantial proportion of offenders . . . but habitual offending is better predicted by looking at an individual’s acquired ways of reacting to common situations’ (Zamble and Quinsey 1997)

Even more broadly:Even more broadly:The fluidity of the concept of crime: restorative justice redefines crime as

disputediversion of offences away from formal

processing (or to lower tariff outcomes) redefines crime as a problem looking for a solution rather than a punishment

(examples of both occur in recent Jersey research)

Effectiveness. (Probation Effectiveness. (Probation Orders closed 2004.)Orders closed 2004.)

81% of medium to high risk Probationers reduced their risk of re-offending (measured by LSI-R).

51% of highest risk Probationers showed a reduction in their risk of re-offending.

Each year over 10,000 hours of Community Service performed for the Island.

Jersey Probation skills studyJersey Probation skills study

So what really happens in individual sessions between Probation staff and the people they work with?

Do skilled probation officers make a difference?

Influences: Core correctional Influences: Core correctional practices (Dowden and Andrews’ practices (Dowden and Andrews’ 2004 meta-analysis)2004 meta-analysis)Effective use of authority (‘firm but fair’,

reinforce compliance, avoid domination)Pro-social modellingProblem-solving (helping offender to

acquire problem-solving skills)Link to community resources (advocacy

and brokerage)Relationship factors (open, warm,

enthusiastic, mutual respect, therapeutic alliance)

(Source: IJOTCC 48 [2])

Other influencesOther influencesLegitimacy: clarity about rules and roles; treating

people fairly; respect; paying attentionDesistance: individualization; consistency through

‘zig-zag’ process; supporting motivation; building social capital

Consumers (and psychotherapy literature): listening, understanding, respect, caring, trust, somebody you can talk to

CCP findings were based on retrospective meta-analysis: we wanted a prospective study in a real-life setting, with outcome data routinely available

Relevant Research Experience

Programme Integrity

STOP observation

FOR a Change

The Research so farThe Research so far

Process of developing Observation Instrument

Target Number of InterviewsNumber of OfficersProgress to date

InstrumentInstrument Set-upQuality of non-verbal communication Quality of verbal communication Effective/Legitimate Use of authorityMotivational InterviewingPro-social modellingProblem-solvingCognitive Re-StructuringOverall structure of the interview