NCJ Number
158768
Date Published
1993
Length
11 pages
Annotation
A group counseling program established by the probation officers at HMP Wandsworth in England in 1990 focused on preventing recidivism by helping inmates identify when and where they might be at the greatest risk of reoffending, how they could avoid such situations in the future, and how to transform good intentions to stay out of trouble into step- by-step plans for release.
Abstract
The program targeted inmates within 2 months of release, with emphasis on those due to be discharged on their earliest date of release due to a short sentence or being considered unsuitable for parole. A letter offered group membership to all eligible inmates; the membership changed slightly from week to week. The program consisted of four weekly sessions, each with a separate focus. The four themes were motivation for change, the 609 exercise involving the list of prior convictions, the impact of imprisonment on the inmate, and the concept of personal ownership of behavior. The group members were all male; two of the three group workers were female. All the group workers challenged inmates' sexist attitudes when they emerged. The groups ran for 5 months. Leaders regarded them as a successes; members seemed to find the exercises relevant. Figure and table