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Managing High Risk of Harm and Sentence Planning

Managing High Risk of Harm and Sentence Planning. Presentation to the DCS Caribbean Probation Officers’ Conference 11 June 2009 Anne Williams.

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Managing High Risk of Harm and Sentence Planning

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  1. Managing High Risk of Harm and Sentence Planning Presentation to the DCS Caribbean Probation Officers’ Conference 11 June 2009 Anne Williams

  2. Why the Jamaican Department of Correctional Services are introducing Risk of Harm Assessment “tools” and revising the Case Management & Sentence Plan form: • What the “tools” are • Who will use them • When they will be used • How the information from the “tools” will be used • Benefits of introducing the new “tools” to assess risk of harm

  3. WHY • The current assessment tool (Level of Service Inventory – Revised LSI-R) assesses offending related factors to identify what is associated with the risk of re-offending • LSI-R does not specifically assess risk of harm • The Risk of Harm Assessment tool has been developed to supplement the current assessment of offending related factors

  4. WHAT the new forms are: • Risk of Harm Initial Screening • Risk of Harm Assessment • Offender Self Assessment questionnaire • Revised Case Management & Sentence Plan

  5. 1. Risk of Harm Initial Screening • Is designed to include key indicators of potentially harmful behaviour against which offenders are screened • Is a short form with tick box YES or NO answers • Any YES response requires a Risk of Harm Assessment to be completed

  6. 2. Risk of Harm Assessment • Analyses criminal and other harmful behaviour • Looks at the triggers and motivators for the harmful behaviour • Draws in the relevant factors identified in the LSI-R assessment • Identifies WHO could be at risk (including the offender) and the nature of the risk • Results in an offender being placed in a risk of harm category

  7. Risk of Harm categories • Low risk of harm Current evidence does not indicate likelihood of serious harm • Medium risk of harm There are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The offender has the potential to cause harm but is unlikely to do so if there are stable factors present or if circumstances do not change. • High risk of harm There are identifiable indicators of risk of serious harm. The potential event could happen at any time and the impact would be serious.

  8. 3. Offender Self Assessment questionnaire • A different way of obtaining information from an offender • Is a set of questions which asks the offender to identify their problems • May identify issues that the offender has not raised in the interview or differences of opinion that can usefully be discussed • Can increase offender’s ownership of the Sentence Plan

  9. 4. Case Management & Sentence Plan • Revised version of existing Case Management form • Has added section about the offender’s motivation and capability to change • Includes a revised section to outline the sentence plan objectives in more detail

  10. WHO will complete the new tools • Probation officers and • Correctional Institution officers

  11. WHEN will they be used • At the Social Enquiry Report stage • After admission at a Correctional Institution if no Social Enquiry report has been written • To review/re-assess relevant cases every 3 months • At any time if the risk level appears to be escalating

  12. HOW the information will be used • To formulate Sentence Plan objectives to address the identified risk of harm factors • To determine the appropriate contact level of an offender on a community order (new Probation National Standards) • To monitor offender’s progress, change of behaviour, attitude and risk of harm level

  13. Benefits of introducing new risk assessment “tools” in Jamaica • Criminal and other behaviour is analysed to assess risk of harm • Risk level places offender into a risk category which reflects the level of intervention and monitoring needed • Objectives to address risk of harm can be specifically included in the Sentence Plan • Offender’s risk of self harm is assessed • Provides a victim focus • Will enable sentence planning to be more robust and focussed • Will help Probation Officers to make stronger Social Enquiry Report recommendations • Enables progress of offender to be monitored • Provides information about risk of harm to the Parole Board • Contributes to inmate security classification

  14. Managing Dangerous Inmates Presentation to the DCS Caribbean Probation Officers’ Conference 11 June 2009 Geoff Hughes

  15. Managing Dangerous Inmates 1. Improve physical security of the institution wherever possible. The term “maximum security” is misleading. More can always be done ! Security should be at level of the highest escape risk inmate. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 16

  16. Managing Dangerous Inmates 2. All inmates should be classified using A, B, C & D processes. Category A should be reserved for the very highest level of risk of escape and danger to society. Lower security category inmates should be transferred to appropriate level institutions if possible 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 17

  17. Managing Dangerous Inmates 3. Identify those inmates who are dangerous and focus resources accordingly e.g. staffing levels, supervision 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 18

  18. Managing Dangerous Inmates 4.Do not “over classify” at the highest level of Category A because it can lead to devaluation of the status and result in complacency amongst staff. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 19

  19. Managing Dangerous Inmates 5. Beware of “conditioning” of staff by inmates. This can add to the problems of contraband being smuggled into institutions and other breaches of security. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 20

  20. Managing Dangerous Inmates 6. Draw up contingency plans for dealing with emergencies such as passive and active mass disorder, hostage taking, fire evacuation etc. Practice them !! 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 21

  21. Managing Dangerous Inmates 7. Train managers in how to manage serious incidents and disturbances, using the contingency plans. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 22

  22. Managing Dangerous Inmates 8. Train Correctional staff in dealing with dangerous inmates and their role during disturbances. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 23

  23. Managing Dangerous Inmates Develop Security Intelligence gathering systems to collect and analyse information at Institution and HQ levels. Take action where and when necessary. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 24

  24. Managing Dangerous Inmates 10. Use DYNAMIC security to help assess the stability of the Institution e.g. encourage correctional staff in interact with inmates to gain trust and confidence whilst also gathering information. 9/10/2014 Geoff Hughes 25

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