Psychology and the Probation Service

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Psychology and the Probation Service

• Joanne Wood
• Trainee Forensic Psychologist
• Greater Manchester Probation Area

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Aims of the session

• Discuss the role of forensic psychology in the
  Probation Service
• Give a brief overview of the Probation Service
• Principles of Probation practice

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My Background

• Neuroscience nursing
• Lecturer practitioner role
• Conversation course (for GBR) 2000
• Appointed as trainee psychologist in 2001
• MSc Forensic Psychology 2001
• Phd 2004 - ongoing

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The role of the Probation/Prison Service

• Protecting the public
• Preventing further offences
• Securing rehabilitation of the offender
• 120 000 cases at any time
• 74 600 cases in custody

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The Criminal Justice Act 1991

• Protection of the public rather than assist and
  befriend
• National standards- return to court
• Previously only if re-offended
• 1995- removal of social work qualification from
  probation officer training

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The Milestones

• The Nothing Works era-1970s
• What Works era- 1990s
• Effective practice
• Links to Probation Service funding
• NOMS

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Community supervision

• Those sentenced by the Courts to a community
  order
• Offenders released from prison on license
• Less than 4 years half in custody
• More than 4 years two thirds in custody

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Types of Sentence

• Community Rehabilitation Order
• Community Punishment Order
• Additional requirements
• Report weekly to Officer- reduce to once monthly
  after 3 months
• Supervision plan - set objectives

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Greater Manchester Probation Area

• NOMS will probably change this but currently
• 42 areas nationally
• GMPA third largest area
• Seven districts

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Multi-Agency Public Protection Support Unit

• Police base
• Probation funded/managed
• 5 Probation Officers
• Maintain my role
• Opens up multi-agency working opportunities

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Division of Forensic Psychology Key roles

• Conducting psychological applications and
  interventions
• Research
• Communicating psychological knowledge and advice
  to other professionals
• Training other professionals in psychological
  skills

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Overall aim of the psychologist role in the
Greater Manchester Probation Area

• Public protection
• To bring a psychological perspective to risk
  assessment and management procedures

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Key aspects of the role (Probation)

• One to one work sex offenders, violent
  offenders and offenders with learning
  disabilities
• Hostels and MAPPPs
• Sex offender group work
• Staff training
• Research

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Outcome

• Assess deviancy level- determines which group
  core and or relapse prevention programme
• Assess treated profile against population norm
• Identify relapse prevention treatment targets

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Sex Offender Group work (1 3)

• Divided into four blocks
• My offence
• Cycle of offending
• Whats changed
• Risk Factors

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Treatment Manager role

• Previously solely probation staff
• Different perspective
• Look at behaviour modification

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1-1 work Sexual offenders

• Denial
• Unsuitable for group work
• Insufficient progress
• Learning disability
• Direct work, co-work or consultancy role

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Multi Agency Public Protection Panels ( 1 3)

• Very high risk cases
• Collaborative working between Police and the
  prison service
• Three levels of risk/management

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Multi-agency public protection Arrangements

• Level One single agency management
• Level two Police and probation
• Level three Multi-agency

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MAPPA offender profiles

• Registered sex offenders
• Violent or sex offenders sentenced to one year or
  more in custody
• Other offenders

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MAPPP Meetings

• Outline risk level/factors
• Identify action plan
• Individual accountability
• Increase surveillance
• Recall to prison

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Psychologists Role

• Identifying psychological need
• Initial assessments
• Direct supervision work
• One to one intervention
• Prioritise those who had no input in prison
• Violent and sexual offences
• Psychopathic traits

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PhD Study

• North-West region
• Exploring the effectiveness of the MAPPP
• Profiling offenders managed at level three
• 100 cases to date
• Decision making processes of the panel

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Case study workshops

• Four groups of 4 and one group of 3
• Read the case study
• Identify possible thoughts and feelings
  underpinning the behaviour
• Identify other information you think is relevant
  to explore
• What additional information would you want to
  conduct the assessment

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Assessment of cognitive ability

• WAIS
• Perceptual and verbal IQ
• Overall IQ
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Direct group or 1-1 work

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Psychopathy - PCL-R

• 15-25 forensic population
• Interpersonal/affective
• Behavioural/Lifestyle

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Psychopathy - PCL-R

• Glibness/superficial charm
• Grandiose self worth
• Pathological lying
• Conning and manipulative
• Lack of remorse
• Shallow effect
• Callous lack of empathy
• Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

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Psychopathy - PCL-R

• Need for stimulation
• Parasitic lifestyle
• Poor behavioural controls
• Early behavioural problems
• Lack of realistic long term plans
• Impulsivity
• Irresponsibility

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Psychopathy

• Juvenile delinquency
• Revocation of conditional release
• Criminal versatility
• Promiscuous sexual behaviour, many short term
  marital relationships

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Psychopathy

• Robust correlate of crime
• Should be considered in all forensic assessments
• Presence of psychopathy compels a high risk
  conclusion
• Absence of psychopathy does not equate low risk

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Staff Training (4)

• Psychological perspectives
• Risk assessment and management
• Sickness levels
• Motivational interviewing
• Learning disabilities
• Research opportunities (3)

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Contact details

• Grey Mare Lane Visor Unit
• Joanne.wood_at_manchester.probation.
• gsx.gov.uk