Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency for 2011-2020

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• Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency for
  2011-2020

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Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agencyfor
2011-2020
Vision
Rikosseuraamuslaitos tekee vaikuttavaa,
luotettavaa ja merkityksellistä työtä
yhteiskunnan turvallisuuden hyväksi. Visio
The Criminal Sanctions Agency carries out
influential, reliable and significant work for
the safety of society.
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Main goals
Path to a life without crime with the help of an
active network co-operation The content of
sentence enforcement and the co-operation with
other authorities and third sector operators as
well as the close people of the sentenced
offender increase the sentenced offenders
abilities to reintegrate into society.
Safely towards more open and influential
enforcement Flexible and secure structures and
sanction processes enable and support more open
and influential enforcement.
Meaningful work, motivated and healthy
personnel The Criminal Sanctions Agency is a
reliable and respected organisation where skilled
and motivated personnel carry out meaningful work.
Rikosseuraamuslaitos tekee vaikuttavaa,
luotettavaa ja merkityksellistä työtä
yhteiskunnan turvallisuuden hyväksi. Visio
Basic duty
The Criminal Sanctions Agency is responsible for
the implementation of remand imprisonment as well
as the enforcement of community sanctions and
prison sentences.
Keskeiset tavoitteet
Values
Belief in an individuals potential to change and
grow
Respect for human dignity
Justness
Safety
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Contents

• Introduction
• Values
• Changes in the operating environment
• Policies defined by the Ministry of Justice
• Goals of the Criminal Sanctions Agency
• Path to a life without crime with the help of an
  active network co-operation
• Safely towards more open and influential
  enforcement
• Meaningful work, motivated and healthy
  personnel
• 6. Development of the preconditions of the
  operation
• 7. Implementation and monitoring of the strategy

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1. Introduction

• The Criminal Sanctions Agency contributes to the
  safety of society by carrying out influential and
  fair enforcement of sentences. The specific goal
  of the Criminal Sanctions Agency is to improve
  the safety of society by reducing the sentenced
  offenders risk of recidivism. In order to
  implement this goal, we develop the content of
  the basic duty, the working methods, the
  processes and the competence of the staff as well
  as the collaboration with other authorities and
  co-operation partners.
• This strategy describes the basic duty, values,
  vision and main goals of the Criminal Sanctions
  Agency. The strategy is based on a change
  analysis of the operating environment, the
  policies of the Ministry of Justice, the key
  policies of the Riseala 2010 Project and the
  planning documents of the Criminal Sanctions
  Agency.
• The strategy was prepared in connection with the
  training of the management groups of the criminal
  sanctions field and compiled as part of the
  ordinary official duties in the Central
  Administration. The strategy was discussed widely
  among the management and the staff in the autumn
  of 2010.
• The strategy provides guidelines for the Criminal
  Sanctions Agencys operating and financial
  planning as well as the performance guidance. Its
  realisation is monitored and checked regularly in
  connection with the operating and financial
  planning process.

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2. Values

• Values of the Criminal Sanctions Agency
• Respect for human dignity
• Justness
• Belief in an individuals potential to change and
  grow
• Safety
• Commitment to these values in practice
• Values are visible in all activities and in the
  attitude towards co-workers, staff and criminal
  sanction clients
• Basic rights and liberties as well as human
  rights are protected
• Treatment is humane, appropriate and equal
• All activities are lawful and comply with justice
  and fairness
• Enforcement is carried out so that it supports
  the sentenced persons individual growth and
  development as well as their intention to lead a
  life without crime
• Enforcement is carried out so that it is safe to
  society, staff and criminal sanction clients

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3. Changes in the operating environment

• Internationalisation
• The instability of the operational environment
  expands and the management of new types of risks
  is emphasised.
• The number of foreign prisoners and remand
  prisoners increases.
• Internationalisation can involve threats, such as
  the growth of organised crime, conflicts between
  immigrant groups and groups of the main
  population as well as social exclusion and
  violent radicalisation of young people with an
  immigrant background.
• Attention has to be paid to the customisation and
  realisation of the activities targeted at clients
  with an immigrant background.
• International experiences and research provide
  information for the development of the contents
  of influential work.
• Population development
• The population ages and the amount of mass crimes
  typical of young people decreases.
• Criminality and experiences of violence of young
  people pile up on a small minority with a high
  risk of social exclusion.
• The population and services concentrate in
  growing population centres. In the Criminal
  Sanctions Agency, it reflects on the development
  needs of the facility structure and the
  procurement of services.
• The Criminal Sanctions Agency takes part in the
  competition for skilled labour force in the
  future labour market and, therefore, we have to
  invest in the attraction of the field as an
  employer, the recruitment in the field and the
  continuous training of the experts of the field.
• The population becomes more multicultural, which
  requires new skills and abilities from the staff
  and creates challenges for the recruitment.

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Changes in the operating environment (2)

• Financing problems of the government finances
• The penal system needs to be developed so that
  it takes into account the requirements to improve
  productivity.
• The reform of the structures and operating
  practices as well as the reallocation of
  recourses is necessary. It is essential that our
  work is targeted at the right points from the
  perspective of the basic duty of the Criminal
  Sanctions Agency.
• The decline in the municipal finances shows in
  the reduction of service resources, which
  hinders, e.g., the establishment of
  rehabilitation continuums.
• Information society and technological development
• The media has an even greater influence on the
  citizens feeling of safety than before, which
  requires that the Criminal Sanctions Agency
  actively and openly takes part in public
  communication and advances the familiarity of the
  field.
• Technological development opens new
  possibilities to use the data systems and
  electronic systems to support the individual
  work. Examples include a joint client data
  system, government financial and personnel
  administration systems, electronic case
  management, electronic monitoring of prisoners
  and clients as well as possibility to use public
  services and study online.
• Partnerships and changes in the operations of
  co-operation partners
• The use and development of partnerships as well
  as networking with the municipal, third sector
  and other operators is more and more emphasised.
• We have to be aware of the administrative
  reforms and service structure changes in the
  municipal and public sector that reflect on the
  operation of our field so that we can predict and
  affect them.

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Changes in the operating environment (3)

• Health, working capacity and functioning capacity
  of criminal sanction clients
• The criminal sanction clients form a marginal
  group of underprivileged people whose educational
  background, social status, professional career
  and state of health are clearly poorer than among
  the general population. Substance dependence and
  mental disorders are very common. The information
  on the criminal sanction clients state of
  health, reduced working capacity and need for
  treatment and rehabilitation has to be taken into
  account when planning the activities.
• Crime trends
• In Finland, the crime trends have remained quite
  stable over the past few years and the total
  number of recorded crimes has decreased slightly
  in nearly all crime types since the early years
  of the 21st century. A significant rise in the
  crime types affecting the client rate of the
  Criminal Sanctions Agency is not expected.

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4. Policies defined by the Ministry of Justice

• Future review 2010 of the administrative branch
  of the Ministry of Justice
• The enforcement of criminal sanctions has to be
  safe and respect the aspects of legal protection.
  In order to reduce the risk of recidivism and
  stop criminal careers, the sentence term has to
  be utilised as well as possible with an aim to
  increase the abilities to live without crime and
  promote the adjustment to society.
• The goals of the sentence enforcement include
• With regard to the penal system, changing the
  focus of punishments from prison sentences to
  sanctions enforced in freedom and, with regard to
  the sentence enforcement, from closed prisons to
  open prisons
• Focusing on the development of the contents and
  effectiveness of the sanctions during the
  enforcement
• Utilising electronic monitoring and technical
  devices in the enforcement of sentences more than
  before
• Expanding the support measures of the release
  phase
• Developing the legislation on community sanctions
• Examining the transfer of the prison health care
  under the public health care system
• Getting rid of the last prison cells without
  sanitary equipment in connection with the prison
  renovation programmes
• Reforming the sentence enforcement client data
  system

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5. Goals of the Criminal Sanctions AgencyPath
to a life without crime with the help of an
active network co-operation

• Legal protection and equal treatment are realised
  in sentence enforcement
• Just treatment that respects human dignity
  reinforces the criminal sanction clients sense
  of responsibility and respect for their own and
  others human dignity.
• The rights of remand prisoners are restricted to
  the extent that is required by the implementation
  of remand imprisonment and they are offered an
  opportunity to take part in activities arranged
  in prison.
• The needs of underage sentenced offenders are
  taken into account when arranging activities.
• Increasing the abilities to live without crime
  and promoting the adjustment to society generate
  potential to stop criminal careers
• The development of activities is based on the
  promotion of the adjustment to society.
• The sentence enforcement is based on individual
  plans and the sentenced offenders progress in
  the enforcement process is advanced by
  influencing systematically their readiness to
  live without crime. The change process requires
  that the sentenced offenders motivation and own
  activity is strengthened.
• The sentenced offenders possibilities to get the
  health care, substance abuse and social services
  they need as well as to participate in
  rehabilitation and life management programmes,
  education and work is improved.
• The continuity of activities and treatment after
  the sentence term is secured. The sentenced
  offenders contact with the societys service
  network as well as their social networks, family
  and children is supported. The family work is
  developed especially from the standpoint of
  children.

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Path to a life without crime with the help of
an active network co-operation (2)

• Commission of offences during the sentence term
  is prevented
• The Criminal Sanctions Agency co-operates with
  the police and other security authorities in
  order to prevent offences.
• Effective substance use control supports the
  abstinence from substances and lays a foundation
  for safe and influential activities during the
  sentence enforcement.
• We always intervene in violence and its threat.
• Criminal Sanctions Agency develops its core
  competency
• The Criminal Sanctions Agency arranges
  activities, which influence the risk of
  recidivism and reduce the disadvantages caused by
  the sanctions.
• The research on the effectiveness of the
  sanctions is increased.
• The possibility to incorporate the services
  arranged by us as part of the public services
  provided by society is examined.
• We form networks with the state, municipal, third
  sector and private operators and increase the
  co-operation with our key national, regional and
  local partners.
• Activities and services, which from the viewpoint
  of effectiveness are neither practical nor
  cost-effective to be produced as our own
  activity, are outsourced. The quality of
  outsourced services is confirmed.

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Safely towards more open and influential
enforcement

• Operational security is based on the familiarity
  with the community sanction clients and prisoners
  as well as the interaction with them
• The assessment process forms the foundation for
  the approach to security in the criminal
  sanctions field. The assessment methods, the
  application of the information received from the
  assessment and the flow of that information
  between the different groups of staff are
  developed.
• The correct placement of the sentenced offenders
  lays down the preconditions for the internal
  order of the prisons. The control is in
  proportion to the assessed risks.
• The staff has such knowledge, skills and
  abilities that enable a motivating approach to
  work and interaction with the clients and
  prisoners.
• Gradual release advances the sentenced offenders
  controlled return to society
• As the sentence goes on, the aim is to
  systematically decrease the intensity of the
  supervision and increase the sentenced offenders
  own responsibility, which is supported by
  substance use control and other means of control.
  
• The support measures of the release phase are
  expanded and the use of supervised probationary
  freedom increased.
• Electronic monitoring enables a safe expansion of
  the use of more open enforcement.
• Closed prisons have a more emphasised role in the
  preparation for more open enforcement
• Planned work in regard to the transfer to open
  prisons and supervised probationary freedom (e.g.
  granting permissions of leave and increasing the
  prisoners own control and responsibility) is
  emphasised in closed prisons.
• The content of enforcement in closed prisons is
  developed so that it supports life without crime
  and gradual release.
• Functional prison security supports the
  arrangement of prisoner activities.
• Functional space arrangements and operating
  models enable the arrangement of rehabilitative
  activities and the development of everyday skills
  in closed prisons.

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Safely towards more open and influential
enforcement (2)

• Facility structure supports more open enforcement
• Prisoners are not placed in a prison or prison
  ward that is more closed than what is required by
  prison order and security as well as the security
  of imprisonment.
• The structure of facilities and prisons is
  developed so that it is possible to place
  prisoners according to the need for supervision
  in different prisons and wards.
• In closed prisons with different levels of
  supervision, it is possible to participate in
  diverse activities according to the sentence
  plan.
• The facility structure enables the segregation of
  remand prisoners and underage prisoners.
• Investment projects, new buildings as well as
  renovation and development measures of the
  facilities are always assessed together with the
  lessor and in relation to the strategy of the
  Criminal Sanctions Agency. The use of the
  facilities is cost-effective.
• In order to advance the planned release of
  prisoners and related networking, the activities
  supporting the release are expanded in those
  localities, where most prisoners return after
  their release. Based on the experiences gained of
  the first release unit, we can evaluate the need
  for establishing new release units in central
  towns.

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Meaningful work, motivated and healthy
personnel

• Duties of the Criminal Sanctions Agency are
  meaningful and significant and the leadership and
  operating culture support the well-being at work
  and the creation of new operating models
• The job descriptions as well as the development
  possibilities regarding proficiency and career
  are versatile.
• The staff consider that their work is
  significant. The staff have a common view on the
  goals and values of the work.
• The work community encourages innovativeness and
  the development of the work processes. The work
  of the superiors promotes involvement.
• The salary system is fair and competitive and
  encourages good performance.
• Criminal Sanctions field has a comprehensive
  initial and further training system
• The initial and further training system is
  developed as a whole so that it acknowledges all
  groups of staff and corresponds to the changing
  challenges of the field. The criminal sanctions
  field also recruits staff with a foreign
  background.
• The training programme for immediate superiors
  increases the skills as superiors and supports
  the superiors work in changing the strategic
  goals into practice.
• The directors are required to have good
  management skills as well as to maintain and
  develop those skills.
• Criminal Sanctions Agency is a reliable and
  respected expert organisation
• Active communication increases the publics
  awareness of the duties of the Criminal Sanctions
  Agency and the means of influencing recidivism
  and, thus, increasing the safety of society.
• The goals of the work of the Criminal Sanctions
  Agency are credible and commonly accepted.
• The image of the criminal sanctions field as an
  employer is appealing and it attracts motivated
  and forward-looking professionals.

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6. Development of the preconditions of the
operation

• Preconditions for ensuring the Criminal Sanctions
  Agencys quality of operations, ability to
  provide services, operational effectiveness and
  economic efficiency as well as the development of
  the enforcement of community sanctions and prison
  sentences
• Securing adequate resources for the sentence
  enforcement and defining the correctly allocated
  extent of financial and personnel resources
• Ensuring the functionality of the financial
  management systems
• Guaranteeing the quality and equality of the
  operations with the help of handbooks and uniform
  policies
• Continuing the development of data production,
  statistics and cost accounting
• Improving the facility management and the
  efficient use of space and introducing data
  management solutions to support the facility
  management and planning
• Drawing up a plan to get rid of the prison cells
  without sanitary equipment
• Coordinating the running of the ICT functions and
  information management, utilising the data
  processing systems to support the basic duty, and
  preparing for the introduction of joint
  government information management solutions
• Introducing a joint client data system
• Preparing operating models for procurement
  procedures and developing the tools of
  procurement procedures
• Ensuring the correct focusing of the development
  measures by improving project management and the
  tools of risk management

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7. Implementation and monitoring of the strategy

• The strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency is
  realised as part of the annual planning. The
  frames for the realisation of the strategy are
  set in the operating and financial plan. The
  operating and financial plan is concretised as
  annual goals in performance agreements. The
  Criminal Policy Department of the Ministry of
  Justice makes the performance agreement with the
  Criminal Sanctions Agency. The Central
  Administration of the Criminal Sanctions Agency
  makes the performance agreements with the
  criminal sanctions regions, the Health Care Unit
  of the Criminal Sanctions Agency and the Training
  Institute for Prison and Probation Services. The
  performance agreements of the criminal sanctions
  regions are specified in the unit operating plans
  in which the goals and resources of the units
  (community sanctions offices, prisons) are agreed
  annually. The personal performance targets of the
  employees are tied to the operating plans of the
  units.
• The realisation of the goals of the performance
  agreement is monitored and evaluated twice a
  year. The biannual evaluation and the annual
  financial accounts with the annual report form
  the basis for the evaluation of the realisation
  of the main goals as well as related projects and
  measures. The monitoring of the indicators and
  statistics is continuous and is linked to the
  evaluation of the realisation of the performance
  targets.

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