James McGuire's OFFENCE FOCUSSED PROBLEM SOLVING PROGRAMME

THINK FIRST

Accredited Offending Behaviour Programme

AIMS OF TRAINING

The aims of the training course are fourfold.
It is designed with the following aims in mind.

(1) To provide sufficient background information for staff concerning:

• The nature of the underlying model and framework of the Cognitive -behavioural approach
• The methods of working derived from it;
• Aspects of the research evidence on which it is based;
• Evidence concerning applications and outcomes with offenders.

(1) To enable staff groups to obtain a sound grasp of the theoretical principles on which the programme is founded.

(2) To introduce programme staff to the nature, session contents, methods and materials employed in the programme itself.

(3) To provide opportunities to practice individual exercises and delivery of programme sessions under conditions of supportive and constructive feedback.

It is essential that all staff delivering the programme attend those parts of the training that are required in order to equip them for their roles. Programme tutors require the full training package. Those making referrals to the programme or acting as Case Managers may attend briefer Awareness Training sessions or blocks of training focussed upon the pre and post programme activities only. Details of this are set out in the next section.

STAFF ROLES

The provision of cognitive behavioural programmes in criminal justice settings is a complex process, which requires careful management. Research has shown that it is vital that programmes be of a high standard, that programme integrity be maintained and that there should be a high and consistent quality of face-to-face contact with offenders and of the application of methods and materials. All those engaged in this activity must understand their roles within it, be trained to carry them out and to collaborate in doing so.

The various roles in programme delivery are: -

Case Managers

The precise definition of this role may vary slightly between local areas but in general terms these staff are responsible for the supervision of the probation order overall and also provide the majority of the pre-group and all of the post-group sessions which form parts of the programme.

Programme Tutors.

This group of staff is responsible for delivery of the initial pre-group session and for all the 22 group based sessions which are the core of the programme.

Programme Managers

These are senior probation staff responsible for the teams with the main responsibility for providing the core programme element; or senior staff responsible for supervising case managers.

It is envisaged that for the proper running of the programme and in order to maximise its impact on offender clients, there must be effective co-ordination and liaison of information between the above groups of staff.

Other staff in the service though not directly involved in running the programme nevertheless have essential roles in relation to it as part of the agency's overall provision. Most important, they include Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) writers who have a pivotal role in making referrals to the programme. To provide a coherent rationale in reports and recommendations for allocation of offenders to the programme requires that this group of staff understand the nature of the programme and operational issues such as selection and targeting policies and frameworks.

Outside the probation service itself, sentencers, have a self-evidently crucial role in the extent to which any programme is utilised. Opportunities should be taken to familiarise them with the nature of programmes, through conference events, awareness sessions, organised where appropriate through Probation Liaison Committees or other routes according to local circumstances. In addition, other personnel within the criminal justice system, such as Clerks of Court may be invited to attend such events or provided with sufficient information to enable them to provide advice to courts concerning decisions to allocate individuals to the programme.

Staff of partner agencies who may make referral to programmes or who require some familiarity with programmes and their position in the service's overall provision, in order to facilitate effective multi-agency working, are also likely to need information concerning the nature of the programme.

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