Programmes

The Thinking Skills Programme aims to teach problem-solving skills and apply these to offending behaviour, in order to help offenders stop offending. It is suitable for both males and females who pose a medium to high risk of re-offending, are impulsive and/or rigid thinkers, do not think through the consequences of their actions, and fail to consider the effects of their behaviour on victims or others.

It is not suitable for:

• People whose offending is not linked to poor cognitive skills
• Offenders with serious mental health problems
• Offenders who cannot learn in a group setting
• Current sex offenders
• Domestic violence offenders

The programme is made up of four pre-programme sessions, both one-to-one and in a group; 22 group sessions of between two and two-and-a-half hours; and seven post-programme sessions on an individual basis. These session focus on skills to change behaviour such as problem solving, anti-social attitudes, tackling pressures to offend, victim awareness, moral reasoning, self-management and social interaction. These are then applied to aspects of offending and situations in which they occur.

The programme addresses the way offenders think and their behaviour associated with offending. It involves offenders developing skills in setting goals and making plans to achieve these without offending. It encourages offenders to think through decisions, tap into and manage emotions, develop skills to resist the pro criminal or unhelpful influence of others and see a situation from different points of view.

The Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP) targets adult male offenders who are convicted of offences of violence, emotional or verbal abuse of their current or previous female partners. The core programme consists of 27 weekly group plus four individual sessions; pre-programme sessions and at least four relapse prevention sessions.

The themes of the programme are:

• Non-violence
• Non-threatening behaviour
• Respect
• Support and trust
• Accountability and honesty
• Sexual respect
• Partnerships
• Negotiation and fairness

IDAP is a nationally-accredited community-based group work programme designed to prevent re-offending by adult male domestic violence offenders. The programme aims include reducing the risk of violent crime and abusive behaviour towards women in relationships by helping offenders change their attitudes and behaviour. IDAP requires co-operation between the agencies concerned with domestic violence and prioritises women’s and children’s safety. It is delivered within the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). Partners of offenders are supported by dedicated Women’s Safety Workers, who liaise with course facilitators as well as other key agencies.

The Northumbria Sex Offender Group Programme (NSOG) aims to prevent sex offending by adult male sex offenders. The programme is suitable for male sex offenders who are within the normal IQ range. It is not suitable for:

• Female sex offenders
• Sex offenders with an IQ of less than 80
• Men with severe drug/alcohol misuse
• Men with current mental health problems
• Men assessed as psychopathic
• Men in total denial of their sex offending

The programme involves 144 hours of attendance consisting of sessions run for one or two days per week. The core programme consists of four modules and men can attend at the beginning of any module. High risk/high deviancy men will attend the core group followed by Relapse Prevention (36 hours). Low risk/low deviancy men will normally complete individual preparation work followed by the Relapse Prevention Programme. Offenders released from prison will follow similar routes according to their assessment of risk and deviancy.

The programme aims to help offenders develop understanding of how and why they have committed sexual offences. It also increases awareness of victim harm. The main focus is to help the offender develop meaningful life goals and practice.

The relapse prevention group is designed to meet the needs of male sexual offenders and forms an integral part of the Northumbria Sex Offender Programme . It is a separate closed group that specifically targets issues relating to relapse prevention. It comprises of 12 sessions of three hours each. The group meets weekly in order to give members time to undertake homework and practice skills learned in the group. Regular homework is set to ensure continuity of learning and that learning is applied to an offender’s ‘real life’. Most offenders will join following completion of the Core Group (NSOG), others will enter directly from the prison Sex Offender Treatment Programme providing they have made satisfactory progress in treatment .

The Becoming New Me (BNM) programme is designed for Sex Offenders who have an intellectual disability (IQ of 50 and below). Some offenders find it harder to keep up with programmes because the language is difficult, or because there is a lot of reading and writing. On BNM there is less reading and writing and more pictures, symbols and role play. On the BNM, offenders won’t have to read or write things down. Staff working on BNM have been specially trained to use different approaches in group work. BNM helps offenders think about the thoughts, feelings and behaviour that made them offend. It helps offenders learn and practise new ways of thinking and behaving, which can ultimately assist offenders to plan a better life where they would be less likely to offend again.

BNM consists of approximately 90 sessions. There will be at least two sessions per week and offenders must attend every session. If offenders are doing the group in prison, there will be three or four sessions per week. If offenders miss a session they will have to complete catch up work. The group sessions all last for a morning or an afternoon. They are two to three hours long, with a short break in the middle.