NCJ Number
213346
Journal
Criminology & Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2006 Pages: 107-125
Date Published
February 2006
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This article draws on an evaluation of a large-scale, community-based program in London (England), "From Dependency to Work" (D2W), in discussing obstacles to effective work with offenders who have multiple needs.
Abstract
The evaluation found the program to be only partially effective. Reconviction rates were substantially lower for those who participated compared with those who did not. Participants interviewed were positive about their experience and reported reductions in drug use and offending. Negative findings were that referral rates were significantly lower than planned, largely because the London Probation Service did not use the program at the level expected. This heightened the unit costs of referral and treatment. The program was also less successful than expected in delivering multidisciplinary support. Evaluators concluded that because of implementation failures, the theory underlying the program was not given a fair test. Much of the discussion in this article focuses on implementation failures in the areas of program content and program management. The program had difficulty in effectively assessing those with multiple needs and then planning a rational sequence of interventions. The article draws lessons for Great Britain's National Offender Management Service (NOMS) regarding strategies of offender management and contract management. D2W was a 5-year program that served offenders with a range of needs, including drug dependence, mental health issues, employment problems, and illiteracy. The program sought to coordinate the work of statutory and voluntary agencies in a manner similar to the "mixed economy" model envisioned for NOMS. 9 notes and 40 references