1. Jersey Probation and After Care Service
Brian Heath
Chief Probation Officer

2. Implementing “What Works” in a small Jurisdiction
Population 88,000
5,000 – 5,500 crimes per annum 35% - 40% detection.
2nd highest GNI per capita in Europe ($57K U.S.)
Lowest? public expenditure per head in Europe

3. Jersey Probation and After Care Service 2008
39 employees (27 Full time equivalent)
24 volunteers
£1.5 million revenue budget, 86% staff costs
£30,000 budget programmes, grants etc
600 – 700 reports per year
Approx 200 Probation Orders per year
Approx 200 Community Service Orders per year, 14,500 hours performed in 2007
5 – 10 prisoners being supervised on early release with E.M. at any one time
Automatic prison through care since 2006.

4. “What Works” in Jersey
Longstanding commitment to evidence based practice (since early 1990’s).
Commitment to research to inform practice.
Assessment, individual and group work.
Continuity
Individual practice underpinned by “Working with Involuntary Clients” Trotter (1999)
Bonta (2004) Cardiff paper.

5. “What Works” in Jersey Jersey 1989 602 Custodial sentences
91% of custodial sentences under 6 months
116 Probation Orders made
64 Community Service Orders imposed

6. Prison doesn’t work - Probation Service Actions
“What Works” in Jersey
Prison doesn’t work - Probation Service Actions
Not recommending custody.
Community Service assessment in all imprisonable cases
“Fit for Custody, fit for CS”
Stand Down reports introduced
Drug awareness course
Alcohol Study Group

7. “What Works” in Jersey? Actions (continued) Drunk and Incapable Unit
Promoted Probation
1992 onwards – “What Works” research and associated practice changes

8. “What Works in Jersey” Assessment using LSI-R locally calibrated
Cognitive Behavioural Programmes chosen to meet Risk and need
Importance of Individual Probation Officer Client Relationship – “Advise Assist Befriend”
Case Management and Information systems (DAISy) and Academic Research, (University of Swansea) feeding back to inform and improve practice

9. “What Works in Jersey” The Results
Custodial Sentences down – From 602 in 1989 to 216 by 1995 and similar levels since.
Sentences of under 6 months reduced from 91% to 54% (2006)
Probation Orders up from 116 to 172 (2007)
Community Service Orders up from 64 to 185 (2007)

10. “What Works” in Jersey Results (Cont.)
Drunk and Incapable Unit – 75 to 130 Police referrals p.a.

11. “What Works” in Jersey In 2007:-
72% of Probationers reduced their risk of re-offending (measured by LSI-R).
74% of highest risk Probationers (LSI of 24+) showed a reduction in their risk of re-offending.
Over 14,000 hours of Community Service performed for the Island by offenders who would otherwise have been imprisoned.
Probationers have a higher average risk score than prisoners.

12. “What Works” in Jersey Probationer Profile 2006.
90% have previous convictions
25% have previously served a custodial sentence.

13. Prison “Snapshot” June 2006
“What Works” in Jersey
Prison “Snapshot” June 2006
Prison population 222 (250 per 100,000) - But
Only 3 Prisoners serving sentences of less than 6 months, 8 serving less than 12 months
4 of these had breached community sentences.
1 prisoner aged under 18 years.

14. “What Works” in Jersey. Successful alternatives to custody
“have to be part of a wider initiative to reduce the use of imprisonment and this requires political and judicial support and the absence of negative public reaction” (Walters 2004)

15. “What Works” in Jersey No significant new legislation
No Government Policy or strategy regarding the use of custody – neutral and passive. “Bottom up” strategy
Tried to avoid “Managerialism”
Marketing and selling the alternatives on offer; taking “customers” with us; measuring success (not in terms of reducing custody) and celebrating success

16. “What Works” in Jersey
As CPO I believe it is vital to use research and local evidence to feed back into practice development and training to ensure that we are giving our service users, the Courts and the public the most effective and efficient service that we can.
“What Works” is not a one off change – it is a continuous process which is never finished.