New paper published on the sequencing of interventions with offenders in the UK

Dr Zoe Stephenson has published a paper from a study commissioned by the Ministry of Justice exploring the views of Imprisoned for Public Protection (IPP) prisoners regarding the sequence in which treatment programmes/interventions are delivered.

The study explored issues relating to rehabilitative processes in prison such as the sequencing and timing of interventions from the perspective of offenders. In addition, the research explored a range of internal (e.g. motivation to change, beliefs) and external (e.g. availability of programmes) factors that may impact on programme efficacy.

The paper summaries the personal experiences of offenders regarding the sequencing of their interventions in relation to the process of behavioural change. Offenders highlighted difficulties they had experienced that they felt may have impacted upon the effectiveness of programmes, and made suggestions regarding ways in which they felt programmes and programme delivery could be improved.