Alternatives to Prison, Women’s Services

In 2011, we are developing an alternative to Prison Services for Women Offenders who are recovering from  a mental illness and have been or/are substance misusers  We are providing the service as a whole systems approach covering all aspects of the Criminal Justice pathway. This year we hope it will be  both residential and floating support, offering a custody, court and prison gateway service.

If you would like to find out more about the development of this service, please contact Gill Arukpe, CEO.

Penrose Fusion: Integrated Offender Network, Lewisham

Penrose track record

Reducing re-offending is at the heart of all Penrose service provision. Our expertise and skills are focused on reducing recidivism. Our success rate in our core programmes is excellent – only 8.8% of Penrose Service Users re-offend. We are specialists in working with repeat offenders with high-risk/complex needs and people whose mental illness is exacerbated by substance misuse issues.

Service aims

This payment by results-based pilot scheme is aimed at reducing re-offending in Lewisham using an integrated approach with other key agencies.
Payment is based on successfully preventing re offending by individuals already known to the criminal justice system. We work very closely with the MOJ to ensure success is measurable and they are committed to supporting and developing the programme.

What do we do?

• Provide a non-residential, resource centre drop-in facility for men and women over the age of 18 years who meet our eligibility criteria
• deliver Lewisham's Drug Intervention Programme obligations
• deliver Lewisham's Drug Rehabilitation Requirement assessment function
• provide housing advice to DIP and non-statutory offenders
• Support a range of other offender groups (see who is eligible?)

How do we do it?

Our staff are based in Custody Suites, Courts, Prison, Probation, Housing and our resource centre. From these sites and our resource centre they are able to offer support, advice and programmes which help Service Users access.

• Treatment for drug and alcohol addiction
• Education training and employment opportunities
• Mentors
• Housing advice
• Legal advice
• Physical and mental health support
• Welfare benefits
• Resettlement
• Life skills
• IT/ web facilities
• Support for their families and carers

Who is eligible?

Any offender living or claiming benefits in Lewisham over the age of 18yrs can be referred to our service. However our priorities are offenders who:

• Have been in contact with the Criminal Justice system in the last 24 months
• Are about to be released from prison
• Have served a sentence of under 12months
• Have drug/ alcohol addictions
• Have a mental health issue
• Are aged between 18-21yrs old
• Have received a conditional caution or other community based sentence
• have been previously arrested or cautioned
• Are at risk of re-offending

Who can make a referral?

• Police, Prison, Probation or Court staff (Criminal Justice partners)
• Health care staff
• Housing providers/ advisors
• Support Providers
• Drug and alcohol services
• Eligible offenders can self-refer

Why should agencies get involved?

There are many advantages in agencies working with Penrose on this pilot scheme, including:

• Close and positive monitoring by the MOJ, criminal justice bodies and drug agencies
• Involvement in a holistic service of huge value to Lewisham and Service Users
• Building trust and demonstrating professionalism around third sector provision
• Raising your profile locally and nationally
• Key learning that can be shared for future programme development
• Developing practical long-term solutions that demonstrably work
• Helping you to meet your targets and objectives
• Substantial scope for multiagency input

If you would like to know more about the Lewisham Integrated Offender Network pilot scheme or would like to get involved, please contact Michelle Barned on 0207 697 4219 or email michelle.barned@penrose.org.uk

Rehabilitation and Reintegration Structured 9 Week Programme

Our Service Users expressed the need to learn new skills including anger management, positive assertiveness, debt management and building positive relationships. To address these needs, Penrose developed a 9-week structured programme that Service Users can access as either module training, group work or attend the whole 9-week programme. This will be provided as a rolling programme to ensure Service Users can attend, around their other obligations – supervision orders, community payback, hospital visits or employment activities.

Core and optional modules

• Communication skills

• Offending behaviours- triggers and coping skills

• Healthy mind

• Healthy body

Tenancy sustainment

• Work readiness

• Confidence building

• Substance and alcohol misuse- triggers and coping skills

• Building positive social networks

We also off this service externally - If you would like to know more about the development of this service and it’s content, please contact Alyson Lewis on 0207 636 1894 or email Alyson.lewis@penrose.org.uk