Application of Family Group Conferencing in the process of inmate support and after-care

Velez Edit2009. április 28.

Prisoners-released prisoners

Inmate support: Begins at least six months before the estimated

date of release from the correctional facility, or at least two months before the estimated

date of temporary release from the reformatory institution.

After care: Begins after release from correctional facility

or reformatory institution- Released prisoners can apply for after-care

within 3 months from release

Inmate support Prisoners Juveniles in reformatory institutions

After care: Prisoners released on parole without probation Prisoners released after serving their full

sentence Juveniles released from reformatory

institutions– threre is special after-care for them in the reformatory. Probation officers co-operate in this after-care.

Probation supervision

Juveniles released temporarily from reformatory institutions -obligatory

Prisoners released on parole with probation supervision-ordered by the prison judge

Case number of inmate support and after-care

1583

2483 (+57%)

2187(-12%)

2643(+21%)

3229(+22%)

411(+43%) 307

(-25%)268

(-13%)257(-4%)169

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

felnőtt korúakfiatalkorúak

After-care

Close to social work: Voluntary basis, focuses on the needs of the offender,

helping process developed by the client and the social worker together (e.g. contract)

Differences from probation supervision There’no control function There are no behavioural rules There are no legal consequences Duration depends on nature of the case

Fields of intervention

Family relationshipsReplacing lost official documentsEmploymentHousingEducationMedical care, healthImproving skills,changing behaviour

Methods

1. Questionnaire2. Providing information 3. Individual case work4. Group work

Aim

Improvement toolkit and resources Improvement toolkit and resources of probation supervision and after-of probation supervision and after-care care

Family Group Conferencing Project

„For a balanced, free life”

Involvement of the family, the community and the professionals in the after-care of prisoners with addiction problems

-project supported by the National Crime Prevention Committee

2007. 09.15.-2008. 04. 30.

Target group: prisoners before release with alcohol/drug problems

Organisations in the project

Pest County Office of Justice Partners:

Budapest Prison Tököl Juvenile Prison

Participants: Community Service Foundation Hungary, Negrea

Vidia, trainer in Family Group Conferencing From National Drug Prevention Institute: Ákos

Topolánszky , Edina Kósa Borbála Paksi researcher, Viselkedéskutató Kft Kortárs Segítő Műhely Foundation, József Zelenák

addictologist, psychiatrist

Aims of the project Strengthening family relationships of the

prisoner before release, finding resources of re-integration

Promotion of active attitude on individual and community, family level

Raising and maintaining motivation towards change with the help of family relationships

Make the prisoner aware of his/her alcohol/drug problems. Idea: drug counselors should take part in the conference

Method: FGC

Aims of the project

To train the probation officers to use FGCduring the inmate support and after-care

20 probation officers were trained

Actors in the process

Prisoners before release and their families

Prison staff Providing information about prisoners before

release Probation officers working in the prison Interviewing the prisoners, informing them about

FGC Facilitators

Contact with the prisoner Organizing the conference Follow-up, evaluation of the FGC

Conclusions:

Intention to co-operate is stronger in families that still function as a family and where prisoners are welcomed back at home

Involvement of families that suffered long time from the addiction of the prisoner is difficult. In these cases imprisonment of their family member was a relief.

It is easier to involve the familiy before the release. As the time passes it is getting more difficult.

Conclusions

Preparation of FGC requires the most work

It is not a suitable method to treat long and deep conflicts even after a well-based preparation

Conclusions

People with addiction problems often have difficulties to admit that they suffer from this kind of problem

Presumably one who doesn’t admit that he/she has an alchol/drug problem won’t take part in a FGC

ContinuationSeptember 2008-May 2009

Making an educational film about the FGC-s

Trainings: - Motivational interviewing with

drug/alcohol users during helping process - Method od FGC Facilitating FGC in 20 cases Providing supervision for probation

officers and prison staff who have taken part in the training of FGC

(51 probation officers and 2 members of prison staff)

Thank you for your attention!veleze@pjsz.gov.hu