This week saw UK media discussion and political debate again
relating to initiatives to reduce re-offending. But are all the elements needed
for successful transition really understood by society?
I am actively helping
ex: offenders and also their families to make the transition to a new life and
my interest, is seeing support for real people change taking place.
However I would like to see this approached through
a joined-up mind-set of experts, specialists, communities and involving ex:
offenders too. These 4 are the key stakeholder
Groups that have a vested interest and not unlike many other change activities you
see within; Education, Business, Healthcare and Public Sector; it only works
when stakeholders come together to design and deliver the change. Not as easy
as it sounds though.
In the UK I detect a dis-jointed
understanding of what drives people into crime, but more importantly what keeps
them locked within the temptation of crime, and the type of deep damage to
society when scaled up and across the UK. Damage to; communities, families and
of course to the public purse. I don’t see an acceptance of the fact that crime
is something that not only affects everyone, but to address it effectively, it
needs to involve everyone too. Emotions run high when you ask people their
views on crime and what drives it – especially from those who have never
experienced it within their close family and are blinded by bias and
mis-information.
My response to this recent media attention and debate is to
challenge it by asking "if you were able to research all newly released or
recently released ex: offenders, do you think that many are emotionally prepared
for what they need to face out here in order to be able to create a new life
and evade criminal temptation?" By asking this I am not asking for
sympathy for ex: offenders, but I am asking for an understanding of what it is
that drives people to take-up crime again. Only then do you determine the keys
for change and the engagement needed into that change. After all, if you
humanize a situation and ask society to look at the emotional and behavioural
aspects they often become very open and empathetic – rather than irrational.
I am a firm believer in changing what drives the person, by
utilising resources and insight that surround them right now. What makes the
person tick and look at the world today, what drives them in the context they
live within today and how are they relating to their extended family and
support ensures that they realise what the start point is. Many people simply
don’t know anything better/any better way than what they have become accustomed.
Give them an understanding of what their needs are, such as; consistency, love/connection
and feeling significant to others, they can then realise that these are factors that
drive us all - nothing unique. Give them access to other ex: offenders to work with and they see that can they
are not unique in feeling vulnerable and uncertain of the future now they are
outside the gate. A need for money and an ability to make it also drives them –
as with us all. We need to create a mechanism that they can join, that takes
them through a transition that actually means something and is designed to be funded by success across all 4
stakeholder groups.
This basic human aspect understanding is missing from the “how to reduce
reoffending” debate. Millions are spent processing and managing the results of
crime, each week. Yet only hundreds are spent helping support ex: offenders and
their families to make a positive transition and move into a new life. The
ratio is wrong and the return on the investment of processing and managing the
results of crime is debatable.
To reverse the ratio, see a reduction in spend on processing
and managing, re-using the money to develop new initiatives to support
transition “outside the gate” inside the community, is where I see a tangible
opportunity to reduce re-offending. But all stakeholders need to be involved and engaged.
BUT, this would be a long and frustrating
process requiring honest, balanced political involvement and use of media to
better communicate the journey to society – less about scoring points and more
about creating and managing a momentum of deep change.
Question is, is there really an appetite for this, above spin!
Until next time....
Jay