Diversity and effectiveness in probation: The One-to-One programme in West Mercia

Abstract

One-to-One is a Home Office accredited, cognitive-behavioural programme used by a number of probation areas in England and Wales. A descriptive account is given here of its operation in West Mercia between 2002 and 2008, detailing programme structure; completion rates; participant feedback and staff responses; its role in meeting diversity goals for programme delivery including work with 'racially motivated' offences; re-offending outcomes; and its contribution to the development of staff careers. Some suggestions for the future are made.

Measuring Psychological Change and Predicting Recidivism Following the Swedish One-to-One Program

“…It has also been implemented on a small scale in Lithuania (9) and piloted in the Netherlands (10). A small scale study in the English West Mercia probation area reported a 24% reduction for 51 OTO completers in observed reconvictions, compared to those expected based on national statistics (7).…”

“…The program integrates the above-mentioned concepts and measures changes in each specific area over time. The OTO program has been accredited for use by community probation services in England and Wales (7) and as a national program for use both in probation and prison settings in Norway (8). It has also been implemented on a small scale in Lithuania (9) and piloted in the Netherlands (10).…”

Restoring probation: A declaration of independence

“…Programme sessions emphasise the individuality of the participant and invite him/her to assess offending-related problems, formulate agreed goals for self-change, and offer exercises to help achieve them. Feedback from users of One-to-One (O-t-O) has been positive in terms of self-respect, the acquisition of problem-solving and self-management skills, and changed behaviour including re-offending (Hankinson and Priestley, 2010). Swedish research used regression analysis to interrogate data from two cohorts of participants (n ¼ 728) and 'comparisons' (n ¼ 7280) and reported reductions in re-offending rates for O-t-O completers of 25 per cent (Danielsson et al, 2009).…”