HMIP Report on HM Unit Shotts - Purpose, Features and Principles


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HMIP Report on HM Unit Shotts 1998 ANNEX B SYNOPSIS OF "SMALL UNITS IN THE SCOTTISH PRISON SERVICE": SHOTTS UNIT: PURPOSE, FEATURES AND PRINCIPLES Purpose of small units "to provide an intensive treatment resource for those prisoners who are unable or unwilling to accept the operation of mainstream prisons and who it is agreed might benefit from removal from their prison of allocation." (paragraph 36) "The reduction of recidivism through the addressing of original offending behaviour should not be a primary aim of small units. There are three reasons for holding this view. Firstly, many of those who require a unit setting will have sufficient work to do in addressing their within-prison problems before they can begin to address their original offending behaviour and if the amount of time which prisoners can spend in a unit is to be limited (a minimum of one year and a maximum of three), it may not be possible to address both areas. Secondly, experience has shown that the majority of those who require a unit setting tend to be serving very long sentences. If so, it becomes difficult, and to some extent meaningless, to address original offending behaviour with those for whom the prospects of release are very remote. Once a prisoner is in a unit, however, opportunities for addressing original offending behaviour may arise during the course of other work. If so, these opportunities should be taken providing they do not interfere with the primary aims of the unit. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the issue of addressing offending behaviour should be fundamental to the operation of mainstream regimes." (paragraph 37) Shotts Unit Specific Features "Shotts Unit should function as a highly participative, interactive environment in which the prisoner should be continuously and consistently challenged on any unacceptable attitudes and behaviours" (paragraph 104) "It is necessary for prisoners who progress through Shotts Unit to effect at least some degree of change in their coping abilities, attitudes or behaviour prior to their return to the mainstream. If they do not, the Shotts Unit will fail to meet one of its primary aims and may become little more than a facility for extended periods of time out." (paragraph 105) Principles Any prisoner who elects to spend a period of time in a small unit should be obliged to sign a personal contract which will form the basis of the SPS and the prisoner’s mutual expectations. Each contract should contain a number of standardised, non-negotiable core elements. Small Unit communities should operate on the principle of participative interaction between all community members. Weekly community meetings should take place, attendance at which is one of the non-negotiable core elements of each prisoner’s personal contract. Participation in 4-groups should be non-negotiable. Staff and prisoners should eat together as a community at least once a week. The prisoners must undertake a minimum of 20 hours of constructive activity per week. The prisoners must undertake a Personal Development Programme tailored to their agreed individual needs. Prisoners should take part in regular 3- groups (personal development groups) with their personal officer and the Unit’s specialist staff. Visits Visits should be restricted to three per prisoner per week. Two sessions per day should be clearly labelled as visitor-free periods. Entry and Exit The duration of any prisoner’s stay in a small unit should be limited to a minimum of one year and a maximum of three. At the end of the three month induction period an agreed target exit date should be written into the prisoner’s personal contract. Assessment A standardised and objective procedure for the assessment of candidates for units should be introduced. The unit’s assessment team should be comprised of, at least, the Governor, the psychologist and the officer most likely to become the prisoner’s personal officer. Every prisoner admitted to a unit should go through a formal 3 month induction period designed to enable him to assess whether he feels able to cope with a unit environment. Staff Issues A detailed role specification for unit posts should be developed. A detailed person specification for unit staff should be developed. New unit staff should undergo a one month probationary period. Unit staff should receive comprehensive and regular training. A detailed role specification for specialist posts should be developed. An expectation that information will be shared between all unit staff should be built into all prisoner contracts and acceptance of the fact that information will be shared should be a non-negotiable element of the prisoners’ personal contracts. `The general principle which should guide the use of predictive risk information held by the unit’s specialist staff should be that this information is passed on only to the specialist staff in the receiving establishment to allow them to be aware off any possible difficulties which the prisoner may encounter; only where the predictive information has implications for security should it be passed on to other relevant SPS staff such as the receiving establishment Management Team or the Head of Operations. Co-ordination and Research A Small Unit Strategy Group should be created to co-ordinate the operation of the small units. On-going evaluative research should be built into the recommended unit system. Opportunities Opportunities should be available within the unit to address at least the following areas: anger management; management of other emotions; interpersonal skills; identification with criminal attitudes; values and beliefs; assertiveness; communication skills; relapse prevention ; and familial affection.