Kent Probation introduces new programme to meet Government ambitions to break the cycle of offending in Thanet

Kent Probation has introduced an innovative programme that aims to reduce re-offending in Thanet and meet the government ambitions set out in green paper: Breaking the Cycle, this week.

The Reducing Re-offending Specified Activity is a 10 session programme that aims to punish, control and reform offenders.

As part of the requirement offenders will look at consequential thinking, problem solving, handling conflict, changing behaviour, victim awareness, substance misuse, managing money and triggers to offending. 

Kent Probation will rigorously enforce the order with offenders made to attend the programme sessions every week for 10 weeks.  If an offender fails to attend two sessions of the programme, then they will be taken back to court to be resentenced. 

Research used in the government’s Green Paper found that when offenders confront and acknowledge the damage their behaviour does, and learn how to stop their offending patterns, they are much less likely to re-offend.  This programme aims to address the multitude problems linked to offending, such as the thinking and behaviour deficits of an offender. 

Magistrates can sentence offenders to the Reducing Re-offending Specified Activity on its own, or with other community order requirements that aim to punish or rehabilitate the offender such as a curfew, that places onerous conditions on the offender to limit their ability to commit a further crime, by making them be at a certain place between a certain time, or substance misuse treatment that tackles the drug or alcohol problems that fuel the offender’s crime.

Sarah Billiald, Kent Probation’s Chief Executive, said:  “The government has set out in their response to the green paper a clear ambition for Community Orders to punish offenders and stop them getting to the stage where custody is the only remaining option.  The reducing Re-offending Specified Activity, that we have launched this week, aims to break the cycle of offending before it has really begun by successfully punishing, controlling and reforming offenders.”

Programme sessions will begin in July.