29 October 2009 – Publication of DWP research report 610: Delivering better housing and employment outcomes for offenders on probation
New research published today by the Department for Work and Pensions explores the extent to which information sharing issues were impeding or facilitating the frontline delivery of Public Service Agreement 16 (PSA 16) for adult offenders under probation supervision in England.
The report presents the findings of qualitative research which included fieldwork in six probation areas with professionals involved in the delivery of housing, employment, training and education.
The main findings are:
- There is evidence of effective information sharing for the purposes of frontline service delivery of housing and employment services to ex-offenders in some areas. This is where joint working arrangements have been established and protocols or agreements are in place alongside the opportunity for service users to give ‘free and informed consent’ to having their personal details shared with others.
- These arrangements are however less well developed where specialist services are less well developed, that is often outside of larger urban areas. These arrangements often mean that a minimum of personal details are shared with landlords, employers and education or training providers who instead accept the reassurance of probation services.
- Information sharing between Probation and Jobcentre Plus was variable, working more effectively where Jobcentre plus had specialist staff resources.
- The situation with the sharing of information by prisons was also variable with particular problems when a prisoner was discharged to an area a long distance from the prison. There was limited flow of outcome monitoring data from other agencies back to probation.
- Offenders took the view that disclosure of their criminal record would close doors and therefore had a strong incentive not to do so.
- Problems were often logistical rather than the result of the legislative framework and more likely to result from under-developed or inadequate joint working.
Notes to Editors
- This research was conducted by The Centre for Housing Policy, The University of York. Between November 2008 and August 2009.
- Research Report 610 – Delivering better housing and employment outcomes for offenders on probation is published on 29th October 2009. The report is available on the DWP website. http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep610.pdf
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