NCJ Number
230932
Date Published
2010
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This chapter describes and evaluates the Personal Support for Developing Learning Pathways in Custody (PSIC), a pilot project developed by the Welsh Assembly Government as a creative way for working with youth during and after imprisonment.
Abstract
Since the majority of youth from Wales serve custodial sentences in England, the PSIC pilot project was created to ensure that Welsh youth serving relatively short sentences in two English young offender institutions (YOIs) could access their Wales-based entitlements both in custody and upon their return to their communities in the Welsh towns of Bridgend and Denbighshire. The evaluation of PSIC found that both the youth involved and the professionals working with them considered the project to be effective in helping youth access housing, diversionary activities, education, training and other services during and after their release; however, evaluation data shows that the project had mixed outcomes regarding recidivism, as almost two-thirds of the released youth studied were known to have reoffended, with reoffending rates being particularly disappointing for youth returning to Denbighshire. In examining why the PSIC was effective with some youth but not others, a case study is presented to show, that school failure, limited support, delinquent peer groups, boredom and alcohol and drug abuse were shared by almost all of the youth interviewed in the evaluation. The chapter concludes that in order for youth to change, they must have the inner motivation to change, along with a vision of what they will gain from changing their criminal behaviors. They also need resources that can facilitate change given the motivation to change. This includes access to opportunities for constructive behavior; support when challenges are difficult; and the development of skills, knowledge, and emotional intelligence necessary for responsible, independent living. 1 table, 2 notes, and 27 references