Name of Client: CLIENT C
DOB: 1983
Date of Sentence: IPP – 2012
Tariff Expiry Date: 2014
No of releases and Recalls: 1
Last Parole Hearing: 2023
Release Date: 2024
Approved Premises: Somerset
Summary of Engagement with New Connections (NC)
First contact
CLIENT C’s index offence took place in 2011 and was given an IPP sentence and he expected to serve around two and a half years before he would be considered for parole. CLIENT C had undergone three reviews of his sentence since the tariff expiry date and two oral hearings before being released in 2020. He remained in the community for 16 months before being recalled due to poor behaviour relating to alcohol misuse.
At NC, our first contact with CLIENT C was in November 2022. By this stage, it had been a decade since his index offence, and CLIENT C was motivated to reintegrate into the community successfully. His next parole hearing was scheduled for the following year, which we were ready to support him through and beyond.
Parole
Support Pre-Release
Before CLIENT C was released into the community, we had the opportunity to get to know him, discuss his future goals, address any concerns he had, and identify areas that needed the most focus to reduce his risk of recall. The use of alcohol and drugs had previously served as a disinhibitor for CLIENT C, so we knew that abstinence was vital for a successful re-entry into the community. We informed CLIENT C that we planned to work alongside his Community Offender Manager (COM) and other support services to locate suitable abstinence-based accommodation for him after his Approved Premises (AP) placement.
As CLIENT C had spent a lengthy period in custody, we recognised that adjusting to life in the community would be a challenge for him, as it is for many of our clients.
At NC, we recognise the importance of understanding our clients’ hobbies and interests. Many repeat offenders cite boredom and a lack of structure and purpose as the reasons leading them to engage in risky or illegal activities. We support our clients in embracing hobbies, engaging in voluntary work, and participating in community activities, thus building their social networks; all of these are crucial for reducing their risk of reoffending.
Release
The day a client is released from prison and the days that follow can be incredibly daunting, and we recognise that an intense level of support is sometimes required. At NC, we are always ready to respond to our clients’ needs, whether that involves phoning them to ensure they have arrived safely at their AP or meeting them in person at the prison gate to escort them to their next location.
CLIENT C was released to an AP in Somerset in early 2024. He was offered in-person support on the day of his release; however, phone contact was considered sufficient. We were able to confirm that he had arrived safely at his AP and obtained a phone for himself. In the immediate period following release, we introduce ourselves to our clients AP and inform them of our role and how they engage with us. It is essential to us that we collaborate effectively with all services providing support, ensuring we remain aligned and provide our clients with the best possible opportunities for a successful re-entry into society.
CLIENT C settled in well to his AP, engaged in AA meetings, and obtained a sponsor. We scheduled weekly video calls, which allowed us to see how motivated he was to make a change in his life and keep him on the right track.
Support in the community
Move-on accommodation was a concern of CLIENT C’s, as it is with many of our clients. He wanted to live in Exeter, so together, we were able to find him suitable housing that would offer him the support he needed. CLIENT C was enthusiastic about this as it would offer him a safe place to live for six months, with the goal of securing permanent accommodation afterwards. He was referred to Julian House through probation and underwent an assessment only around a month after he was released from prison.
CLIENT C found the weekly meetings with us extremely helpful and frequently expressed his gratitude for the support we provided him. He was very focused on his move-on accommodation at Julian House, as it was a crucial next step in his journey, and we were able to provide reassurance to him when he expressed concerns about not being able to obtain a place with them immediately after his stay at the AP. We collaborated with his COM and AP key worker to follow up on his referral and succeeded in keeping CLIENT C in a positive state of mind, which we believe is incredibly important.
Throughout his stay at the AP, CLIENT C made significant progress, taking substantial steps in the right direction; he actively engaged in AA/NA meetings, frequently interacted with his sponsor, and remained motivated in his rehabilitation. At NC, we always develop Care Plans with our clients, identifying factors that could lead to reoffending and pinpointing where they need the most support. This is as important for them as it is for us. Through our care plans, CLIENT C recognised the amazing progress he was making, and we were able to continue encouraging him on his journey to recovery.
In preparation for CLIENT C’s departure from the AP, we researched potential sponsors and meetings that would be close to the location of his new accommodation. Within a couple of months, he was settling in well to his flat, which he had secured for six months. CLIENT C was really pleased with this and continued to engage well with all the support provided to him, including daily contact with a sponsor, weekly meetings, a key worker, and our support. At NC, we believe that wrap-around support is crucial in providing our clients with the best possible opportunities for a successful reintegration.
Another area that we focus on with our clients is building positive relationships. We recognise the importance of fostering strong social bonds and building community connections. It can help our clients occupy their time, face challenges, foster pro-social behaviour, and provide emotional support and encouragement. Therefore, we took an interest in CLIENT C’s relationships and researched community groups and initiatives in which he could get involved.
CLIENT C seemed to be doing fantastically in the community, taking positive steps and remaining optimistic about the future; he expressed his interest in completing a food hygiene qualification, engaging in voluntary work, and studying for his theory test. We continued to have weekly chats and work alongside his COM, providing them with copies of the care plans we developed with CLIENT C to see if there was anything they thought would be useful to add.
As CLIENT C’s time at Supported Accomodation was nearing its end, we worked with him to find appropriate follow-on accommodation. Finding housing can be particularly challenging for our clients with a history of sexual offending, but we were committed to helping CLIENT C through this difficult stage. By the Autumn of 2024, a property had been secured for CLIENT C in his desired location; he couldn’t have been more pleased.
Current Situation
CLIENT C has demonstrated remarkable dedication since his latest release. He has been an integral part of the community for over a year now, fostering positive relationships through his attendance at various groups and workshops, as well as his active participation in his church. Because CLIENT C has been consistent in his engagement with support services and has shown how motivated he is to live an offence-free life, he has now had his licence revoked. Despite now living completely free in the community, he has expressed his wish for us to remain in contact with him, which we are more than happy to do.
For us, CLIENT C’s journey to where he is now represents a significant success. He has maintained the right mindset to embrace all the support offered to him; it has boosted his confidence and provided him with the opportunity to start afresh. We believe his engagement with our services has been instrumental in his current success. NC has been CLIENT C’s point of contact for almost 3 years; we have seen him through his final stage in custody, parole, his time at his AP, and his subsequent accommodations. We believe that this is what truly sets our service apart and can yield incredible outcomes for our clients.
