Thinking Outside the Box: Looking Beyond Programme Integrity : The Experience of a Domestic Violence Offenders Programme

Citation

Morran D (2006) Thinking Outside the Box: Looking Beyond Programme Integrity : The Experience of a Domestic Violence Offenders Programme. British Journal of Community Justice, 4 (1), pp. 7-18. http://www.cjp.org.uk/bjcj/volume-4-issue-1/

Abstract
First paragraph: The initial surge of enthusiasm for cognitive behavioural programmes that developed within the probation service in the wake of the What Works literature has recently been somewhat curbed by a number of cautionary findings from research and practice. As early as 1997, Hedderman and Sugg's survey of probation services in England and Wales found that cognitive behavioural techniques were not always well understood by probation staff and that programmes in which they were delivered were inconsistently monitored. Discussing the implementation of Glamorgan's STOP Programme, Vanstone (2000) commented that staff enthusiasm for innovative group programmes might result in marginalisation and lack of attention to practice outside the programme, thereby undermining overall effectiveness. While formal accreditation of programmes aims to overcome such shortcomings, scepticism persists among practitioners and researchers alike that pre-occupation with the minutiae of programme detail deflects attention from the significance of good practice beyond the programme itself, (Gorman, 2001; McIvor, 2004). Although accreditation criteria do emphasise the importance of proper ‘case management', an increasing body of research stresses the importance of a ‘quality supervisory relationship' and how it too contributes to reducing offending and other changes in behaviour (Rex, 1999; Trotter, 1999; 2000).

Journal
British Journal of Community Justice: Volume 4, Issue 1