Application of Family Group Conferencing in the process of inmate support and after- care Velez Edit április 28.

Prisoners-released prisoners Inmate support: Begins at least six months before the estimated date of release from the correctional facility, or at least two months before the estimated date of temporary release from the reformatory institution. After care: Begins after release from correctional facility or reformatory institution- Released prisoners can apply for after-care within 3 months from release

Inmate support Prisoners Juveniles in reformatory institutions After care: Prisoners released on parole without probation Prisoners released after serving their full sentence Juveniles released from reformatory institutions – threre is special after-care for them in the reformatory. Probation officers co-operate in this after-care.

Probation supervision Juveniles released temporarily from reformatory institutions -obligatory Prisoners released on parole with probation supervision-ordered by the prison judge

After-care Close to social work: Voluntary basis, focuses on the needs of the offender, helping process developed by the client and the social worker together (e.g. contract) Differences from probation supervision Thereno control function There are no behavioural rules There are no legal consequences Duration depends on nature of the case

Fields of intervention Family relationships Replacing lost official documents Employment Housing Education Medical care, health Improving skills,changing behaviour

Methods 1. Questionnaire 2. Providing information 3. Individual case work 4. Group work

Aim Improvement toolkit and resources of probation supervision and after-care Improvement toolkit and resources of probation supervision and after-care

Family Group Conferencing Project For a balanced, free life Involvement of the family, the community and the professionals in the after-care of prisoners with addiction problems -project supported by the National Crime Prevention Committee Target group: prisoners before release with alcohol/drug problems

Organisations in the project Pest County Office of Justice Partners: Budapest Prison Tököl Juvenile Prison Participants: Community Service Foundation Hungary, Negrea Vidia, trainer in Family Group Conferencing From National Drug Prevention Institute: Ákos Topolánszky, Edina Kósa Borbála Paksi researcher, Viselkedéskutató Kft Kortárs Segítő Műhely Foundation, József Zelenák addictologist, psychiatrist

Aims of the project Strengthening family relationships of the prisoner before release, finding resources of re- integration Promotion of active attitude on individual and community, family level Raising and maintaining motivation towards change with the help of family relationships Make the prisoner aware of his/her alcohol/drug problems. Idea: drug counselors should take part in the conference Method: FGC

Aims of the project To train the probation officers to use FGC during the inmate support and after-care 20 probation officers were trained

Actors in the process Prisoners before release and their families Prison staff Providing information about prisoners before release Probation officers working in the prison Interviewing the prisoners, informing them about FGC Facilitators Contact with the prisoner Organizing the conference Follow-up, evaluation of the FGC

Conclusions : Intention to co-operate is stronger in families that still function as a family and where prisoners are welcomed back at home Involvement of families that suffered long time from the addiction of the prisoner is difficult. In these cases imprisonment of their family member was a relief. It is easier to involve the familiy before the release. As the time passes it is getting more difficult.

Conclusions Preparation of FGC requires the most work It is not a suitable method to treat long and deep conflicts even after a well-based preparation

Conclusions People with addiction problems often have difficulties to admit that they suffer from this kind of problem Presumably one who doesnt admit that he/she has an alchol/drug problem wont take part in a FGC

Continuation September 2008-May 2009 Making an educational film about the FGC-s Trainings: -Motivational interviewing with drug/alcohol users during helping process -Method od FGC Facilitating FGC in 20 cases Providing supervision for probation officers and prison staff who have taken part in the training of FGC (51 probation officers and 2 members of prison staff)

Thank you for your attention!