Therapy in Prisons Professor Graham Towl Durham University

Session overview 1. The marketplace 2.New Public Management 3. Partnerships 4. User perspectives

The marketplace Regulation and power Conflation of psychology and therapy Conflation of psychology and psychologists Manualisation Psychometrics industry Manualisation Franchising – the KFCing of therapy

New Public Management Importation of private sector management practices and processes into the public sector for greater efficiencies. As much an ideology as a set of management techniques Measurement of therapy through attendance rather than engagement, outputs or outcomes.

New Public Management Influential in therapeutic work in prisons because therapy framed within management structures. Therapy as ‘management’ Therapy as a mechanistic process. Therapy as a method of influence or control – e.g. reducing reoffending.

Partnerships Eclectic range of partners to contribute to doing therapy. Addressing needs through partnerships; nutrition, employment, accommodation, drug and alcohol misuse and mental health matters. Cultural as much as functional.

User Perspectives Shift from assessments to help. Dispense with professional gate keeping. User roles in therapy