These programmes are courses that offenders have to attend as part of their community sentence.
They are accredited by the Home Office and follow a national core curriculum strictly laid down by the Home Office.
The National Probation Service – Avon & Somerset operates a strict enforcement policy in relation to Accredited Programmes. The Offender Manager supervising the offender is responsible for the conduct of the order and for enforcement decisions in accordance with National Standards. When an offender fails to attend a group session of the programme, programme facilitators will make a judgement on the reasons given and will consult with the Offender Manager. The Offender Manager retains responsibility for enforcement resulting from absence. Unacceptable absences can result in exclusion from the programme and action taken to return the offender to Court.
The Accredited Offending Behaviour Programmes available in Avon & Somerset are:-
Addressing Substance-Related Offending (ASRO)
Is an accredited cognitive behavioural programme which is designed for offenders whose crime spring from abuse of drugs or alcohol.
For more information click the main heading.
Aggression Replacement Training (ART)
A groupwork programme for people convicted of violent offences or who have problems controlling their temper. ART challenges offenders to accept responsibility for their behaviour and its consequences.
For more information click the main heading.
Drink Impaired Drivers (DID)
Challenges drink drivers, through structured learning, to accept responsibility for their crimes and the consequences.
For more information click the main heading.
Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP)
This Domestic Abuse Programme is a community based groupwork programme designed to reduce re-offending by adult male domestic violence offenders.
For more information click the main heading.
ThinkFirst programme
This groupwork programme is for medium/high risk offenders with a pattern of general offending and are impulsive/rigid thinkers.
It confronts, challenges and changes thoughts, attitudes and values that cause offending.
For more information click the main heading.
Thames Valley Sex Offender Groupwork Programme (TVSOGP)
An intensive, well established programme for people who have committed sex offences.
Detailed analysis of the offending behaviour assists in accurate risk assessment and in treatment planning.
For more information click the main heading.
Internet Sex Offenders Treatment Programme
This is an accredited programme for male offenders aged 17 and over who have been convicted of sex offences related to use of the internet. Offenders aged 21 and over will be able to attend a group programme with up to nine others. Offenders below 21 will follow the programme on an individual basis with their probation officer.
Offenders will be asked to complete psychometrics post sentence to establish whether they are suitable for iSOTP or for TVSOP.
Why do people continue to commit crimes?
Research shows that the main causes are: weak problem solving skills, poor decision making skills, weak personal control and poor social skills.
For example:
People do not recognise or anticipate problems. They may fail to consider other forms of action in dealing with problems.
People are not able to resist pressure to offend again from other people.
People may act impulsively. They have poor self-control & may be prone to aggression, violence and hostility. This may repeatedly get them into trouble.
People may not understand or appreciate the harm they are doing to other people. This includes the victims of their crimes and their own families & friends.
How will these programmes make a difference?
By tackling the way people think, which has been shown to directly affect the way they behave.
By assisting people to think more logically about their lives and how they make moral decisions.
By tackling people's weak personal control and poor social skills.
By using role-play and other exercises to challenge people's learned anti-social behaviour. This is proven to help people change the way they think, which affects how they behave.
By teaching self-management skills to bring about positive changes in thoughts, attitudes and behaviour.
By teaching people to appreciate the views of others.
Research shows that some people are likely to respond to having their thoughts, behaviour and attitudes challenged in a group setting.
Research also shows that people are likely to respond to structured group work that involves action, participation, skills learning and discussion.
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