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QUEENSLAND CORRECTIVE SERVICES
APPENDIX – OFFENDER MANAGEMENT GROUP PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Availability: Public
Implement Date: 28 August 2006
1. Offender Management Groups
Offender Management Groups (OMGs) are categories to which offenders are allocated to
assist in identifying and providing overarching strategies for individual management. The
identified OMG/s for an offender will provide direction for formulating individualised
management plans.
OMGs support the principles of risk, needs and responsivity and ensure that greater levels
of service are targeted at offenders whose needs may be associated with a higher risk of
re-offending, as assessed by the Offender Risk Needs Inventory – Revised (ORNI-R) and
other specialised assessment where appropriate.
Refer procedure – Assessment, appendix – Offender Risk Needs Inventory – Revised –
Completion Considerations
2. How and when offender is allocated to OMG/s
Upon admission to the correctional system, offenders who do not require an ORNI-R
should be allocated to the Compliance group. Prisoners on remand only should be
allocated to the remand group. Offenders requiring an ORNI-R should be allocated to the
appropriate OMG/s at the time of the initial Offender Management Plan. Where the
electronic system requests the allocation of an OMG prior to the completion of the initial
Offender Management Plan (eg in the initial Security Placement Assessment), the
Remand option should be selected until the appropriate group can be allocated during the
initial Offender Management Plan.
An offender may concurrently meet the criteria for more than one OMG. For example, an
offender who is currently undertaking an intervention program and is preparing for another
intervention program may be in both the Preparation and Intervention groups. Where
IOMS will only allow one OMG to be recorded, the most applicable group should be
selected. The other relevant group/s must be identified in free text format in the Offender
Management Plan/Review ‘Offender Management Team Recommendations’ section. This
should include a rationale explaining why the offender has been assigned to more than
one OMG. Staff must be aware that the offender may have concurrent needs from
different OMGs, and that the most appropriate way to manage these concurrent needs
must be considered.
An offender may remain in one OMG for the duration of his/her correctional episode or
move between groups. For example, an offender may move from the Intervention group to
the Maintenance group when he/she successfully completes all recommended
interventions. An offender’s group allocation should be reviewed at each Offender
Management Plan Review or Event Based Review. A review of the offender’s risks, needs
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and responsivity issues must occur as part of the review. Where appropriate, alterations
to the OMG should be made to reflect the changes in the offender’s circumstances.
If an offender is allocated to the Compliance or Remand groups upon admission to the
correctional system, group allocation should be reviewed if a change in the offender’s
circumstances could result in a change to the allocated OMG. For example, if a remand
only prisoner is convicted of the remand offence/s and subsequently requires an ORNI-R,
then the OMG status would be reviewed at the time of the initial Offender Management
Plan.
3. Group Characteristics
There are seven offender management groups. An overview of each group is provided
below. The offender’s specific demographic characteristics - including gender, culture,
age, disability, and physical location - should be considered when planning management
strategies for that offender. For community based offenders, employment and family
obligations and financial position should also be considered. For incarcerated offenders,
access to employment, educational programs and personal development activities is a
facility-based decision dependent on available resources.
Note – The term ‘intervention’ refers to programs specifically recommended to address
criminogenic needs. This does not include substance abuse programs that are
recommended solely to address health-related needs.
3.1
Remand Group
Definition
The remand group applies to prisoners remanded in custody. Where convicted offenders
are also on remand for additional offence/s, they may belong to more than one OMG. The
offender is characterised bya)
b)
c)
d)
being charged with one or more offences;
possible anxiety and feelings of uncertainty about the future;
focussing on forthcoming court process; and
possible increased need for contact with family members and support systems
during the period of adjustment to changed circumstances.
Primary objectives—
a)
b)
c)
safe and secure confinement and supervision;
compliance with court requirements; and
minimisation of adverse effects of contact with the correctional system.
Management strategies
The prisoner does not participate in interventions, but is encouraged to use his/her time
constructively by engaging in appropriate employment, education, personal development
and reintegration activities as available.
Consideration should be given to the prisoner’s—
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a)
b)
c)
d)
3.2
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previous contact with the correctional system;
interaction with sentenced offenders;
preparation for court, including access to a legal library and to legal representatives;
and
possible need for additional support from family members and other support
systems.
Compliance Group
Definition
The offender does not require an ORNI-R and therefore it is not recommended to
complete any intervention.
Primary objectives—
a)
b)
c)
compliance with court requirements;
minimise adverse effects of contact with the correctional system; and
if incarcerated, consideration for placement at a low security facility.
Management strategies
The offender does not participate in interventions, but is encouraged to use his/her time
constructively by engaging in appropriate employment, education, and personal
development activities. The emphasis of management should be on quality induction and
monitoring.
Pre-release planning and social reintegration should be a focus for
incarcerated offenders. The focus for offenders in the community will be on meeting order
requirements.
Consideration should be given to minimising the adverse effects of contact with the
correctional system by—
a)
b)
c)
d)
3.3
limiting the amount of interaction with other categories of offenders;
consideration for placement at a low security facility;
ensuring compliance with community service and other order requirements; and
placement on the WORK program if suitable.
Low Risk Group
Definition
The offender is assessed by the ORNI-R as having a level of criminogenic need that does
not require recommendation to any intervention or specialised assessment for intervention.
Primary objectives—
a)
b)
c)
minimise adverse effects of contact with the correctional system;
focus on social rehabilitation; and
if in custody, consideration for placement at an open security facility.
Management strategies
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The offender does not participate in interventions, but is encouraged to use his/her time
constructively by engaging in appropriate employment, education and personal
development activities. The emphasis of management should be on quality induction and
monitoring.
Pre-release planning and social reintegration should be a focus for
incarcerated offenders. The focus for offenders in the community will be on meeting order
requirements.
Consideration should be given to minimising the adverse effects of contact with the
correctional system by—
a)
b)
c)
d)
limiting the amount of interaction with other categories of offenders;
consideration for placement at a low security facility;
ensuring compliance with community service and other order requirements; and
placement on the WORK program if suitable.
3.4
Functional Support Group
Definition
The offender is allocated to this group if—
a)
b)
assessed via the ORNI-R and other appropriate assessment processes and
assessment outcomes indicate that standard offender interventions are not
considered suitable; OR
the offender has previously commenced intervention, but was unsuccessful in
meeting intervention requirements and appropriate assessment processes have
identified unresolvable barriers to participating in any standard intervention.
The offender is characterised by—
a)
b)
c)
d)
static responsivity barriers;
a lifestyle often reflecting dependency on social support services;
requiring additional resources; or
possible vulnerability to the general offender population.
Appropriate assessment processes for allocation to this group may vary between
offenders. If the offender is identified as potentially falling into the Functional Support
group, the Senior Psychologist/Practitioner or District Manager responsible for the offender
must—
a)
b)
c)
identify an appropriate assessment process (in addition to the ORNI-R) for
determining whether allocation to this group is appropriate;
if allocation is assessed as appropriate, develop an Intensive Management Plan
outlining the management strategies to be used for the offender including, wherever
possible, strategies to address any identified criminogenic and non-criminogenic
needs; and
notify the Offender Assessment and Services Directorate that the offender will be
allocated to this group and provide a copy of the assessment outcomes and
management strategies to be used for the offender.
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Note – an offender can only be considered for this group if there are identified
criminogenic needs that would usually result in intervention recommendation/s in
accordance with procedures.
Primary objectives—
a)
b)
c)
d)
where possible, identify alternative methods for meeting the offender’s identified
intervention needs;
minimise adverse effects of contact with the correctional system;
focus on social rehabilitation; and
provide sufficient levels of support to assist the offender to successfully complete
the sentence or order.
Management strategies
The following strategies may be appropriate in the management of the offender—
a)
b)
c)
the offender should be assisted to achieve intervention goals through the provision
of specialised services, for example, behavioural management, psychiatric
assistance, peer support and social skills training. Interventions should also seek to
involve community based support services;
provision of supported employment activities may be an important part of the
offender’s rehabilitation and personal development. Linking the offender to existing
community agencies providing supported employment may be useful; and
participation in specialist education and vocational training may be important for the
offender. Linking the offender to existing community agencies may be useful.
Being resource intensive, allowances and tolerance should be exercised in the
management of the offender. Consideration should be given to—
a)
b)
c)
3.5
offenders under community supervision — accommodation, social support, financial
and other needs;
incarcerated offenders — placement at a low security facility if appropriate, unit and
work placement, supervision requirements and pre-release planning; and
ensuring appropriate activities are available to assist the offender to occupy his/her
time meaningfully.
Preparation Group
Definition
An offender is allocated to this group if assessed via the ORNI-R as requiring intervention
(including maintenance programs) or specialised assessment for intervention or he/she is
required to complete intervention as a requirement of a community based order, and
he/she is—
a)
b)
not presently motivated or ready (including not at an appropriate point in his/her
correctional episode) to undertake the intervention; or
outstanding responsivity factors, which must be addressed prior to undertaking the
intervention, are present.
Primary objectives
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The primary objective for this group is to ensure that any outstanding responsivity factors
that must be resolved prior to undertaking the intervention are addressed.
Management strategies
The following strategies may be appropriate in the management of the offender—
a)
b)
c)
action to address responsivity factors – such as motivational interviewing, literacy
programs, education, and other appropriate assistance;
an offender in custody may undertake employment, however engaging in actions to
address responsivity barriers are a higher priority. If in the community, community
service and programs to address responsivity barriers should be managed to allow
timely completion of both requirements within the order length; and
an offender may engage in education programs, however the programs should only
be considered a high priority if literacy skills have been identified as a barrier to
intervention.
Consideration should be given to—
a)
b)
assisting the offender to develop motivation to address his/her responsivity issues
and participate in recommended intervention; and
developing an Offender Management Plan that focuses on addressing responsivity
barriers that must be resolved prior to intervention and revising this plan at each
Offender Management Plan Review.
Note – If upon the completion of specialised assessment, the offender is not
recommended to participate in intervention, he/she should be removed from the
preparation group and placed in the OMG/s most relevant to his/her situation.
3.6
Intervention Group
Definition
An offender is allocated to this group if assessed via the ORNI-R or specialised
assessment as requiring intervention (including maintenance programs) or he/she is
required to complete intervention as a requirement of a community based order and
he/she isa)
b)
c)
at an appropriate point in his/her episode to undertake the intervention;
assessed to have successfully addressed any responsivity issues that must be
resolved prior to intervention;
willing and sufficiently motivated to participate in intervention.
Primary objectives
To actively implement intervention strategies designed to provide the opportunity to
address criminogenic needs.
Management strategies—
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a)
b)
c)
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the offender must participate in specific intervention that has been recommended to
meet his/her criminogenic needs;
employment – should be balanced with relevant interventions priorities. If in the
community, community service and interventions to address criminogenic needs
should be managed to allow timely completion of both requirements within the order
length; and
education – should be balanced with relevant interventions priorities. An offender in
community should not use education obligations as a reason to avoid interventions.
Consideration should also be given to—
a)
b)
3.7
for an offender in custody – appropriate facility placement and accommodation
within the facility to assist access to identified interventions as a priority.
Employment activity and other program/recreational access not identified as
necessary to address criminogenic needs should be given lower priority; and
for an offender on community based orders – reporting times and placement on
programs.
Maintenance Group
Definition
An offender has successfully completed all intervention requirements and is continuing to
be supervised by the Department.
Primary objectives—
a)
b)
to continue management of the offender in a structured way, using an appropriate
level of supervision; and
to focus on social reintegration and pre-release planning issues as appropriate.
Management strategies
The offender does not participate in interventions, but is encouraged to use his/her time
constructively by engaging in appropriate employment, education, personal development
and reintegration activities as available. The focus for an incarcerated offender who has
successfully completed all recommended interventions should be on pre-release planning.
The focus of a community based offender should be on meeting order requirements.
4.0
Key features of Offender Management Groups
A brief overview of each group is provided below.
Group
Remand
Compliance
Allocated to an offender
Remanded in custody only.
Does not require an ORNI-R and therefore is not recommended to
complete any offender intervention programs.
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Group
Allocated to an offender
Low Risk
Assessed by the ORNI-R as having a level of criminogenic need
that does not require recommendation to any intervention or
specialised assessment for intervention.
Functional Support a)
b)
assessed via the ORNI-R and other appropriate assessment
processes and assessment outcomes indicate that standard
offender interventions are not considered suitable; OR
the offender has previously commenced intervention, but
was unsuccessful in meeting intervention requirements, and
appropriate assessment processes have identified
unresolvable barriers to participating in any standard
intervention.
Preparation Assessed via the ORNI-R as requiring intervention (including
preparatory and maintenance programs) or specialised assessment
for intervention or they are required to complete intervention as a
requirement of a community based order, and he/she is—
a)
b)
not presently motivated or ready (including not at an
appropriate point in his/her correctional episode) to
undertake the intervention; and/or
outstanding responsivity factors which must be addressed
prior to undertaking the intervention are present.
Intervention Assessed via the ORNI-R or specialised assessment as requiring
intervention (including maintenance programs) or he/she is
required to complete intervention as a requirement of a community
based order, and he/she is—
a)
b)
c)
at an appropriate point in his/her episode to undertake the
intervention;
assessed to have successfully addressed any responsivity
issues that must be resolved prior to intervention;
willing and sufficiently motivated to participate in
intervention.
Maintenance Has successfully completed all intervention requirements and is
continuing to be supervised by the Department.
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