Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency for 2011-2020

1. Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency for 2011-2020

2. Strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agencyfor 2011-2020 Vision Rikosseuraamuslaitos tekee vaikuttavaa, luotettavaa ja merkityksellistä työtä yhteiskunnan turvallisuuden hyväksi. Visio The Criminal Sanctions Agency carries out influential, reliable and significant work for the safety of society. . Main goals ”Path to a life without crime with the help of an active network co-operation” The content of sentence enforcement and the co-operation with other authorities and third sector operators as well as the close people of the sentenced offender increase the sentenced offender’s abilities to reintegrate into society. “Safely towards more open and influential enforcement“ Flexible and secure structures and sanction processes enable and support more open and influential enforcement. ”Meaningful work, motivated and healthy personnel” The Criminal Sanctions Agency is a reliable and respected organisation where skilled and motivated personnel carry out meaningful work. Rikosseuraamuslaitos tekee vaikuttavaa, luotettavaa ja merkityksellistä työtä yhteiskunnan turvallisuuden hyväksi. Visio Basic duty The Criminal Sanctions Agency is responsible for the implementation of remand imprisonment as well as the enforcement of community sanctions and prison sentences. Keskeiset tavoitteet Values Belief in an individual’s potential to change and grow Respect for human dignity Justness Safety 2

3. Contents • Introduction • Values • Changes in the operating environment • Policies defined by the Ministry of Justice • Goals of the Criminal Sanctions Agency ”Path to a life without crime with the help of an active network co-operation” ”Safely towards more open and influential enforcement” ”Meaningful work, motivated and healthy personnel” 6. Development of the preconditions of the operation 7. Implementation and monitoring of the strategy

4. 1. Introduction The Criminal Sanctions Agency contributes to the safety of society by carrying out influential and fair enforcement of sentences. The specific goal of the Criminal Sanctions Agency is to improve the safety of society by reducing the sentenced offenders’ risk of recidivism. In order to implement this goal, we develop the content of the basic duty, the working methods, the processes and the competence of the staff as well as the collaboration with other authorities and co-operation partners. This strategy describes the basic duty, values, vision and main goals of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. The strategy is based on a change analysis of the operating environment, the policies of the Ministry of Justice, the key policies of the Riseala 2010 Project and the planning documents of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. The strategy was prepared in connection with the training of the management groups of the criminal sanctions field and compiled as part of the ordinary official duties in the Central Administration. The strategy was discussed widely among the management and the staff in the autumn of 2010. The strategy provides guidelines for the Criminal Sanctions Agency’s operating and financial planning as well as the performance guidance. Its realisation is monitored and checked regularly in connection with the operating and financial planning process. 4

5. 2. Values Values of the Criminal Sanctions Agency • Respect for human dignity • Justness • Belief in an individual’s potential to change and grow • Safety Commitment to these values in practice • Values are visible in all activities and in the attitude towards co-workers, staff and criminal sanction clients • Basic rights and liberties as well as human rights are protected • Treatment is humane, appropriate and equal • All activities are lawful and comply with justice and fairness • Enforcement is carried out so that it supports the sentenced persons’ individual growth and development as well as their intention to lead a life without crime • Enforcement is carried out so that it is safe to society, staff and criminal sanction clients 5

6. 3. Changes in the operating environment • Internationalisation • The instability of the operational environment expands and the management of new types of risks is emphasised. • The number of foreign prisoners and remand prisoners increases. • Internationalisation can involve threats, such as the growth of organised crime, conflicts between immigrant groups and groups of the main population as well as social exclusion and violent radicalisation of young people with an immigrant background. • Attention has to be paid to the customisation and realisation of the activities targeted at clients with an immigrant background. • International experiences and research provide information for the development of the contents of influential work. • Population development • The population ages and the amount of mass crimes typical of young people decreases. • Criminality and experiences of violence of young people pile up on a small minority with a high risk of social exclusion. • The population and services concentrate in growing population centres. In the Criminal Sanctions Agency, it reflects on the development needs of the facility structure and the procurement of services. • The Criminal Sanctions Agency takes part in the competition for skilled labour force in the future labour market and, therefore, we have to invest in the attraction of the field as an employer, the recruitment in the field and the continuous training of the experts of the field. • The population becomes more multicultural, which requires new skills and abilities from the staff and creates challenges for the recruitment. 6

7. Changes in the operating environment (2) • Financing problems of the government finances • The penal system needs to be developed so that it takes into account the requirements to improve productivity. • The reform of the structures and operating practices as well as the reallocation of recourses is necessary. It is essential that our work is targeted at the right points from the perspective of the basic duty of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. • The decline in the municipal finances shows in the reduction of service resources, which hinders, e.g., the establishment of rehabilitation continuums. • Information society and technological development • The media has an even greater influence on the citizens’ feeling of safety than before, which requires that the Criminal Sanctions Agency actively and openly takes part in public communication and advances the familiarity of the field. • Technological development opens new possibilities to use the data systems and electronic systems to support the individual work. Examples include a joint client data system, government financial and personnel administration systems, electronic case management, electronic monitoring of prisoners and clients as well as possibility to use public services and study online. • Partnerships and changes in the operations of co-operation partners • The use and development of partnerships as well as networking with the municipal, third sector and other operators is more and more emphasised. • We have to be aware of the administrative reforms and service structure changes in the municipal and public sector that reflect on the operation of our field so that we can predict and affect them.

8. Changes in the operating environment (3) Health, working capacity and functioning capacity of criminal sanction clients • The criminal sanction clients form a marginal group of underprivileged people whose educational background, social status, professional career and state of health are clearly poorer than among the general population. Substance dependence and mental disorders are very common. The information on the criminal sanction clients’ state of health, reduced working capacity and need for treatment and rehabilitation has to be taken into account when planning the activities. Crime trends • In Finland, the crime trends have remained quite stable over the past few years and the total number of recorded crimes has decreased slightly in nearly all crime types since the early years of the 21st century. A significant rise in the crime types affecting the client rate of the Criminal Sanctions Agency is not expected.

9. 4. Policies defined by the Ministry of Justice Future review 2010 of the administrative branch of the Ministry of Justice • The enforcement of criminal sanctions has to be safe and respect the aspects of legal protection. In order to reduce the risk of recidivism and stop criminal careers, the sentence term has to be utilised as well as possible with an aim to increase the abilities to live without crime and promote the adjustment to society. • The goals of the sentence enforcement include: • With regard to the penal system, changing the focus of punishments from prison sentences to sanctions enforced in freedom and, with regard to the sentence enforcement, from closed prisons to open prisons • Focusing on the development of the contents and effectiveness of the sanctions during the enforcement • Utilising electronic monitoring and technical devices in the enforcement of sentences more than before • Expanding the support measures of the release phase • Developing the legislation on community sanctions • Examining the transfer of the prison health care under the public health care system • Getting rid of the last prison cells without sanitary equipment in connection with the prison renovation programmes • Reforming the sentence enforcement client data system

10. 5. Goals of the Criminal Sanctions Agency”Path to a life without crime with the help of an active network co-operation” Legal protection and equal treatment are realised in sentence enforcement • Just treatment that respects human dignity reinforces the criminal sanction clients’ sense of responsibility and respect for their own and others’ human dignity. • The rights of remand prisoners are restricted to the extent that is required by the implementation of remand imprisonment and they are offered an opportunity to take part in activities arranged in prison. • The needs of underage sentenced offenders are taken into account when arranging activities. Increasing the abilities to live without crime and promoting the adjustment to society generate potential to stop criminal careers • The development of activities is based on the promotion of the adjustment to society. • The sentence enforcement is based on individual plans and the sentenced offenders’ progress in the enforcement process is advanced by influencing systematically their readiness to live without crime. The change process requires that the sentenced offenders’ motivation and own activity is strengthened. • The sentenced offenders’ possibilities to get the health care, substance abuse and social services they need as well as to participate in rehabilitation and life management programmes, education and work is improved. • The continuity of activities and treatment after the sentence term is secured. The sentenced offenders’ contact with the society’s service network as well as their social networks, family and children is supported. The family work is developed especially from the standpoint of children. 10

11. ” Path to a life without crime with the help of an active network co-operation” (2) Commission of offences during the sentence term is prevented • The Criminal Sanctions Agency co-operates with the police and other security authorities in order to prevent offences. • Effective substance use control supports the abstinence from substances and lays a foundation for safe and influential activities during the sentence enforcement. • We always intervene in violence and its threat. Criminal Sanctions Agency develops its core competency • The Criminal Sanctions Agency arranges activities, which influence the risk of recidivism and reduce the disadvantages caused by the sanctions. • The research on the effectiveness of the sanctions is increased. • The possibility to incorporate the services arranged by us as part of the public services provided by society is examined. • We form networks with the state, municipal, third sector and private operators and increase the co-operation with our key national, regional and local partners. • Activities and services, which from the viewpoint of effectiveness are neither practical nor cost-effective to be produced as our own activity, are outsourced. The quality of outsourced services is confirmed.

12. ” Safely towards more open and influential enforcement” Operational security is based on the familiarity with the community sanction clients and prisoners as well as the interaction with them • The assessment process forms the foundation for the approach to security in the criminal sanctions field. The assessment methods, the application of the information received from the assessment and the flow of that information between the different groups of staff are developed. • The correct placement of the sentenced offenders lays down the preconditions for the internal order of the prisons. The control is in proportion to the assessed risks. • The staff has such knowledge, skills and abilities that enable a motivating approach to work and interaction with the clients and prisoners. Gradual release advances the sentenced offenders’ controlled return to society • As the sentence goes on, the aim is to systematically decrease the intensity of the supervision and increase the sentenced offenders’ own responsibility, which is supported by substance use control and other means of control. • The support measures of the release phase are expanded and the use of supervised probationary freedom increased. • Electronic monitoring enables a safe expansion of the use of more open enforcement. Closed prisons have a more emphasised role in the preparation for more open enforcement • Planned work in regard to the transfer to open prisons and supervised probationary freedom (e.g. granting permissions of leave and increasing the prisoners’ own control and responsibility) is emphasised in closed prisons. • The content of enforcement in closed prisons is developed so that it supports life without crime and gradual release. • Functional prison security supports the arrangement of prisoner activities. • Functional space arrangements and operating models enable the arrangement of rehabilitative activities and the development of everyday skills in closed prisons. 12

13. ” Safely towards more open and influential enforcement” (2) Facility structure supports more open enforcement • Prisoners are not placed in a prison or prison ward that is more closed than what is required by prison order and security as well as the security of imprisonment. • The structure of facilities and prisons is developed so that it is possible to place prisoners according to the need for supervision in different prisons and wards. • In closed prisons with different levels of supervision, it is possible to participate in diverse activities according to the sentence plan. • The facility structure enables the segregation of remand prisoners and underage prisoners. • Investment projects, new buildings as well as renovation and development measures of the facilities are always assessed together with the lessor and in relation to the strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency. The use of the facilities is cost-effective. • In order to advance the planned release of prisoners and related networking, the activities supporting the release are expanded in those localities, where most prisoners return after their release. Based on the experiences gained of the first release unit, we can evaluate the need for establishing new release units in central towns.

14. ” Meaningful work, motivated and healthy personnel” Duties of the Criminal Sanctions Agency are meaningful and significant and the leadership and operating culture support the well-being at work and the creation of new operating models • The job descriptions as well as the development possibilities regarding proficiency and career are versatile. • The staff consider that their work is significant. The staff have a common view on the goals and values of the work. • The work community encourages innovativeness and the development of the work processes. The work of the superiors promotes involvement. • The salary system is fair and competitive and encourages good performance. Criminal Sanctions field has a comprehensive initial and further training system • The initial and further training system is developed as a whole so that it acknowledges all groups of staff and corresponds to the changing challenges of the field. The criminal sanctions field also recruits staff with a foreign background. • The training programme for immediate superiors increases the skills as superiors and supports the superiors’ work in changing the strategic goals into practice. • The directors are required to have good management skills as well as to maintain and develop those skills. Criminal Sanctions Agency is a reliable and respected expert organisation • Active communication increases the public’s awareness of the duties of the Criminal Sanctions Agency and the means of influencing recidivism and, thus, increasing the safety of society. • The goals of the work of the Criminal Sanctions Agency are credible and commonly accepted. • The image of the criminal sanctions field as an employer is appealing and it attracts motivated and forward-looking professionals. 14

15. 6. Development of the preconditions of the operation Preconditions for ensuring the Criminal Sanctions Agency’s quality of operations, ability to provide services, operational effectiveness and economic efficiency as well as the development of the enforcement of community sanctions and prison sentences • Securing adequate resources for the sentence enforcement and defining the correctly allocated extent of financial and personnel resources • Ensuring the functionality of the financial management systems • Guaranteeing the quality and equality of the operations with the help of handbooks and uniform policies • Continuing the development of data production, statistics and cost accounting • Improving the facility management and the efficient use of space and introducing data management solutions to support the facility management and planning • Drawing up a plan to get rid of the prison cells without sanitary equipment • Coordinating the running of the ICT functions and information management, utilising the data processing systems to support the basic duty, and preparing for the introduction of joint government information management solutions • Introducing a joint client data system • Preparing operating models for procurement procedures and developing the tools of procurement procedures • Ensuring the correct focusing of the development measures by improving project management and the tools of risk management

16. 7. Implementation and monitoring of the strategy • The strategy of the Criminal Sanctions Agency is realised as part of the annual planning. The frames for the realisation of the strategy are set in the operating and financial plan. The operating and financial plan is concretised as annual goals in performance agreements. The Criminal Policy Department of the Ministry of Justice makes the performance agreement with the Criminal Sanctions Agency. The Central Administration of the Criminal Sanctions Agency makes the performance agreements with the criminal sanctions regions, the Health Care Unit of the Criminal Sanctions Agency and the Training Institute for Prison and Probation Services. The performance agreements of the criminal sanctions regions are specified in the unit operating plans in which the goals and resources of the units (community sanctions offices, prisons) are agreed annually. The personal performance targets of the employees are tied to the operating plans of the units. • The realisation of the goals of the performance agreement is monitored and evaluated twice a year. The biannual evaluation and the annual financial accounts with the annual report form the basis for the evaluation of the realisation of the main goals as well as related projects and measures. The monitoring of the indicators and statistics is continuous and is linked to the evaluation of the realisation of the performance targets. 16 16