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FOCUS IRELAND CONFERENCE 2014

FOCUS IRELAND CONFERENCE 2014. The Revolving Door of Prison and Homelessness: How do the Prison In-Reach Services work and what can we learn from them? Sinead McGinley Research Officer, Focus Ireland 25 th September 2014. HOMELESSNESS & OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR.

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FOCUS IRELAND CONFERENCE 2014

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  1. FOCUS IRELAND CONFERENCE 2014 The Revolving Door of Prison and Homelessness: How do the Prison In-Reach Services work and what can we learn from them? Sinead McGinley Research Officer, Focus Ireland 25th September 2014

  2. HOMELESSNESS & OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR • Prisoners are at risk of homelessness upon release – can struggle to secure accommodation • Cycle of homelessness, re-offending and imprisonment • Variety of reasons why people experiencing homelessness commit offences • Patterns and types of offending behaviour

  3. PRISON & HOMELESSNESS • Complex links between homelessness, offending behaviour and release from prison • At risk of losing accommodation during period in prison – e.g. owner-occupier, PRA, family home • Substance abuse issues and mental health problems can intensify a person’s homeless situation & influence likelihood of re-offending

  4. ADDRESSING THE GAP • Focus Ireland recognised the need for a common approach to address the accommodation & support needs of those at risk of homelessness in prisons • Approached Probation Service in 2006 • Seamless service response between prisons, homeless services & accommodation to plan a pathway out of homelessness • Cloverhill, Wheatfield, Cork and Limerick Prisons

  5. HOW DOES IT WORK? • Preventative service • Target group & level of need • Intensive case management model • A partnership approach • A flexible, adaptable service

  6. WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE? • September 2007 to end of 2013 – over 550 individuals have been supported

  7. WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE? • Initial target group did not reflect the profile of offenders/persons in custody in Cloverhill • Link found between addiction and homelessness & offending • Link between relationship breakdown and homelessness • Category of offences

  8. WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE? • Desired outcome – reduction in recidivism levels • Not possible to definitively causally link trend in recidivism to In-Reach services • ‘Return to prison’ data • Housing situation post-release • Disengaged for a variety of reasons • Reduced likelihood of re-offending

  9. WHAT CAN WE LEARN? • Nature of prison system – unplanned releases • Partnership approach is crucial • Interagency working • Lack of appropriate accommodation – Housing First project • Evaluation findings support previous studies

  10. THANKS TO… • Dr. Kiran Sarma, NUI Galway • Partner organisations • Funders • Service-users who shared their stories

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