Professor Robert Ross

Professor Robert Ross from the University of Ottawa, the author of the original "Reasoning and Rehabilitation" Programme. Robert Ross was one of the Pioneers of the "What Works" movement in criminal justice and remains a major influence in the field. He is working with the Centre to produce a new generation of programmes for working with offenders.

Dr Chris Trotter

Dr. Chris Trotter of Monash University, Australia whose recent work on prosocial modelling has been demonstrated to have wide ranging applications in the fields of work with families and children, child protection and criminal justice. Chris has worked with the Centre to produce a prosocial modelling training programme.

John Weekes

John Weekes of the Department of Corrections in Canada. John Weekes is currently the co-ordinator of the drug strategy for the Correctional Service of Canada and Adjunct research professor of Forensic Psycology at Carleton University, Ottawa. He is the author of numerous books and articles and a key member of the team that developed the gold standard substance misuse programme.

Professor Don Andrews

Carleton University, Canada

Dr James Bonta

Solicitor Generals Office, Canada

Professor Robert Hare

University of Columbia

Dr Barbara Armstrong

Ontario Correctional Services

Professor Clive Hollin

University of Leicester

Professor Peter Raynor

University of Wales, Swansea

Professor Vincente garrido

University of Valencia

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Focus On People - Effect Change Family Problem Solving

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"The Driving Force"

This is a 17-20 session groupwork or one-to-one programme for 17-22 year olds.
Car crime over the past decade has been the largest growth area of criminal activity. This programme has been designed to tackle the problem of car crime and uses a cognitive behavioural methodology with its skills based approach. The programme consists of four integrated modules:-
· Pressures to commit car crime
· Action and Cognitive Skills - self talk
· Offence Analysis - Conflict situations
· Personal projects
Individuals can be motivated to take responsibility for their actions and the consequence of their actions. Changing means giving up the power of their anti-social identity, something which is far from easy. The evidence is however that those who complete such programmes have been empowered by their new sense of self and are more able to talk about the consequences of their offending for themselves and others in a society dominated by the motor vehicle.

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"Dealing With Destructive Levels Of Male Aggression"

This is a 20 session one-to-one programme or 25 session groupwork programme which has been designed to be delivered as a one to one or groupwork programme and focuses exclusively on male aggression.
Underpinning the programme is the fact that the vast majority of violent crime is committed by men and that violence and the culture of masculinity are inextricably linked.
The programme contains five integrated modules each of which contain a number of sessions which teach cognitive or action skills, discuss offence, social identities and personal projects.

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New Core Programmes - Adults

Offending is not the Only Choice -( Revised 2002) or Criminal Lifestyles

Violence reduction or a Domestic Violence Version

SUBSTANCE MISUSE

This is a suite of programmes that can be delivered individually or as a package They are designed for continuity and use the same conceptual processes. They are cognitive behavioural programmes and essentially have the following characteristics:

1. The targets are dynamic (capable of change) and critical (associated with a positive change in relation to offending)

2. Prominence to assisting participants to discover and analyse what their thoughts are in relation to the problematic areas.

3. There is a specific link between the WHAT to the HOW (the behaviour)

4. There is a specific part of the programme that shows the participant how to change what they think and how to link it to behaviour change.

5. Relevant skills are taught in a simple step by step approach.

6. The skills are practiced in specific sessions.

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Criminal Lifestyles

Target Group: Medium/High Risk
Age: 17 and over
Gender: Male
Setting: Group/Individual

This is a general cognitive behavioural programme which addresses the following issues-

Ø feedback
Øproblem solving
Ø moral reasoning
Ø offence analysis
Ø victim awareness

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Violence Reduction

Target: High/medium risk
Age: 17 plus
Gender: Male/female
Setting: Group/individual

The goals of this programme are:

Ø To assist participants understand the direct link between the way that think and the way that they behave; that violence and aggression are a result of their thinking. Their behaviour is their responsibility.

Ø To reduce violence and aggression.

Ø To identify areas in which participants personally experience anger management difficulties.

Ø To develop awareness of internal cognitions contributing to these management problems.

Ø To teach and develop skills necessary to manage violence, aggression and anger more appropriately.

Ø To practice the anger management strategies learned.

Ø To promote generalizations of skills learned to real world situations.

There are 19 sessions in this programme followed by 12 booster sessions.

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Domestic Violence

There is a version of the Violence Reduction Programme available that specifically addresses domestic violence.

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Substance Misuse

Target: High/medium risk
Age: 17 plus
Gender: Male/female
Setting: Group/individual

This relapse prevention programme aims to identify the problematic situations experienced by the participants in managing their substance use. Participants are then taught and practice new skills that help them more appropriately manage their substance use

This is a 20 session programme and the targets are the same as for violence reduction.

These programmes address the following dynamic and critical needs:

Ø Feelings, thoughts and behaviours about both criminal and non-criminal settings, persons and activities
Ø Empathy or sensitivity to the wishes, feelings and expectations of others
Ø Self-management
Ø Self control skills
Ø Sense of achievement and feelings of self worth based on achievement in conventional pursuits and activities
Ø Affiliation with pro-criminal others

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New Core Programmes - Youths

Currently the following versions are available for youths were the age range targeted is 12-16 years.

OFFENDING IS NOT THE ONLY CHOICE (Revised 2002)

VIOLENCE REDUCTION

SUBSTANCE MISUSE

These are available for Male or Female participants and in a group or individual version.

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"Other Programmes - Youths"

FIRESAFE - A partnership approach

Target: Low/Moderate risk
Age: 12 - 16 years
Gender: Male/female
Setting: Group/individual

This is a 10 session individual or 11 session group programme.

The programme, developed in partnership with Derby City Fire and Rescue Service contains 10/11 sessions and is based on the most up to date research.

Each of these sessions has 3 components, a thinking style/cognitive element, an educative element and a third segment which addresses the cognitive deficits generally linked with offending behaviour. This part addresses, within a problem solving framework, such issues as:-

· Impulsivity
· Empathy
· Alternative and creative thinking
· Consequential thinking.

A theoretical manual is included with the programme manual and the training is provided by a member of the Cognitive Centre Foundation working with an experienced Fire Officer.

When launching 'The Thematic Review - The Fire and Rescue Service Working With Young People in the Community', Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope called on brigades across the country to use the report as a guide when developing their own youth schemes aimed at fighting the growing menace of juvenile arson, hoax calls and attacks on firefighters.

The review highlights 'Firesafe' as an example of good practice and says:-

'In Derbyshire a 'FIRESAFE' young offender's partnership with the Cognitive Centre Foundation aims to change the behaviour of older and more serious potential fire raisers.'

I will email you a picture to go alongside Firesafe.

Target: Low/Moderate risk
Age: 12 - 16 years
Gender: Male/female
Setting: Group/individual

This is a 10 session individual or 11 session group programme.

The programme, developed in partnership with Derby City Fire and Rescue Service contains 10/11 sessions and is based on the most up to date research.

Each of these sessions has 3 components, a thinking style/cognitive element, an educative element and a third segment which addresses the cognitive deficits generally linked with offending behaviour. This part addresses, within a problem solving framework, such issues as:-

· Impulsivity
· Empathy
· Alternative and creative thinking
· Consequential thinking.

A theoretical manual is included with the programme manual and the training is provided by a member of the Cognitive Centre Foundation working with an experienced Fire Officer.

When launching 'The Thematic Review - The Fire and Rescue Service Working With Young People in the Community', Fire Safety Minister Phil Hope called on brigades across the country to use the report as a guide when developing their own youth schemes aimed at fighting the growing menace of juvenile arson, hoax calls and attacks on firefighters.

The review highlights 'Firesafe' as an example of good practice and says:-

'In Derbyshire a 'FIRESAFE' young offender's partnership with the Cognitive Centre Foundation aims to change the behaviour of older and more serious potential fire raisers.'

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THE ROSS PROGRAMME (R&R2)

Target: Low/Moderate risk
Age: 13-16 years
Gender: Male/female
Setting: Group

This is a very focused twelve-session programme, based on the latest research and designed to lead to further assessment. It is an example of the new generation of interventions currently being introduced by the Cognitive Centre.

In 2002 the Centre, in response to requests from Managers and Practitioners operating in the Youth or Juvenile Justice Settings, commissioned Professor Robert Ross to develop a short intervention programme aimed specifically at the 13-16 years age group who are assessed to at low or moderate risk of reoffending or likely to exhibit anti-social behaviour.

The programme comprises twelve 90 minute sessions and its development was based on relevant research in the field over the past 35 years and particularly on a number of significant developments in research on prosocial competence.

The whole theoretical basis of the intervention is reviewed in "Time to Think Again" (in print) by Dr Ross and whilst the targets of the programme relate to:

Ø Skilled thinking
Ø Managing thoughts and emotions
Ø Problem identification and thinking of solutions
Ø Detecting thinking errors
Ø Consequential thinking
Ø Values enhancement
Ø Managing conflict

The underpinning skills relate to

Ø Motivational interviewing (Prochaska & Norcross 1999)
Ø Pro-social modelling (Trotter 2000)
Ø Relapse Prevention (Marshall 1998)
Ø Making Good (Maruna 2001)
Ø Thinking skills (de Bono 2000)

The Programme has been designed "as an introductory programme for adolescents who lack essential pro-social skills and values and are engaging in various disruptive and anti-social behaviours at home, in school or in the community. It provides a core curriculum, cognitive and emotional skills and values". (Ross R. R.)