Evaluation of changes to the supervision of offenders in the community - The Practice Guide for Intervention (PGI)

Release date: 10.30am Thursday, 17 September 2020

Link to report summary

Enhancements to the model of community supervision introduced by Corrective Services NSW do not appear to have reduced the rate of reoffending according to an evaluation of the program completed by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR).

The Practice Guide for Intervention (PGI) was introduced in June 2016 and provides Community Corrections Officers with a series of cognitive behavioural therapy based structured written exercises to undertake with offenders.  Offenders participate in treatment modules according to their individual criminogenic needs consistent with Risk-Need-Responsivity principles. 

BOCSAR measured the impact of the program on recidivism by comparing the difference in reoffending rates between supervised (the treatment group) and unsupervised offenders (the control group) before and after the implementation of PGI.  Controls were included for a wide range of factors known to influence reoffending.

The results revealed a slightly lower rate of reoffending for supervised parolees who had access to PGI but the reduction was not statistically significant. 

Commenting on the findings, the Executive Director of BOCSAR, Jackie Fitzgerald, said the findings need to be considered in the context of past research showing that community supervision of offenders is effective in reducing reoffending.  “This study compared reoffending among offenders receiving PGI with offenders receiving the existing model of supervision, a model known to deliver positive reoffending outcomes. The results indicate that PGI does not produce any additional benefit over what was previously delivered by Community Corrections Officers.”

Further enquiries: Jackie Fitzgerald, Executive Director 0423 139 687
Email: bcsr@justice.nsw.gov.au
Copies of the report: www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au 

Last updated:

13 Jun 2024