Community Support Scheme
Director of Services (Care After Prison) Michael Donnellan (Director General of Irish Prison Service)
In May 2013, Care After Prison was awarded a contract from the Irish Prison Service to act as a linkage service for the newly established Community Support Scheme (CSS) initiative. This Scheme was developed in collaboration with the Probation Service in response to prison overcrowding and aims to address the recidivism levels of prisoners serving sentences of between 3 and 12 months.
The objectives of this Scheme are to reduce the level of crime and to increase public safety by:
- Identifying suitable candidates serving a short terms sentence between 3-12 months;
- Working on care plans of support for these offenders and prepare them for release;
- Working with offenders to change behaviour and reduce offending behaviour’s by linking the offender in with relevant support services through a Community Based Organisation (CBO) before release.
- Monitoring progress or regression of persons on the scheme while on their sentence.
The aim of the Community Support Scheme is to increase support for prisoners prior during their release from prison, upon their release, and then for a period after their release in order to break the cycle of offending. Care After Prison’s role in the Community Support Scheme CAP support workers and prison based staff engage with these prisoners shortly after committal to identify their risk factors, make appropriate referrals and prepare a sentence management plan in each case.
Care After Prison attends weekly meetings with the Irish Prison Service to achieve the following aims:
- Jointly assess an individual’s suitability for participation in the Community Support Scheme -This includes a risk assessment carried out by Care After Prison;
- Highlight any concerns around service users not linking in with Care After Prison;
- Acknowledge the progress that service users have made to date.
Dear Staff Member, My name is Kym dunleavy..I was client of Roys mentorship From my Tr at Prison form Sept 4th To What would have been july this year… Due to Stresses While i did sign on from sept 4th to January…I truly was burnt out.. Once released from prison I had extreme stresses on me That I may not have in totallity have shared with Roy. Because I am a person that keeps things inwards, I was not exactly very exxpressive in how I was to conduct myself and my communication level was not my best at time as I was grieving, moving home and private stresses held to me ..So I was busted by January. I was exausted. I kept getting chest infections. I kept getting extreme anxiety attending every wed to sign on. As I was attacked by a very hostile room mate on my first nite in Prison and it left a huge scaring on my soul.. I had never been to prison..What I endured that night left scars that cut deep.I was in deep trauma and no one recognised this.. I defnitely had PTSD..I was left with Physical scars, and mental and emotional distress frm being placed with a prisoner who had many mental issues..It wasnt a great introduction to prison life and left me terrorised. Prison just moved the person who gravely assaulted me and no one asked me was I ok..I didnt know whether I was comming or going..I was just exausted. I tried to sign on But my body froze and my mind was full of anxiety..If you are by nature a very private person It is very difficult to all of a sudden become extroverted and expressive, I have not committed any crimes..i have been looking after myself and minding myself..I didnt mean to have difficulty with Roy. Hes a cool guy..I just was in another place mentally and emotionally..Am I mad, bad ..No..but I was incredibly sad…I floundered. I had never dealt with Tr Before. Everything was new to me. The dole have stopped my dole as im at large..Im living on no means at all weeks now.. My only action is to return to prison.. And Im not afraid to say Im terrified of returning…I have not been in any trouble with the law in any instance. Is there a possibility I could get TR if i returned to prison. Thats where I fell. Are you in a position to offer advice in this regard. Seans death , Moving home in the home where he died was a herculeun task and it left me physically and mentally exausted.. You must remember u have spent prison keeping ur struggle to urself for survival and expected to release and be communicative and be expressive..I wasnt ready..
Anyhow thats were I am at..Thank you, Best regards, Kym 0871879714.