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Papers by Russell Webster

International Journal of Prison Health, Dec 25, 2023

Russell Webster, Apr 1, 2021

are reports on research undertaken by or on behalf of the Home Office. They cover the range of su... more are reports on research undertaken by or on behalf of the Home Office. They cover the range of subjects for which the Home Secretary has responsibility. Titles in the series are listed at the back of this report (copies are available

Probation Journal, 1995

1995 has given us two celebrity role models for dealing with criticism: one can either do a Steph... more 1995 has given us two celebrity role models for dealing with criticism: one can either do a Stephen Fry and disappear to Belgium or go for a Tony Slattery and berate all the critics in a most politically incorrect style. I wish to steer clear of both of these models in discussing Len Cheston's ...

British journal of community justice, 2013

I've spent a fair proportion of 2013 poring over the ever-changing details of Transforming Re... more I've spent a fair proportion of 2013 poring over the ever-changing details of Transforming Rehabilitation (http://www.scoop.it/t/probation-review). Like many others, I've questioned some of the core assumptions and worried about the challenges of implementing a system that has an in-built fault-line between the new National Probation Service and the proposed Community Rehabilitation Companies. So, I thought it was about time that I took up the challenge posed to all critics of any system: "So, what would you do?" All three major parties (I'm afraid I'm not up to speed on UKIP plans for the probation service) have indicated that they are in favour of opening up rehabilitation services to competition. So I've set out a 10 year plan on how to reduce reoffending while opening up the market. My timescale is a lot less ambitious than TR's dash to be completed before the 2015 general election. Needless to say, my plan has made liberal use of many other peo...

A very mixed picture By way of a change today, I am actually summarising a piece of research unde... more A very mixed picture By way of a change today, I am actually summarising a piece of research undertaken by myself. Over the last two months I’ve been researching the experiences of opiate using offenders seeking substitute prescribing (methadone or buprenorphine – usually known as Subutex or “Subbies”) in prison and on release. Interestingly, service users had very mixed experiences with some finding access to a script easier than in the community while others received no help despite being on a prescription in the community prior to being sent to prison. I used two main methods to gain service user views. First, an online survey was completed by 102 opiate users who had been in an English or Welsh prison in the last two years. Opiate using prisoners were identified and recruited by 10 peer researchers trained, supervised and supported by the Revolving Doors Agency. Analysis of the survey data informed the second stage of the research study; a focus group with nine individuals with ...

Probation Journal, 2021

We undertook a Rapid Evidence Assessment to explore the existing empirical evidence relating to t... more We undertook a Rapid Evidence Assessment to explore the existing empirical evidence relating to the impact of probation caseloads on recidivism. Over 3,000 potentially relevant papers were sifted from which five were deemed robust enough to be analysed in detail. All five were US studies which examined the impact of particular initiatives to reduce caseloads and were delivered by mainstream community-based probation officers. All recorded reductions in measured outcomes compared to comparators. Overall, although the number of robust studies remains quite small for such a key area of consideration, there appears to be a growing body of evidence that lower probation caseloads have a positive impact in terms of reducing reoffending in the USA. All five studies looked at a range of criminal justice outcomes including technical probation violations, violations for new arrests and reconvictions. Interestingly, although researchers were expecting to find a higher rate of probation violatio...

Introduction 1 2. The Family Man pre-programme: views from students and supporters 16 3. The Fami... more Introduction 1 2. The Family Man pre-programme: views from students and supporters 16 3. The Family Man post-programme: views from students and supporters and 28 facilitators 4. The Family Man programme: views and perceptions of 'what worked' 41 5. The measured impact of the Family Man programme 51 6. Key findings and recommendations 58 Safe Ground response to 'Out of my Comfort Zone': an evaluation of the Family 65 Man programme References 71

This short paper outlines the growth of user-led interventions across Europe in the problem (as o... more This short paper outlines the growth of user-led interventions across Europe in the problem (as opposed to recreational) drug sector over recent years. It starts by attempting to define and categorise user-led interventions before describing a number of examples and sharing what is known about their effectiveness. The paper concludes by identifying likely developments, highlighting the opportunities created by user-led work and detailing the challenges for policymakers and commissioners in Europe. It is important to note that this paper is not based on a comprehensive survey of user-led initiatives in Europe, nor does it seek to list the many organisations and programmes operating in this space. Indeed, it does not appear that a survey of user-led services has ever been carried out. Hunt et al. (2010) point out that there are several difficulties in surveying the user-led provision accurately, since some organisations have a short lifespan and stigma means that there are good reason...

Offender Management and Sentencing Analytical Services exists to improve policy making, decision ... more Offender Management and Sentencing Analytical Services exists to improve policy making, decision taking and practice in support of the Ministry of Justice purpose and aims to provide the public and Parliament with information necessary for informed debate and to publish information for future use Disclaimer The views expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily shared by the Ministry of Justice (nor do they represent Government policy).

Probation Journal, 1989

Recently I've started showing prisoners their probation files on a regular basis. Nothing st... more Recently I've started showing prisoners their probation files on a regular basis. Nothing startling in this, of course. I've always done this routinely at the office and have become inured to the feelings of disappointment and disillusion when this heartfelt offer of ...