Offender Management service - Doncaster Prison and Youth Offenders Institute

The delivery model for the offender management service in Doncaster prison is informed by our belief that establishing strong and professional relationships with those we work delivers results.

Our approach is informed by the mantra, ‘one assessment, one case worker, one relationship’. The pilot scheme has been designed so it can be adapted to meet the specific needs of individual offenders. The Ministry of Justice has facilitated this by providing Serco with the flexibility to make decisions at a local level and truly innovate to reduce reoffending. The resettlement and offender management unit are based within the prison to provide a joined-up approach to rehabilitation encompassing the unique ‘through the gate’ approach. Catch22 Case Managers will work with offenders before and after release from short sentences who pose a risk of reoffending. 

Our Case Managers will be co-located with the South Yorkshire Probation and police-led Integrated Offender Management Impact Team in the community. This partnership approach will be critical to preventing reoffending.

The difference we make

Offenders will be allocated a dedicated Case Manager to support them for the duration of their sentence and crucially, on release. This is important as the majority of prisoners at Doncaster, having served sentences of 12 months or less, are not entitled to any statutory support on discharge meaning many fall back into a life of crime. Case Managers will offer advice and help on a range of practical matters such as employment options, housing and benefits through regular meetings at the prison and via phone calls and visits on discharge. Offenders will also have access to a 24-hour helpline for support and guidance at any time. This approach will support the work of Probation and partners in the community.

Catch22's offender management work is led by Colin Murphy, who joined us from Serco. Colin has a rich history in working with offenders and he will bring all that experience to bear on our approach to securing more work in this area and changing more lives. Read an interview with Colin Murphy.

Catch22's community sentencing work

Catch22 will work with offenders on release and subject to community sentences to help to ensure they are diverted from crime and can move forward with training or work, suitable accommodation and give something back to their community.

The Ministry of Justice intends to ensure that work to reduce re-offending both in custody and the community will be delivered by a wider range of providers. Our model of offender management will be based on strong working relationships with our Alliance (Serco and Turning Point), Probation, VCS partners and other agencies. Our approach will take account of the risks offenders pose to the public and the interventions and support required to help prevent re-offending and make communities safer.

Catch22's community sentencing work is led by Frances Flaxington who worked in probation for 15 years and more recently in senior civil service roles in the Ministry of Justice included leading the reducing re-offending strategy. She also led the MoJ's work with the voluntary sector and worked closely with organisations working to support adult offenders.    

Catch22's history of offender management

Catch22 is proud to trace its roots to those responsible for founding the probation service.

In 1876 Frederick Rainer provided five shillings to establish the London Police Court Mission (LPCM) – those working for the LPCM became known as officers of the court after the enactment of the 1907 Probation of Offenders Act. The nascent probation service was delivered by these officers of the court until 1938.

Over the years Catch22 and its legacy organisations has worked to improve the lives of those caught up in the criminal justice system. We have pioneered work across a number of different themes from providing supported accommodation to offering community-based programmes. We have advised governments and developed evidence-based interventions such as our remand management programmes. 

Much of our history has involved working with offenders. Read more about Catch22's history.