Offender Personality Disorder Pathway: Evaluation of Team Consultation

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the findings of a service evaluation project assessing the impact of team consultation to criminal justice staff working with personality disordered offenders. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative design using content analysis of focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews. Findings – Criminal justice staff report increased awareness and understanding, use of a person-centred approach, development of formulation skills and defensible practice following team consultation. Practical implications – This paper will be of interest to practitioners who offer and/or receive consultation for work with offenders with personality disorder. Suggested changes to team consultation formats may be of interest to services involved with the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway. Originality/value – This paper contributes towards the emerging literature on the role of consultation and formulation on workforce development for individuals with personality disorder. It also contributes to the evaluation of the services offered by this specialist team as they support probation Trusts across Yorkshire/Humber to support the community specification of the national Offender Personality Disorder Pathway.

Examining the Evidence Base for Forensic Case Formulation: An Integrative Review of Recent Research

“…These consultation meetings have therefore been described as the process of formulating, whereas FCF itself is often seen as the product of this process (NOMS & NHS, 2015b). Four of the identified studies aimed to assess the impact of formulation-focused consultation meetings on forensic staff (Knauer, Walker, & Roberts, 2017;McMullan, Ramsden, & Lowton, 2014;Ramsden, Lowton, & Joyes, 2014;Whitton, Small, Lyon, Barker, & Akiboh, 2016).…”

‘Staff-resident relationships in approved premises: What a difference a door makes’

“…The Offender Personality Disorder pathway has sought to introduce a psychologically informed approach in probation services, placing emphasis on the importance of developing positive relationships between staff and offenders in order to improve engagement, reduce risk, improve psychological wellbeing and enable staff to be more effective in their work. Research has outlined a number of benefits of this approach to both staff and offenders (Brown and Vollm, 2013; McMullan et al, 2014; Minoudis et al, 2013; Ramsden et al, 2014; Vollm, 2013).…”

Training probation officers in case formulation for personality disordered offenders

“…Implementation of the OPD strategy has applied a model of consultation – with psychologists being available to provide continuing support to probation staff (e.g. Minoudis et al, ; McMullan et al, ). More research is needed to test the effectiveness of training for all probation officers, not just the most enthusiastic, and whether effects of training are retained over time.…”

“…probation hostels) have been established. A model of case consultation, involving low‐intensity contact with psychologists in the implementation of the strategy in the community, was developed in one probation area in London and is being implemented more widely after promising initial evaluation (Minoudis et al, ; McMullan et al, ).…”