Criminology Research Council grant ; (9/82)
The INC program began in South Australia in February 1979 and was gradually adopted by all six regions during that year. The current assessment and evaluation of the program considers all support placements up' to and including June 1982. The study identified 239 placements covering 209 young offenders. Data was analysed on 219 of these placements.
The program aims at reducing re-offending, keeping the child out of institutions, preventing harmful peer group contact but maintaining close ties with the child's family and improving the child's behaviour, self-image and attitude to society. INC aims to be an alternative to secure care and not an alternative to not sentencing or deferred sentencing or other lesser forms of sentencing.
Success for the INC program will always be dependent on the level of difficulty of cases placed into the program. Excellent behaviour at the end and after each placement, a total absence of exposure to secure care, and no re-offending could be achieved by being suitably selective in choosing the cases with virtually no difficulties for the program. However, INC aims to be an alternative to secure care and not an alternative to lesser forms of sentencing. The program aims at cases where at least some level of difficulty is to be expected. Thus, if observed, excellent results for the program would be an indication that possibly it was being used for inappropriate cases.
The research clearly indicates that INC is not being used as an alternative to lesser forms of sentencing. In general INC cannot be accused of causing individuals to be sentenced where they would not be if the program did not exist.
On the contrary the research indicates that INC is being used for cases with a greater level of difficulty than was originally intended. The research indicates that possibly as high as three in four INC placements have committed more than one previous offence, and a similar number have had secure care experience through remand or detention.
The survey results have indicated that in the majority of cases the program is seen to be instrumental in improving the behaviour of the INC child, specifically there is an improvement in inter-personal skills and coping skills. The program is perceived by most of the INC parents involved to be one in which it is possible for them to foster a loving relationship. The program is generally characterised by positive dispositions. This was evident in the high degree of support which was offered to the research. The INC parents see themselves as being individuals who are in a position to contribute to young people with difficulties and that they have an understanding of these difficulties.
There is a high degree of enthusiasm for developing communication and personal skills. The research indicates that the INC placements by and large are seen to be lacking in these skills.
The program is seen to be of quite some benefit to both the INC placement and the INC patents and family. By participating in the program, INC parents feel that they develop further skills themselves and that their children, should they have some who are involved in the program, benefit as well in a similar fashion. The research would indicate that, if anything, the remaining important challenge in this area is to attempt to instill in the natural family the same development of interpersonal and relating skills. The research indicates that INC placements' relationships with their own families are frequently somewhat lacking.
The research also indicates that INC parents are experiencing some difficulties but they generally show considerable enthusiasm for the program. The surveys present some data on re-offending. The incidence of being placed in secure care subsequent to the INC placement is lower than the incidence of secure care prior to placement (including remand). Re-offending also is increasing but this may well be the result of INC now being used for more difficult cases.
The study has covered offenders placed in INC. It has indicated that the enthusiasm shown by the Department and INC families for the program is justified. Consideration should be given to undertaking an audit to establish the number of young offenders not in INC who would benefit from the program now. It is anticipated that this will indicate a need for additional families. If required, a recruitment campaign to boost the number of families would have the additional benefit in assisting in the two critical, management areas for INC, matching the child to the family and managing the pool of families to ensure the ongoing effectiveness and involvement of each family.
Finally a comment on additional management information. While costs and re-offending rates are not necessarily the critical issues, consideration should be given to monitoring the relative costs of INC and secure care and to a specific study of the relative re-offending rates for secure care, INC and lesser sentencing options.
The majority of INC placements have had a long history of offending prior to placement, 80 per cent having had 'many or several offences' and 77 per cent some previous secure care experience. Welfare officers considered that re-offending was the most likely outcome in about a third of cases, and possible in half of the remainder.
The nature of the INC program is to allow the individual a very high degree of freedom. It is therefore a measure of success that about 70 per cent of placements, during placement, were not involved in an offence where legal action was taken.