1. Helen Greenard
Choose Change Project Manager

2.  3 year pilot working with prisoners serving less
than 12 months in HMP Manchester.
 Team works on voluntary basis with offenders
whilst in custody & through gate.
 Supports offenders into accommodation,
treatment services, ETE provision etc.
 Currently works with offenders released into
Manchester, Salford & Trafford.

3.  No statutory supervision upon release
 Nationally 60,000 prisoners are jailed for less
than 12 months each year costing £300 million
 60% rate of reoffending in prisoners serving less
than 12 months.
 Majority of short sentences are for 3 mths or
less, only 10% are for more than 6 mths
 ‘EFFORTS BY PRISONS TO LINK SHORT –SENTENCED
PRISONERS TO OTHER SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY VARY
IN QUALITY BUT TEND TO BE LIMITED AND INCONSISTENT.
THEY ARE MORE COMPLEX IN THAT PRISONS MAY RETURN
PRISONERS TO NUMEROUS LAS’.

4. Since the project commenced in Sept 2008
 Over 200 individuals have entered onto the
project
 Over 50% remain engaged or have
successfully completed the project.
 Worked with over 80 agencies ranging from
housing services to mental health teams
within the prison and across Manchester,
Salford & Trafford.

5.  Of the 33 prisoners who entered onto the project
between Nov 09 – Apr 10
 67% had no permanent address on release
(37% were NFA)
 85% unemployed prior to custody (rose to 94%
whilst in custody)
 Over 85% had drug and/or alcohol issues
 Had on average 8 custodial sentences & 10
court disposals.
 89% sentenced to 6 months or less.

6. Entering on project
 45% of Manchester clients
in long term
accommodation
 44% of Salford clients in
long term accommodation
 26% of Manchester &
31% of Salford NFA.
Completion of project
 76% of Manchester clients
in long term
accommodation.
 81% of Salford clients in
long term accommodation.
 0% NFA.

7.  Choose Change clients were compared to a
group of prisoners in HMP Manc serving less
than 12 months released to Greater Manchester
but not Salford or Manchester.
 Using PNCID this was matched to police arrest
data for the period 1st September 2008 through
March 2010.
 The following is based upon a 3 month ‘re-
arrest’ period.

8.  There were 108 prisoners who had been subjected to
the Choose Change project and included in the arrest
analysis.
 The overall prison sample was made up of 646
prisoners.
 This includes duplications where some individuals will
have returned to prison within a relatively short time
period.
 For the Choose Change group, 14.8% were ‘arrested’
within a three month period.
 For the HMP Prison group 23.5% were ‘arrested’ within
a three month period.

9.  The employment of arrest data is a ‘crude’ measure of
recidivism and project success.
 Arrest rates are not an indicator of levels of reoffending
or reconviction.
 The accuracy of Arrest data is contingent upon the
administrative processes and resources of the Police
Service .
 On current analysis arrest rates are lower for those
prisoners who were involved with the Choose Change
project when compared to non-participating prisoners.
 There is a need to explore that factors that contribute to
reduced levels of arrest for those clients who are
referred and accepted to the Choose Change project.

10.  Weighted average of cost of future career per offender is
£150,636
 Cost per offender of Choose Change is £2,034
 Choose Change breaks even if the cost of future criminal
career is no greater than £148,602 (£150,636 - £2,034)
 Such a future career cost requires rate of re-offending in
1st year after release of no more than 59·01%
 The rate of re-offending in the first year after release for
short-term offenders who have received no intervention
is 59·9%
 A reduction in re-offending of 0·89% over and
above the standard rate of offending for short-
term prisoners will allow Choose Change to at
least break even

11.  Full assessment undertaken to identify needs
 Gain access to prison interventions
 Prioritise & sequence interventions co-ordinated by Choose Change worker
 Put things in place before release
 Taken to appointments especially important in first few weeks.
 Liase with other agencies re new developments
 Link in with PPO, IAC, IOM, Achieve
 Indepth knowledge of community resources
 Follow up interventions been set in custody
 Piloted Dyslexia service, victim workbook, bank account.
 1 – 1 Support
 Integrate into community resources after 3 months
 Choose Change clients setting up service user group/peer support

12.  Pilot Project ends in March 2011.
 Due to positive results believe its beneficial to continue
after this.
 The project addresses the issue of the under 12 month
prison population, links with Transforming Justice.
 Final evaluation due in April 2011 – interim report
indicates project will have impact on reoffending rates
and is cost effective.
 Funding has been secured to continue the project for
2011/2012 at same level.
 Work currently being carried out to see if the project
could be expanded to other prisons so rest of GM could
be covered – additional funding required to enable this.

13.  It has helped me to get in touch
with people who can help me
get in work and help me get my
own place to live. I have been
helped a lot since I have been
out of prison, something I’ve
never had before. CB
(Manchester).
 Its been brilliant, a great
help. Don’t know what I
would of done without the
help. RD (Manchester)
 When I was in prison I had many plans and ideas, but was not totally
confident that I would be able to put these into action. I was still
struggling with drugs and housing issues. Upon release my Choose
Change worker helped to keep me occupied and out of trouble. Having
someone to help me keep focused has really helped me and now I have
my own tenancy and am actively looking for work. Choose Change has
helped me no end. PB (Salford)