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Quaker ServiceGood Practice in Northern
Ireland
David Bass
Outline
History of Quaker Service and Criminal Justice System
Recent Developments in Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland
Current Quaker Service projects Restorative Justice in Northern
Ireland
Origins of Quaker Service
1969 Belfast Friends Emergency Committee
1971 Internment Jan 1972 Canteen/Visitors Centre set up at
Long Kesh run by volunteers 1978 end of Internment 1982 Visitors centre open 6 days a week
and paid part time staff taken on. Playgroup organised by SCF
Development of Prison Work
1985 Pre release groups organised 1987 Maghaberry Prison opened with
Quaker Service Visitors Centre 1989 Butler Trust Award 1991 Childcare facilities in
Maghaberry Prison Visits area – first in UK
2000 Maze/Long Kesh closed
Maze Long Kesh Site
Royal Ulster Agricultural Show Retained historic buildings –hospital, H
Block and look out tower Other former uses Peace Building and Conflict Reconciliation
Centre Designed by Daniel Liebeskind Studio Library, exhibitions, conference centre,
archives
Changes in Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland
Good Friday Agreement Programme for Government -
addendum Reducing Offending Strategy Women’s Strategy Review of the Youth Justice System Review of Community penalties Fine Default consultation
Changes in Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland - Prisons
Chief Inspector’s Report on Northern Ireland Prisons 2010
Prison Review Team led by Dame Anne Owers
Interim Report February 2011 Final report October 2011 Estates Review Family Strategy 2010 NIPS Strategic Efficiency and Effectiveness
Programme (SEE)
Strategic Effectiveness and Efficiency Programme (SEE)
No Prison Officers recruited since 1994
Equality issues Only trained in Security Failed to support vulnerable
prisoners Staff demoralised
Strategic Effectiveness and Efficiency Programme (SEE)
A service which is:- At the leading edge Example of best practice in modern
custodial services Reduces the risk of re-offending Makes a positive impact on lives of
individuals it works with
Strategic Effectiveness and Efficiency Programme (SEE)
Revised roles for Prison Officers and Support Staff
Recruitment of new Prison Officers Focus on Rehabilitation New training scheme Offender Centred approach
Maghaberry Today
The most complicated prison in Western Europe
High security prison Over 1000 prisoners – all men 550 on remand – highest rate in Western
Europe Fine defaulters Over 100 lifers Separated inmates – Loyalist/Republican Many vulnerable inmates
What is Maghaberry like?
Layout Dealing with Prison authorities Complaints System
Quaker Service at Maghabery Today
Visitors Centre Transport Services within the Prison Family Support Group Prison Officer training Quaker Connections
Visitor Centre – What goes on?
It provides practical and
emotional support to the
families and friends of
inmates at HMP Maghaberry.
Letter from a Mother
“To all at the Quakers.
Thank you for your kindness, compassion and
support over the last days and over the years. The
shop, the centre, the bus drivers, and especially the
family visits, which brought great family support
and bonding. We really appreciate all that you have
done. Love and every blessing
What goes on?
Info and advice
Emotional support
Cafe Tea Bar
Advocacy
3 Play areas1 Shuttlebus
Practical Support
How to book a visit
What can I bring?
How do I get there?
A Grand Day Out?
Enniskillen – Belfast bus 9.25 am
Belfast – Lisburn train 12.10 pm
Lisburn – Maghaberry bus 1.30 pm
VisitMaghaberry – Lisburn bus 4.45
pmLisburn – Belfast train 5.15
pmBelfast – Enniskillen bus 6.05
pmArrive Enniskillen
8.20 pm
Practical and Emotional Support
The value of :
Cafe and childcare
Asking “How are you?”
Telling a story
What Issues do families face?
Family breakdown
Stigma
Financial poverty
Emotional poverty
Social exclusion
Drug and alcohol
Mental Health
Relief / Guilt
Grief
Father of an Inmate
“I have lost my son, but I
can’t grieve, because he
hasn’t actually died.”
Issues facing Children of Inmates
Trauma of absent parent
Growing up “too soon”
Problems at school
Bullying
“Invisible” Group
Written off?
Our Play Area
Child Centred Visits
Focus is on the Child
Dad and Children can move
around
Our staff facilitate play
Mums go off with family officer
Belfast Family Support Group
Frederick Street Meeting House
Share Stories
Provide Support
Poetry / Exercises
Guest Speakers
Advocacy
Speaking to Prison Service
Asking questions
Writing a Complaint
Voicing Concern/ Lobbying
Letter from a Mother
“Just wanted to say that you all do a
terrific job, and make a big
difference to a person like me. The
cafe is a place of ‘normality’ in the
middle of the madness.”
Think Family
Training session for new Prison Officers
Led by Quaker Service and delivered in conjunction with other voluntary bodies
Aim To raise awareness of the vital role of
families in prisoners’ resettlement and consider good practice to strengthen family relationships
Think Family
Link to NIPS Family Strategy Impact on children Impact on Partners DVDs – A Mother’s Story and It’s a
tough time for everyone 8 Role Exercise
Providing Family Support
Supporting Isolated Inmates
‘True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it’ William Penn
WHY?
Developed in response to various studies and reports which highlighted the importance of families involvement with an inmate during his time in prison
Having regular positive visits reinforces good family relations, aids rehabilitation and reduces the risk of reoffending
Inmates who are visited regularly by family & friends are 39% less likely to reoffend
43% of sentenced and 48% of remand prisoners lose regular contact when they enter prison
Inmates who receive few visits tend to be the most unsettled or the most anonymous on their landings
One of the main risk factors for self harm and suicide was lack of visits and isolation
Volunteer Roles
VISITOR SUPPORT Providing practical and emotional
support to families and friends visiting inmates in HMP Maghaberry
INMATE BEFRIENDING Providing emotional support to
inmates who receive few or no visits
Belfast Telegraph Sunday, 8 July 2012
A prisoner found hanged in his cell was the 6th suicide in 18th months
at jails in Northern Ireland
“I’ve never had any real friends”
“Me Da’s a druggie... he’s been in here... and me Ma’s been on the drink since I was wee”
“I’ve got nobody to care about and nobody cares about me”
“My mum used to visit but she’s got cancer now”
“I don’t want my wee girl to see me in here”
“I just keep to myself in here... you can’t let anybody know what
you’re thinking”
Client Satisfaction Survey
Inmates reporting an increase in –
Self esteem/confidence = 100% Something to look forward to =
100% Ability to cope with their situation =
67% Ability to get on better with others
= 67%
“Getting a visit gives me a reason to get cleaned up”
“It puts a spring in my step”
“I don’t know if you do understand, but I feel now as
though somebody cares”
“It’s something to look forward to in a big, boring, unexciting week”
“I feel more hopeful after a visit”
Quaker Connections Volunteers
“Sometimes he says things to try to shock me or test my
commitment, but I just keep going back”
“Volunteering for QC is challenging, but I feel it is very
worthwhile and positive”
“Offering a listening ear to an isolated inmate, or simply a smile or helping hand to a visitor who is visiting their loved one, hopefully
makes them feel that someone cares”
Quaker Care Charity Shops
Community Service work placements Work placements from Hydebank
Wood “ Before I came to Quaker Care my
life was falling apart…….” “Self esteem is significantly
raised….”
Quaker Cottage Teenage Project
Cross community family support centre
Serves the most deprived areas of north & west Belfast
Those most ‘at risk’ or ‘in need’
High risk of offending and having experienced social exclusion
70+ young people each year
80% attendance rate
The world through our eyes
‘Man on the moon’
The world through our eyes
‘Modern day Romero and Juliet ‘
YOLO – suicide awareness DVD
YOLO. As a group of young people, our lives have all in one way or another, been touched by suicide. Together, we want to raise awareness and reach out to those in need.
Our view 21 young people Experiences of
growing up in Belfast
Story telling Therapeutic use
of art & photography
Exhibition / Book
Our view
Story telling – means of personally expressing ones self through the use of drawing, photographs and through text
Quaker cottage – provided a safe and supportive environment for the teens to reflect on their past, present and future
Through various exercises the teenagers then began to reflect on their life and start to put their experiences into their own words and pictures
They soon became their own author / editor and publisher with complete control of what was exposed and shared with others
Examples from book
‘Barbed wire tears’
‘Friends dad, hanging from a tree’
‘Whole face was covered in blood’
‘Baby bump’
Sharing the story on residential
“I enjoyed listening to other people’s lives. When telling their storiesI realized that I wasn’t on my own and people were going throughsimilar things. It made me feel better, I can open up more.”Alana, 17
“I was really nervous and quite embarrassed to share my story. But wheneveryone read theirs out in front of me this helped me. I felt that I couldrelate to most of their stories and this made me feel more comfortablewith talking about my life now.”Laura, 16
Every teenager got their own DVD of the residential, it captures the fun times had and is a good reminder of the journey one took.
Hydebank WoodYOC
Storytelling – sharing life experiences
Safe and trusting environment
Art/craft/photography Published in booklet Exhibition /Launch in
prison Certificate of
Achievement Follow up work with Art
Therapist
Benefits Validates life stories Enables reflection Respect - non-
judgemental environment
Builds self esteem Sense of achievement Encourages positive
relationships Shared experiences Fun Future choices
“Looking back on my story, I feel bad. I regret all the things I’ve done. I would like other young people to read it and think about what they’re doing with their lives. This could be you.”
What the young people said......
“I’ve really enjoyed doing the project and it has helped me think about my life and what I’m doing with it. I want to get out and make my family proud of me. I’ve liked the fact that I got to share my story, it felt good”
Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
1994 Conference and subsequent research
Restorative Justice Working Group 2004 Conference – Restorative
Justice, the next decade Restorative Justice Forum 2005 Quaker Service role
Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland – Breadth and Depth
Community Restorative Justice Family Group Conferencing Youth Justice Agency Children’s homes Schools Prison Service
Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
Recent events and research Mapping Exercise 2010 A Guide for Young People ‘Celebrating Restorative Practices in
Northern Ireland’ Conference 2010 Showcasing Restorative Practices,
Stormont 2012 University of Ulster Restorative Practices
courses – Diploma and Masters
Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
Prospects Launch of NIARP February 2013 All Ireland Dimension All Ireland Conference, November
2013 Victims Research Future role for the Forum?
The End
