Community-based Rehabilitation ofOffenders in Singapore

Bernadette Alexander
Deputy Director / Chief Probation Officer
Probation Services Branch
Ministry of Social and Family Development

Overview• Singapore’s approach• Criminal Justice Developments• Community-based rehabilitation by MSF

Singapore’s Approach• Graduated approach• Focus: Reintegration• Shared responsibility: Family & Community• Balance: Offender’s best interests and public safety• Shift towards community based rehabilitation

Criminal Justice Developments

The Underlying Question: Why Punish?
“Each time a judge decides to punish an offender,
he must remember to ask himself the additionalquestion: Why punish? This will remind him thatthe punishment imposed should achieve asocietal purpose and cannot be an end in itself.
Punishment is senseless if it is without anobjective…

- Former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong
27 Sept 2006, 2nd Yellow Ribbon Conference

The Community Court• Community Court, launched in 2006
• Adopts a non-traditional, problem-solving
approach that taps on community resources.
• Not merely punishment, but addresses the root
causes of the offending behaviour.

6The Community Court• Focuses on certain special categories of cases:• Youth offenders aged between 16 and 21• Offenders with mental illness• Neighbourhood disputes• Family violence• Cases involving racial or religious issues

7Types of Community Sentences
Implemented in 2011 with amendment to the Criminal
Procedure Code• Mandatory Treatment Order – Institute of Mental Health• Community Service Order – MSF• Day Reporting Order – Singapore Prisons Service• Short Detention Order – Singapore Prisons Service• Community Work Order8

Community-based Rehabilitationof Offenders
Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)

Community-based Intervention

DiversionaryProgrammes

YouthCourt
Intervention
Juvenile and Adult Offenders

Guidance Programme

Probation

Streetwise ProgrammeCommunity Service Order(Community Order)

Youth Enhanced Supervision
Programme

Community Service Order(Maintenance Defaulters)

Legislation

 Children and Young Persons’ Act
 Probation of Offenders Act
 Criminal Procedure Code

Guiding Principles•

Every offender has a capacity to change and grow, if given theopportunity, support, and understanding•The offender has to take ownership of his/her rehabilitation and be
accountable for his/her actions•

The family needs to be preserved and strengthened to provide careand supervision to the offender•

Community involvement to provide a continuum of care and control,
and to support offenders in the community•

Institutionalization as the last resort

To reduce risk of re-offending to ensure public safety

Diversionary Programmes
Rationale• Offending can be adolescent- and time-limited• Level of maturity / cognitive ability• Avoid over-familiarity with Criminal Justice System• Intensity of intervention to commensurate with thegravity of the offence• Rehabilitate youth in the community

Diversionary Programmes - Target Group
Streetwise Programme
Guidance
Programme *• Minor offences• Age: 10 to below 19years old

Enhanced Streetwise
Programme *• Gang members orassociates• May also be used as acondition of Probation
Order• Age: 13 to below 19years old

Youth Enhanced
Supervision
Programme• First arrest for drug
consumption• Required to undergo
urine supervision• May also be used asa condition ofProbation Order• Age: below 21 years
oldDiversionary Programmes - Programme• 6 months (extendable to 12 months)• Case management programme by social serviceagencies• Individual, group and family sessions• Guidance Programme and Enhanced Streetwise
Programme – in lieu of prosecution in CourtDiversionary Programmes - MSF’s Role
• Oversee the programme and agencies• Programme development & evaluation• Training of social service agencies• Funding• Conduct service audits• Joint Partnership with agencies- Singapore Police Force- Central Narcotics Bureau- Secret Societies Branch- Attorney General’s Chambers- Schools 6 – 36 months
 Probation conditions :time restriction, perform community service, hostel residency etc.

 Community-based rehabilitation
 Not equivalent to a conviction if Order is successfullycompletedServing A Safe Probation Order
Time Restriction
Automated Check(TRAC)

ElectronicMonitoring
SchemeHostelresidency

For probationers withcurfew

For higher-risk
probationers

For higher-risk
probationers

Periodic CourtReviews

Rigour in risk assessment
Above 18 years

LS/CMI
Level of Service
Case Management Inventory

18 years and below

YLS/CMI
Youth Level of Service
Case Management Inventory

Evidence-based intervention approaches

Risk-Needs-Responsivity
Model
Good Lives Model

Restorative Practice

Motivation ApproachesSimple

ScalableValue
InnovativeAll information may not be quoted without the permission of MSF

Time Restriction Automated
Checks (TRAC)
Systemusing Voice Biometric technology

Electronic Monitoring
Schemefor higher-risk probationers

Operational Support
Streamline work processes
Client Information
Seamless and effective casemanagement
Trends analysis andinformation management

Information sharing
across Division

Recidivism Rate
88.9% stayed crime-free!