Dovegate Therapeutic Prison

Ray Duckworth is the Director of Dovegate Therapeutic prison. It is a separate 200 capacity prison that is located within the 1193 capacity HMP Dovegate. The complex is run by Serco. Wyn Jones is the Director of the main prison. We interview Wyn and it appears elsewhere in this edition.

Ray Joined the Prison Service in 1986 as a prison officer, after qualifying from Newbold Revel. He served at YOI Feltham and then went to several London jails on detached duty. He then spent 5 years at YOI Lancaster Farms, as a PEI, during David Waplington’s tenure as Governor. During this time, he organised PE and other activities, including outside ones, such as sailing and walking, prior to these being stopped by the then Conservative Home Secretary. He was promoted to PEO, however, he became disgruntled with the Public sector as he was unable to progress in his career as he wished. In November 1997, he was offered the role of Governor of Operations and Security at HMP Altcourse, the new Cat A local prison on Merseyside. Joining 3 weeks before it opened, he admits to this role having a steep learning curve! However, the three and a half years spent learning and developing the role, he admits were difficult, but highly enjoyable.

Looking around for a further challenge in 2001, he took the job of Assistant Director of Operations and Security at HMP Dovegate. During this time he had a 6 month secondment to HMP Ashford, as a Deputy Governor, while it was undergoing some very difficult times. During this time, he worked for Kevin Lockier, a public sector Governor. He recounts that he had two bosses, Premier Prisons and HM Prison Service. A situation he described as ‘interesting times!’ Returning to Dovegate, he was made up to be the Deputy to the Director Kevin Rogers and in 2006 Wyn Jones before becoming Director of Dovegate Therapeutic Prison, his present role.

Ray Duckworth The Therapeutic prison takes 200 of the more dangerous prisoners- mainly violent offenders, who are in their ‘last chance saloon’ when it comes to addressing offending behavior. 70% are lifers or IPP and mostly very violent offenders. They have been through the usual offender behavior programs and have all volunteered for their place in therapy.

They can apply to come from any prison in the country. Applicants are sent a referral pack that contains questionnaires, which are designed to assess their motivation and suitability. If their answers indicate they may respond to therapy, there is an on-site assessment here. There is a further rigorous 4 to 12 week long examination of their motives and suitability. During which, we do a large number of psychometric tests to assess their suitability for the therapy we offer. We also test their IQ, what their motivations for change are and what motivated their criminal career. Drug users, or inmates dependant on psychotropic drugs, are not considered suitable, as these factors affect the ability of the therapy to work.

The layout of the units are different.  Can you describe the thinking behind it and the staffing type and levels?

Ray Duckworth    The units are know as Therapeutic Communities. Basically we are a category B prison, although we are not staffed like our counterparts. The prison has a campus type design; security is low key although highly effective. The prison appears more ‘open’ in order to remove as much of the prison atmosphere as possible. Prison Custody Officers work as both custodians in charge of safety and security and they also facilitate therapy on the communities. We strive to develop a democratic culture with an atmosphere of openness and calm. We share facilities with the main prison, such as gym, health care, stores, works, kitchen and offender behavior unit.

Can you elaborate on the requirements for an inmate being accepted for the therapy after the assessment phase?

Ray Duckworth    During assessment, prisoners are assessed in small group settings of about 8 individuals.  The groups aim to establish if an individual is able to open up, talk freely and accept criticism from their peers. This methodology establishes their suitability to engage in therapy, because if you are not willing to engage in small groups, then the group simply won’t work.  Basically explained, therapy is about sitting down and talking about things that have caused behavioural problems in the past. Prisoners who come here seem to have reached a stage in their life, where they have decided they are sick of the route their life has taken. It’s a ‘Road to Damascus’ moment you could say.

What happens once they are accepted after the 4-12 week assessment?

Ray Duckworth    They become a resident on one of the 4 communities.  Each community houses 40 residents and the communities operate independently of each other; they develop their own identity, character and culture. This culture depends on the mix of the residents at the time and communities grow together in a similar way to one big family supporting and challenging the behaviour of residents.   The communities are democratic and they elect a Chairman to chair weekly community meetings and organise the community.  We give them as much autonomy as we can and they take this responsibility very seriously.  In effect, the residents run their community, which I must say is quite a daunting prospect for people coming from the prison system. However, therapy is devised to give individuals some control over their lives. We let them run everything that we can, they choose the décor, when to eat food, clean the community etc. However, we do not forget that we are in a prison and we do not compromise on security, so our staff can veto decisions if they feel the residents have overstep the mark.  We must provide a safe and secure environment for therapy to work.

How long does a resident stay in the Therapeutic Prison - or is it an open ended time span? And what are they doing while they are there?

Ray Duckworth    Between 18 to 24 months is the norm. They have their therapy groups 3 times per week; each small group session lasts about an hour. An officer acts as the group facilitator and they skillfully enable the group to explore an individual’s home life, behaviour, family circumstances and past criminal activity.   The groups are critical in allowing prisoners to open up about their past feelings, motivators and key influencers.  They are also used to examine recent community behaviour and they challenge residents’ motivation behind their reaction to incidents that occur on the community.

The small groups build trust and respect for each other over a long period of time.  By challenging preconceived ideals and supporting each other through the difficult and challenging times, the group begins to gel and this is the place where the therapy really works.

The facilitator is aware of the past history of their group members and will know if someone is holding back the full truth, although group members generally become quite wise to the fact that an individual is holding back and they explore the reasons behind this.  It can be very difficult for residents to dig up past events that have hurt them and the group support and help them overcome any obstacles that get in the way.   Some say ‘no’ and will not disclose parts of their past and this proves very difficult for the group and can mean that the individual leave the Community.  In time and with patience, the resident comes round and they open up; this usually takes about 6 months or so for the trust to be established. 

How does it develop into the wider community from there?

Ray Duckworth     Once the small group has ended all the groups in each community get together as a one large group for feedback. This means they talk about what was discussed in each group, right down to an individual level. Nothing is hidden, there are no secrets. This can be tough on some individuals,  however, they have the other 39 people in the community to support them through these difficult times.

There are occasions when residents react adversely to therapy and they become angry and frustrated by the challenges they face.  Their behaviour is not challenged in the traditional sense by disciplinary action. Residents are allowed to ‘act out’ and their actions are taken to their small groups to discuss.  He may also be required to explain his behaviour to his community and the community decides what will be done about the individual’s behaviour.

This more extreme behaviour can give further insights into an individuals understanding of his thoughts and actions.  The therapists and staff assess this behaviour and may well consider changing an individual’s care plan to address any concerns raised.  There are also cases where a resident is unable to express himself through a mental block say, we use the help of psychotherapists, drama therapists or other specialists to break through this mental barrier. In this way, we alter the way the individual behaves and thinks about his interaction with people; he becomes more pro-social through this process.

The staffing level must be unusual. What is the compliment and its breakdown?

Ray Duckworth    Each 40-bed wing has a community therapist, a counsellor, or a trained psychologist and eight other members of staff. These are prison officers, whose role demands that they wear two hats; one as standard security officer and the other, a therapist. It’s a very demanding role. An officer has to be a therapist, yet maintain the ability and authority to say no, without compromising the underlying role of the establishment.

As a democratic community, decisions taken by an officer can be challenged by a resident. If sanctioned for a breach of discipline, such as not keeping their room tidy, a resident can challenge that decision in public and the officer will justify it, without losing their authority. If a resident feels they have been treated improperly by an officer, they can have the issue placed on ‘the agenda’. The issue is then discussed at the next big group meeting.  This presents challenges to both staff and residents although ultimately the staff still have the veto to make the decisions in the interest of security and safety. 

How does the community deal with discipline and how can people leave if they wish to?

Ray Duckworth    People come here of their own volition, so too can they leave if they wish to. The resident’s committee can also vote a resident out of the community. For instance, the issue of drugs can be dealt with in this way. So are other disciplinary issues. It’s fully understood that to be at the therapeutic prison, a resident must abide by the rules of the place and comply with the requirements pertinent to their treatment. If they will not comply, then the system will not work for them and so they must leave.

How did the idea of the therapeutic prison come about and how was it introduced here?

Ray Duckworth     Just after the Second World War, it was discovered that soldiers who had suffered from post traumatic stress, were better treated in a community environment surrounded by people with the same problem. It was the talking through of their problems, which created the dynamic energy needed for therapy to work. The first therapeutic prison was HMP Grendon, which opened in the 1960’s. Small units were started in other prisons, such as Gartree, Blunderston and Send.

When the tender for HMP Dovegate was made in 1997, the successful operator put the therapy community in as an initiative and they were subsequently awarded the contract.  The Community is unique because it was designed by a therapist to make the best use of the space. The Community opened in November 2001 and we gained accreditation with the Correctional Services Accreditation Panel early in 2004. This meant that therapy was a recognised method for addressing Offending Behaviour. Each Therapeutic Community is part of a global community called, ‘The Community of Communities’ who provide advice, support and we share and concepts as a much bigger community.  

How many residents have been through the system and what happens to them when they leave? What is the effect on a resident being returned to the usual prison environment?

Ray Duckworth    The number is in the hundreds. Residents leave for other establishments. Some are recatagorised and others are released from prison and go home to their families. Those who are transferred to other establishments use their new skills learned in therapy to support them in another prison, they can become an advocate of therapy and they spread the benefit of therapy to others in this way!

A study has been undertaken with residents who have successfully completed therapy. The study indicated that these individuals were more likely to become mediators during a  confrontation and were much less impulsive in their actions; they had gained a massive insight into their own behaviour and reacted differently to any problems that they came across. Adjudications were lower, aggressive behaviour diminished. The research also highlighted a reduction in recidivism when released from custody during the second year of release; recidivism was minimal compared to prisoners released who had not completed therapy.  Overall the research showed the positive impact that therapy had on changing resident’s lives.

What is the cost of putting someone through this?

Ray Duckworth    It’s minimally more expensive than any other prisoner place at Dovegate because of the set up here. We share facilities with the main prison, so that our extra costs are subsumed within the 1100 plus capacity whole prison. If it were a stand alone facility, it would be much more expensive.  The model at Dovegate is a very good one.

Ray organised for me to speak with a resident of the unit. We sat alone together in a room off the main association area.

Craig is a long-term prisoner. This is his fourth sentence for serious violence and he has at least 10 years left to serve.

How did you hear about the Therapeutic Prison – and why did you apply?

Craig I was in my fourth sentence for violence. This one being for murder. I was at HMP Dovegate main prison and heard that this unit tackled offender behavior from a therapeutic direction. My interest was alerted by the information placed on notice boards.
I had come to the decision that something had to change in my life. I was unable to offer my wife and children, or myself a future if I did not change. I decided that I did not want to be this way any longer.

Had you found any other offender behaviour programs to be effective and what is different about this one?

Craig I had been on many offender behaviour programs in the past, but to little effect. I had ticked the boxes at the end of them. To me, that’s all they were, a means to an end, to demonstrate to the powers that be, that I was co-operating on my sentence plan.

What is different here is that it’s a 24/7 operation. You live and breathe it. There is no escape from its influence and it’s impossible to get through it successfully, by just ticking boxes. You are constantly challenged on everything, your behavior, opinions, attitudes and effort. In other words, it’s very challenging and this appealed to me.

Can we talk about the first few weeks at the assessment unit? When did you go through it and what was your perspective on it?

Craig It was 18 months ago and almost like an entrance exam. You are really put under the microscope. There is pressure every day, because you know it is crunch time if you fail the assessment, then the chance to achieve what you want and need, is gone. Then it’s back to everything you want to escape from.

Once you knew you had passed the assessment phase and were on the course, what did you feel and why?

Craig Mixed emotions, a sense of achievement, relief, plus a sense of trepidation. I knew that now I was going to have to visit all those places I had briefly and uncomfortably touched on during the assessment. All the difficult things I had to think about, going back to my earliest memories and then forward through all the decades of things I had made myself forget.  I knew I had to admit and confront them. That was scary.

Do you ever think about quitting the therapy and if so why and what stops you?

Craig Everyday. I stay, because I recognise that change is uncomfortable and that it cannot be achieved without undergoing the discomfort. I am changing the habits of a lifetime and that does not get any easier no matter how long the therapy goes on.

You have been through other offender behaviour programs. Why do you think the therapy works?

Craig You listen to all the people in your group, with all their different backgrounds. Their stories, life history and experiences. You hear about their childhood and later in their life, as well as their offences. It’s quite amazing how many parallels I find with my own life. They are different people from different backgrounds and in prison for different reasons. But the similarities are there and very obvious.

It’s tough to say why therapy works, however the alternative courses usually comprise of going into a classroom for two hours, three times a week. It was something you did to get your certificate at the end of the course. You then convince yourself that there is then nothing wrong with you. The pressure you feel here, is from the lack of justification you can muster for your behaviour. It’s human nature that you do not like to be told you were wrong. Everyone here, could sit and make a justification for every action we took that brought us here. This place makes you ask yourself if you really believe the words that you use to convince yourself that you were not wrong.

Had you experienced your  ‘things must change’ moment, before attending one of the less challenging offender courses, would it have been more effective and would it have worked as well as this unit?

Craig No. Because you really need to live and breathe the program. There must be nowhere for you to hide away, mentally or physically. In the early stages of therapy, the first few months, you are finding your feet and finding out what is going on. But as you return to these subjects again and again, things seem to ‘click’ in. Doing something about it, makes more sense as the therapy continues. If you ask anyone here why they did what they are here for, they will say they did wrong and not everyone will be able to say why, because they are at different stages of their therapy. But once someone understands the dynamics of why you react in certain ways, how and when a behaviour trait was instigated and what made it the force it became, then they can do something about it. When all in a group understand it, then that is the time that it is at its most effective as a therapeutic tool.

You have been here 16 months, how much longer will you be here?  What happens after the 24 months are up?

Craig I’ll be here for as long as it takes to address the issues I have. Some more issues may be identified, they will need to be addressed and it will therefore take longer to deal with. I’ve been in prison 11 times. It’s taken me to this point in my life to find something that is going to make a difference. I will have 10 years left to serve; going back into the general population is something I do not see as a problem now. I am developing skills that will enable me to diffuse a situation without resorting to violence.  Walking away is something I have never been able to do up until now.

Had you been at a different prison, would you have heard about this unit?

Craig Probably not.

What is the downside of the place? What would you change?

Craig There are no downsides, I would not change anything, and the only thing I came here to change was me.
The cynics amongst us may say ‘Well he would say that, would he not’ and there is something in that. However, the recidivism rates that Ray outlined to me show that after the second year, the graduates of the Therapeutic prison are virtually 0%. It isn’t a one size fits all solution to violent, ‘no hope’ offenders, but it seems to work for most of them.

The Publisher would like to thank Ray Duckworth, his staff and Craig for agreeing to talk to the Review.