Reducing Reoffending: The impact of the Wandoo Reintegration Model

Wandoo Reintegration Model delivers 37% drop in reoffending against the national average

A PricewaterhouseCoopers report released in April 2018 found that the Wandoo Reintegration Model, managed by Serco Australia, achieved a 28.2% recidivism rate in 2016/2017, compared with the national average of 44.8% within two years of release. 

Background

Wandoo Reintegration Facility is a minimum security for men aged 18-28 years. The facility was privately operated by Serco Australia under contract from the Western Australian Government (WA) from November 2012 until May 2018. 

In 2016, the Office of the Inspector of Custodial Services (OTICS) released a report 2016 Inspection of Wandoo Reintegration Facility that concluded that the Wandoo Reintegration Facility is a success story in the rehabilitation and reintegration of young male prisoners. 
The OTICS report acknowledges ‘the Wandoo offending management model as the best in the state’ which should be ‘used as a benchmark for other state facilities’. One of the key recommendations to arise from this report was the need for an assessment of the impact of Wandoo’s rehabilitation and reoffending rates. 

The PricewaterhouseCoopers study provides a more detailed understanding of the benefits that the reintegration model in place at Wandoo provides. This includes the benchmarking of recidivism rates at Wandoo against state, national and international comparisons and identification of the benefits associated with desistance factors provided through the Wandoo Reintegration model.

The Wandoo Model

Wandoo Reintegration Facility employs a tailored rehabilitation and reintegration model that has been developed based on empirical evidence of desistance factors that influence reoffending, including employment, education, accommodation and housing, sobriety, self-advocacy and a sense of community. 

The Wandoo Model aims to assist young offenders in the critical period of transition from custody to the community through addressing the underlying issues and desistance factors, as opposed to solely addressing offending behaviours that were the catalyst for imprisonment.

The Wandoo Model is built on three core values, known as the three ‘R’s:

• Restorative Justice: The model seeks to improve the resident’s concept of themselves and their role identity through the provision of a supportive, encouraging environment with strong boundaries and providing an environment for self-improvement.
• Responsible Prisoner: The model aims at equipping residents with the required life skills, self-advocacy and personal responsibility for seamless transition to post-prison life. For example, residents are responsible for undertaking 30 hours of work per week, they are responsible for making appointments through kiosks in each accommodation wing, cooking their own meals, etc.
• Relationships: The model seeks to improve the way residents establish and maintain important relationships. The model’s underlying philosophy is to treat each individual with respect. The flat structure implemented at the facility helps to establish trust and build a community. This enables the residents to learn how to function within communities, be responsible for their behaviours and learn how to heal relationships.

Results