The wraparound process in probation services

Reducing recidivism of individual offenders usually is a multifaceted task. Behavioural interventions, based on the ‘what works principles’ go along with interventions in the domains of education, work, housing and social networks. An integrative approach seems to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation. In most accreditation panels for offender interventions, continuity in the planning and realization of the various services is one of the criteria. In the Dutch panel a distinction is made between synchronous continuity, that is integration of services at a given point in time, and diachronic, that is integration of the sequence of interventions in the course of the probation process. This contribution focuses on synchronous continuity. The Wraparound Care Model (WCM) seems to be a promising service delivery model. WCM is applied on a large scale in child welfare, but not in probation services. WCM is a coordinated social casework model in which several approaches such as behavioural interventions, the desistance approach and the Good Lives Model can be integrated. WCM makes a goal-directed, individualized and multisystemic approach possible. Studies into the applicability of WCM in probation services should be encouraged.