The Tasmanian Family Violence Offender Intervention Program
The program that has been selected for implementation in Tasmania has been adapted for Tasmanian family violence offenders from the highly successful violent offenders programs currently offered by the New Zealand Department of Corrections. The program structure has been demonstrated to be an effective way to build and maintain sufficient momentum for behaviour change. It also reduces the number of participant drop-outs compared with Australian programs that in the main offer once weekly sessions over a period of months.

Special Features
The FVOIP offers a number of special features including:

• Motivation and buy-in at front end of program
• An offence mapping process that identifies individual criminogenic need
• Skill building arising out of offence process work focusing on internal emotional states and habitual thinking and distorted thinking processes
• Interpersonal relationships skill building, such as managing conflict, and getting feedback from others
• Developing an alternative life map to replace offence related pathways
• Building family accountability systems to assist long-term maintenance of new behaviours.
  

What else is different about it?

• It targets the prime criminogenic need of violence propensity while addressing a range of other criminogenic needs, such as substance abuse and alcohol abuse
• It is a cognitive behavioural group-based intervention that uses interpersonal therapeutic techniques to motivate and support changed behaviour;
• It uses motivational interviewing techniques and a range of learning styles to ensure that all offenders are able to maximise their change;
• It is based in a strong framework of accountability that focuses on self responsibility;
• It manages program integrity through consistency in both training and delivery;
• It will be co- facilitated by two trained clinicians;
• It treats medium to high-risk family violence offenders mandated by the criminal justice system;
• It is a 100-hour intensive program, delivered in 4 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours duration over 10 weeks.
  

Mandated access to the program
After an initial screening process conducted by police, offenders who are assessed as having a high risk of re-offending or escalating their violence will be referred to the Family Violence Offender Intervention program for an in-depth assessment of risk that will also ascertain their suitability for the intervention program. Offenders may be mandated for assessment under bail conditions, as a condition of a Family Violence Order (Restraint Order), or as an element of sentencing.

Assessment Process
The assessment tool that will be used by the FVOIP is the internationally acknowledged SARA (Spousal Assault Risk Assessment) Guide. A structured interview will be conducted with both the victim and the offender, and collaborative information from the police, courts, community corrections and mental health will also be obtained in order to give a detailed and accurate assessment of risk and suitability for the offender intervention program.

Relationships with other Safe at Home Services
The Family Violence Offender Intervention program, as part of the Safe At Home project, is interconnected with many departments and divisions, such as Community Corrections, Police, Courts, Forensic Mental Health, Child Protection Assessment and Referral Service, Prisons, and the Court Support and Liaison service managed by the Victims Assistance Unit. FVOIP facilitators will liaise regularly with these and other services to ensure the ongoing safety of victims and the best management of offenders.

Case Management
During the course of the offender intervention program, facilitators will also conduct fortnightly case management meetings with key Safe at Home agencies and family violence services. The case management meetings will involve representatives from police and the Court Support and Liaison Service, plus representatives from other services depending upon their level of involvement with offenders in the program, or the current or former partners of offenders.