Reversing the roles

Abstract

Groupwork in a criminal justice setting has traditionally taken the form of a group of offenders undertaking a programme of structured work facilitated by (usually two) professionals. Circles of Support and Accountability (COSA) represent a departure from this traditional model. The COSA model uses a group of volunteers to form a ‘Circle’ around an offender who is viewed as being very much part of the group. The approach is currently being used in the UK as part of the risk management process for convicted sex offenders who are experiencing social isolation, a factor that has been linked to the risk of re-offending. The goal of our research was to understand the COSA group process and this article presents a study of a relatively new and different approach to groupwork within criminal justice. We looked at the expectations and opinions of both core group members and volunteers to make some assessment of how this non- traditional form of groupwork operates. The research presented an almost entirely positive picture of COSA from the perspective of both the volunteers and the core group members. All Core members (and we acknowledge that the research focus is a small group of male offenders) felt that the group experience offered them support and a sense of belonging that had previously been missing in their lives.