Dickson House, in Fareham, was set up 30 years ago originally as a Bail Hostel, but now works to enable former offenders who have committed mixed but serious offences to ease back into the community. There are 16 rooms and a maximum number of 19 ex-offenders at any one time, with around 12 dedicated full-time staff providing 24hr oversight.
Staff and manager provide intensive supervision of past offenders, and help them to adapt with courses, socialisation and to find accommodation suitable to their needs, to reduce the risk of reoffending and enable people to adapt to normal life within the community.
Staff also monitor curfews, ensure compliance with enforced rules, observe and assess attitudes and behaviour of former offenders and provide programmes of regular supervision, support and monitoring to reduce offending behaviour.
The staff at Dickson House work tirelessly to help past offenders integrate back into the community, reducing the risk of reoffending and keeping us all safer as a result. I thank and commend all the staff and manager Mark Newman for the important work that they do.’
There are currently 101 ‘Approved Premises’ in England and Wales, providing over 2000 bed spaces, managed either by the National Probation Service or by independent organisations.