Practice Transfer Taskforce and Case Study: Can the Global Game Help Solve the Global Problem of Recidivism?

ICPA has an expressed ambition to influence correctional practice worldwide. One of its key objectives is “To maintain ICPA as an innovative, learning organization, promoting and disseminating good practices”. However, despite all of ICPA’s efforts, for example in holding Conferences and publishing a practitioner-oriented Journal, we know that the transfer of knowledge doesn’t always or easily translate into the actual transfer of new practice. There are many examples of exemplary and innovative practice that emerge locally in one prison or community corrections jurisdiction that unfortunately remain only local in their impact.

 

This Workshop outlined the aims of ICPA’s new Practice Transfer Taskforce (PTTF), described the approach that has been taken so far to more actively encourage practice transfer, and discussed some of the successes and lessons learned along the way. As a concrete example of considerable success in transferring good practice, the UK originated Twinning Project has been discussed as a transformative approach to reducing reoffending by educating the incarcerated via the medium of football. The Twinning Project team explained how despite only launching in Autumn 2018, 74 prisons in the UK have already been “Twinned“ with their nearest professional football club so that Coaches can deliver FA accredited coaching qualifications to the incarcerated. Several Universities are now examining the impact of “Twinning” and noting significant change in identity and a kind of ‘fusion’ with the pro-social values of football (e.g. teamwork, discipline, self-control, etc.). The ICPA PTTF has helped create positive interest in adopting the programme internationally and the project has recently also launched in the US on Rikers Island in NYC, the Century Women’s Detention Facility in LA, and soon to be launched in Florida, Australia and South Africa.

 

The Workshop ended with a brief summary of our plans for the coming year to promote several projects dealing with ‘fatherhood’ from behind prison walls. We want to remain flexible in the process for selecting and then promoting innovative practices. Most importantly, we want to invite the entire ICPA community of corrections professionals to share their ideas and suggestions for how to make this initiative another ICPA achievement.