Target population     

For those considered a factor in sexual abuse crimes and those that are worried about harmful sexual activity or fantasies.

Additionally, also aimed at individuals suspected or guilty of a sexual offence.  

Delivery organisation    

The Uusi Suunta/New Direction programme is an individual rehabilitation programme offered by the Care about! unit and developed at the Criminal Sanctions Training Center (RISE). RISE contributes to social security by maintaining a legal and secure system of enforcement of sanctions, and to contribute to the reduction of recidivism and the disruption of the development of exclusion that perpetuates crime.

Mode and context of delivery  

The New Direction programme takes the Good Lives Model approach to rehabilitation. The program is comprised of a series of individual meetings. These consist of identifying individual life situations and find ways to increase participant well-being without violating the boundaries or sexual rights of others through their sexual activity. All conversations are confidential, and visits are free. You can also contact the programme anonymously.  

Level/Nature of staff expertise required 

Staff are comprised of Forward! Crisis workers in the New Direction Unit who have undergone New Direction Training and have special skills in helping perpetrators of sexual violence. The unit has female and male employees.

Intensity/extent of engagement with target group(s) 

The Uusi Suunta/New Direction programme is comprised of 16 weekly sessions attended in person or anonymously by (potential) offenders. These sessions are tailored to an individual’s particular needs. 50-70 persons go through this programme yearly.

Description of intervention 

The programme follows a three-part structure.

Part A (sessions 1-3)

Talking about what happened. Increasing motivation to work on yourself and to change. Setting goals to facilitate change.  

Part B (session 4-8)

Why did the individual offend and what factors were involved. Increasing of awareness on factors relating to offending (motives, ways of acting, social surroundings, etc.)

Part C (session 9-16)

What is needed to not re-offend. New directions in life. Understanding how offending behaviour is the wrong method by which to achieve life needs. Improvement in ability to see own ways of thinking and acting. Increasing ways of solving problems and act differently.

Evaluation  

A paper by Hirvinen (2013) deems the programme useability and user-friendliness as being at a good level but that development is needed in some areas.

References   

Hirvinen, K., 2013. Uusi Suunta–yksilöohjelma seksuaalirikoksista tuomituille-Ohjelmakäsikirjan käytettävyys työntekijöiden kokemana (Doctoral dissertation, Theseus).

Contact details  

nina.nurminen@om.fi

Rikosseuraamusalan koulutuskeskus

RATING: Pioneering

INFORMATION CORRECT AT JUNE 2021