Circles of Support and Accountability. Círculos España (Madrid, Valencia and Alicante)

Circles of Support and Accountability “Círculos España” is a project providing support and supervision for life in the community after release, aimed at people who have committed a sexual offence and are considered “high-risk profiles”. It is therefore a preventive programme whose core motto is “No more victims”. 

The programme is carried out in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Valencia and Alicante, subsidised by the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030, through the tax allocation of 0.7% of personal income tax (IRPF), the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions of the Ministry of the Interior and with the support of Fundación “la Caixa”. 

The programme’s work begins in the period prior to final release and is consolidated once release has been achieved. The objective is twofold: to promote the social reintegration of participants and to prevent, as far as possible, the commission of a new offence. 

 Citizen participation is key to the success of the project. A “Circle of Support and Accountability” is made up of a person who has committed a sexual offence (known as the core member), a group of 4 or 6 volunteers and a professional. This group is called the “Inner Circle” 

The members of the circle meet to discuss the progress made by the core member, to offer support in organising their life after release and to share the difficulties they may encounter in achieving this, thinking together about solutions that may help them overcome them. To this end, all of them together must review the mistakes that in the past led the core member to commit the offence, and strengthen the factors that can prevent them from happening again. In practice, this involves reviewing the Relapse Prevention Plan, and strengthening the Good Lives Model. 

It should be noted that each circle has an “Outer Circle”. The professional coordinating the circle shares with other key stakeholders in the community (professionals from open-regime centres or parole services, therapists, social organisations, social services…) information on the core member’s improvements, difficulties and risks, which helps to ensure a favourable reintegration process. 

Throughout their participation in the project, volunteers have support and supervision spaces on an ongoing basis, as well as specific training sessions. 

Círculos España actively participates in the European Association CirclesEurope, where it works closely with professionals from other countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium.