Meaningful service user participation in the pathway

This chapter describes the context, aims, challenges, and growth of a user involvement programme spanning both prison and community services in the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway. Involving and empowering high-risk individuals to enhance pathway service provision has the potential to bring significant benefits in terms of social integration, well-being, and desistance from offending, while also requiring careful management of internal and external safety. The chapter describes the particular challenges involved and the support and governance framework that has enabled the user involvement programme to flourish within the London Community Pathway. Successful initiatives are described and service users’ own narrative accounts of their experience of involvement are included throughout. The chapter concludes with a review of the challenges that have emerged as the programme has grown, the learning they have afforded, and ideas for future continuing developments.