Corrective Services quietly closed the CREDIT – the Court Referral of Eligible Defendants Into Treatment – program after close to eight years in Tamworth.

The program – which drew high praise from two local magistrates as well as both sides of the courtroom and was extended for several years because of its success – is to be replaced by a Centacare-based counselling service, outside of the court arena.

Magistrates, solicitors and police won’t be able to refer repeat offenders into the program. Instead, Department of Justice employees will identify who can access the program, based on their criminal history.

The new Extra Offender Management Service (EOMS) program won’t be able to provide crisis accommodation but is open to someone after they’re charged with certain offences, providing they’re not refused bail and not on a bond or parole. They also can access it as they approach release from custody if they don’t have parole.

“The program is not limited to domestic violence offences. Any persistent offender who meets the eligibility criteria will be considered for the program,” a Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman confirmed when questioned by The Leader.

“They are being offered support based on their prior offending history to find ways to reduce their contact with the criminal justice system, regardless of whether they are found guilty of the new alleged offence.”

The spokeswoman said the CREDIT caseworkers had been redeployed to other roles.

Veteran Tamworth-based magistrate Roger Prowse was a key supporter of CREDIT and last year said “it’s the most effective court-based intervention program” he’d seen.

Tamworth was one of two areas selected for a two-year trial of the CREDIT program in 2009 and the only location outside of Sydney, and it went from strength to strength, with some participants describing it as a “life-changer”.

The voluntary program focused on intensive intervention for up to six months.

It also linked participants to other crisis services to target any underlying problems such as housing, education, employment and training, domestic violence and disability services, debt management, health and medication, anger management and even parenting programs.

It also helped magistrates and the solicitors in the sentencing process.

In a 2012 Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) analysis, the “over-riding opinion of the program was positive and stakeholders suggested that it be implemented on a state-wide basis”, however, at the time it found no evidence of reduced re-offending among 420 participants.

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the new EOMS program, part of a $32 million contract, would provide “high quality one-on-one intervention”.

“This investment will see a common sense approach to addressing rehabilitation in the community,” he said.

Centacare NENW CEO Fergus Fitzsimons said the caseworkers had experience working with offenders which would provide “insight into behaviour, views and actions demonstrated” by the participants.

“Our approach will be a holistic one, factoring in all elements that have impacted and affected the life of the offender,” he said.

The new Centacare service will begin next week.