Evaluations

The Lullaby Project: areas of change and mechanisms of impact

Creative projects and their potential towards positive psychosocial change have been consistently evidenced, particularly with vulnerable groups. The Lullaby Project (developed by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute in New York) has now been implemented in UK through two pilot experiences where the Irene Taylor Trust (who led the initiative), brought ... read on →

Author Sara Ascenso

Published November 2017

Artform Music

Organisations Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Irene Taylor Trust   Project venues HMP Wandsworth, Praxis Community Projects

Participant type Female Adult Migrants, Adult Musicians, Male Adult Offenders

Sample size: 21

Exploring Good Vibrations projects with vulnerable and challenging women in prison

This research involved 26 women who had successfully completed a Good Vibrations project, finding that:

  • for women in prison, taking part in a Good Vibrations project can reduce anger, worry, and levels of unhappiness, and improve social skills
  • reductions in anger, worry, and unhappiness may be sustained in the weeks ... read on →

    Author Laura Caulfield (Bath Spa University)

    Published December 2015

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

  • Evaluation of the use of 'Good Vibrations' percussion courses to improve motivation to change and treatment readiness with convicted sexual offenders embarking on treatment programmes

    Previous research has highlighted the benefits of implementing music-centred interventions in correctional settings. The present study used a mixed method approach to explore prisoners’ experiences of a week-long Indonesian percussion music course, introduced in a UK sex offender prison to enhance motivation and readiness for change pre-treatment. Study one examined ... read on →

    Authors Nicholas Blagden, Helen Elliott, Jessica Faulkner, Rebecca Lievesley, Verena Sperling, Belinda Winder (Nottingham Trent University)

    Published December 2015

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations   Project venue Whatton

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders

    Good Vibrations: health and wellbeing of older offenders

    The purpose of this research project was to explore the older offender population and there engagement with the Good Vibration project.  The research found that:

  • Older offenders also experience the same emotional benefits as the general prison population
  • Older offender’s comments on additional benefits of the Good Vibrations project for ... read on →

    Authors Laura Caulfield, Dean Wilkinson (Bath Spa University; University of Worcester)

    Published 2014

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Male Older Offenders

  • Final evaluation of the Artist in Residence at HMP Grendon

    This report presents findings from the second half of a four year art residency at HMP Grendon. Through analysis of observational data, interviews, focus groups, and assessments of social climate with prisoners at HMP Grendon, this report concludes that the residency has promoted a number of positive outcomes. There is ... read on →

    Author Laura Caulfield (Bath Spa University)

    Published August 2014

    Artform Visual Arts

    Project venue Grendon

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders

    The Melting Pot: Evaluation

    A three-year creative writing and mentoring project working at the DSPD Unit, HMP Frankland. The report shows how the project contributed to the overall well-being of men in the Unit and contributed to the rehabilitation programme. Section 2 includes a Replicability Model and the development of performance indicators and an ... read on →

    Author Caroline O'Keefe (Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University; Sheffield Hallam University)

    Published December 2013

    Artform Creative Writing

    Organisation Writers in Prison Network   Project venue Frankland

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders

    Good Vibrations: Music and social education for young offenders

    This evaluation looked at the project from the point of view of music education, identifying individual and social factors generated through musical development that also are attributed to desistence from crime. These were divided into two categories:- Individual Agency:Personal Identity Diversity Motivation Hope Self-determination Personal strengths  Social Interactions: Professional relationships ... read on →

    Author Jennie Henley (Institute of Education, University of London, University of London)

    Published August 2012

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations   Project venue Swinfen Hall

    Participant type Male Young Offenders

    Sample size: 19

    An Evaluation of a Pilot Study of a Literature-Based Intervention with Women in Prison

    This study investigated whether ‘Get Into Reading’, a literature-based intervention, which had been established in other custodial contexts and non-custodial mental health settings in the UK transposed to a female prison; HMP Low Newton, and whether any of the benefits identified in custodial and non-custodial contexts elsewhere were reported by ... read on →

    Authors Josie Billington, Jude Robinson (University of Liverpool)

    Published 2012

    Artform Creative Writing

    Organisations National Personality Disorder Team, The Reader Organisation, University of Liverpool   Project venue HMP Low Newton

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

    Talent 4....

    Evaluation of an arts-based workshop programme aiming to increase participants awareness of their own innate talents and skills, this research project sought to measure the effects of participating in a Talent 4... project on offenders' self -belief in their capacity to gain employment, strengths and weaknesses, ability to work with ... read on →

    Author Laura Caulfield (Birmingham City University)

    Published 2012

    Artform Multi-Arts

    Organisation Rideout   Project venues Brinsford, Drake Hall, Sudbury

    Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 18

    Musical Learning and Desistance from Crime: The case of a 'Good Vibrations' Javanese Gamelan project with young offenders

    This paper discusses new empirical evidence for a positive relationship between musical learning and desistance from crime. On investigating the learning processes occurring within a Javanese gamelan project in a Young Offenders Institution, parallels between musical learning processes and the development of certain attributes linked to desistance from crime emerged.  ... read on →

    Author Jennie Henley (Institute of Education, University of London, University of London)

    Published February 2012

    Artform Music

    Organisation Good Vibrations

    Participant type Male Young Offenders

    An evaluation of Clean Break's Back on Track

    This report aims to evaluate the impact of Clean Break's Back on Track programme's objectives to engage with female offenders at the point of arrest, in order to assess their underlying issues and, on the basis of this mandatory conditional assessment, to offer referrals for appropriate support within Clean Break ... read on →

    Published January 2012

    Artform Multi-Arts

    Organisation Clean Break

    Participant type Female Adult Offenders

    The ‘Family Man’ Impact Study

    An Evaluation of the Longer-Term Effectiveness of Safe Ground’s Revised Family Relationships Programme on Prisoner Graduates, their Supporters and Families, this independent study assessed the longer-term impact of the Family Man programme delivered in HMPs Belmarsh, Birmingham, Bristol, Highpoint, Leeds, Parc (Wales) and Wandsworth from 2008-10. It concluded that the ... read on →

    Authors Gwyneth Boswell, Annie Moseley, Fiona Poland (School of Allied Health Professions, University of East Anglia , University of East Anglia )

    Published October 2011

    Artform Drama

    Organisation Safe Ground   Project venues Belmarsh, Birmingham, Bristol, Highpoint, Leeds, Parc, Wandsworth

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 54

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