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

Write to be Heard: Supporting Offender Learning through Creative Writing

The report explores the impact of a creative writing programme developed to engage ‘hard to reach’ learners in prison.   The mechanism was a creative writing competition, incorporating a schedule of workshops in 28 prisons, encouraging entrants to write pieces for broadcast on National Prison Radio (NPR).  Using qualitative and quantitative ... read on →

Authors Jane Hurry, Patrice Lawrence, Jessica Plant, Anita Wilson (Arts Alliance)

Published March 2014

Artform Creative Writing

Organisation Arts Alliance   Project venue Prisons around the UK

Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

Re-imagining futures: Exploring arts interventions and the process of desistance

Carried out by Northumbria University and Bath Spa University, this report highlights examples of how the arts can support positive changes linked to personal agency, efficacy and identity, which are linked to the highly individualised journey of desistance from criminal behaviour. Key findings show that participation in arts activities enables ... read on →

Authors Charlotte Bilby, Laura Caulfield, Louise Ridley

Published November 2013

Artforms Craft, Creative Writing, Music, Visual Arts

Organisation Arts Alliance

Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

Sample size: 30

Family Man: 2012-13 Evaluation Scope

The purpose of this evaluation is to demonstrate the long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of Family Man to policy makers, funders, prisons and practitioners; and to complement Gwyneth Boswell’s qualitative study of the revised Family Man and other previous evaluations. read on →

Published 2013

Artform Drama

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

Participant type Male and Female Adult Families of offenders, Male and Female Juvenile Families of offenders, Male Adult Offenders, Male and Female Adult Prison Staff

Sample size: 500

The experience of ‘Journey Woman’ from the perspective of the participants

Using theoretical frameworks such as CBT, role theory, social learning theory and narrative therapy, Forensic Psychologist Rebecca Day explores women offenders’ experience of  Geese Theatre Company’s one week project ‘Journey Woman’, which was delivered four times at HMP Foston during 2007/08.  read on →

Author Rebecca Day (Geese Theatre)

Published January 2013

Artform Drama

Organisation Foston   Project venue Foston

Participant type Female Adult Offenders

Sample size: 34

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

Stitching a Future - an Evaluation of Fine Cell Work

An independent qualitative evaluation into the work of Fine Cell Work (FCW) in five prisons across England and Scotland, to identify the key benefits of being involved with FCW, establish why offenders participate and continue their involvement and investigate changes in soft outcomes such as behaviour, feelings about prison and ... read on →

Published July 2011

Artform Needlework

Organisation Fine Cell Work

Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

Sample size: 22

Continuing Positive Change in Prison and Community

An analysis of the long-term and wider impact of the Good Vibrations Project. This report, commissioned from Birmingham City University’s Centre for Applied Criminology, looked at the impact of taking part in Good Vibrations on participants 12-18 months on, assessing the long-term institutional impact of participating and measuring whether any ... read on →

Authors David Wilson, Laura Caulfield, Dean Wilkinson (Birmingham City University)

Published

Artform Music

Organisation Good Vibrations   Project venues Eastwood Park, Grendon

Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

Sample size: 25

Evaluation of Geese Theatre's Reconnect Programme 2008

This study examines the impact of Geese Theatre’s Reconnect programme on the men who attended it. Evaluation objectives: 1. to determine whether improvements would be observed on psychometric tests measuring self-efficacy, motivation to change, and confidence in a range of skills. 2. to determine whether behaviour and engagement within the ... read on →

Authors Anthony Beech, Leigh Harkins, Donna Haskayne, Cecilia Pritchard, Andy Watson (Centre for Forensic and Criminal Psychology, University of Birmingham, Unversity of Brimingham)

Published 2008

Artform Drama

Organisation Geese Theatre

Participant type Male Adult Offenders, Female Adult Offenders

Sample size: 113

Developments in the HM Prison Service and Safe Ground Family Man programme, and the Safe Ground Network during 2007-8: An independent review

The purpose of this evaulation was to examine the developments Safe Ground had made to one of its prison interventions, Family Man, and to the Safe Ground network during the period 2007-08 following recommendations made in previous reviews. It utilised semi structured qualitative face to face interviews, telephone interviews and questionnaires ... read on →

Authors Gwyneth Boswell, Fiona Poland

Published October 2008

Artform Drama

Organisation Safe Ground   Project venues Belmarsh, Wandsworth

Participant type Male and Female Adult Families of offenders, Male Adult Offenders, Male and Female Adult Staff

Sample size: 258

Beats & Bars - Music in Prisons: An Evaluation

The report evaluated a series of five-day music projects which took place in eight men’s prisons across England from October 2007 to July 2008. The evaluation was aimed at understanding the impact of the project on its participants’ engagement with purposeful activities whilst in prison. In particular the impact of ... read on →

Authors Alexandra Cox, Loraine Gelsthorpe (Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge , University of Cambridge)

Published

Artform Music

Organisation The Irene Taylor Trust (Music in Prisons)   Project venues Brixton , Edmunds Hill, Littlehey, Manchester, Wandsworth, Wayland, Whatton

Participant type Male Adult Offenders

Sample size: 69

Elmina's Kitchen

An evaluation of the impact of the performance of play in HMP Brixton on the Synergy Theatre participants invloved and the audiences. read on →

Author Karin van Maanen (Anne Peaker Centre)

Published 2007

Artform Drama

Organisation Synergy Theatre   Project venue Brixton

Participant type Male Adult Offenders, Male and Female Adult Prison Staff, Male and Female Adult Public Audience

Sample size: 417

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