Evaluations
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 →
Musical Pathways: an exploratory study of young people in the criminal justice system, engaged with a creative music programme
118 young people engaged in a participatory music programme across eight youth justice settings in England and Wales. The research objectives were to [1] investigate meanings and values young offenders attribute to music, their relationships with music, and its significance to their health, wellbeing, lifestyle and social status; [2] observe ... read on →
Sounding Out - Jim Cartwright
The report followed Music in Prisons as they ran a pilot ‘through the gate’ project which, through music, aimed to provide longer-term rehabilitative opportunities to previous project participants in order to help bridge the gap between life inside and out prison. The key aims were to assist reintegration; impact on ... read on →
The Academy: a report on outcomes for participants
An evaluation of the two-year experimental phase of Dance United’s Academy project, this report showed that the Academy’s dance-led education programme delivered measurable increases in their capacity to learn and imparted a range of so-called ‘soft’ skills, which can, in turn, be linked to very favourable ‘hard’ outcomes in criminal ... read on →
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 →
What's the Point: using drama to engage young people at risk
This report summarises the findings of case study research into a drama based Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP) project. The findings of this case study research suggest the following factors need to be considered and implemented for the effective use of arts projects within key programmes targeting young people ... read on →
Dance Included: towards good practice in dance and social inclusion
Intended as a practical tool for organisations and individuals working in dance and social inclusion, covering: planning, partnerships, recruitment and retention of participants, professional development, project activity, evaluation, outcomes and, legacy. It also included a brief evaluation of case studies from the series of ACE funded dance organisations working in ... read on →
Doing the Arts Justice: A Review of Research Literature, Practice and Theory
The first comprehensive review examining the effectiveness of the arts in criminal justice settings, particularly the use of arts in the prevention of crime, in custodial and community sentencing, and resettlement. Starting with a strategic literature review of relevant worldwide practice from 1997 through to 2003, it then goes on ... read on →
FM and FI and Skills for Life
This evaluation commissioned by the OLSU, examined how far the 'Family Man' and 'Fathers Inside' programmes contributed towards the ‘Skills for Life Strategy’. It found that both programmes support the strategy by focusing on speaking, listening and responding skills and includes details of the percentages of FM & FI course ... read on →
