Evaluations

Applied Performance Arts Interventions within Justice Services: Moving 'Forward' Toward an Integrated Sustainable Evaluative Approach

This report evaluates the impact of a resettlement programme using forum theatre and therapeutic creative delivery in prisons, adult resettlement centres and secure units.  It focuses on the impact good partnership has on effective projects as well as the need for long-term sustained work in prisons to ensure the highest ... read on →

Authors Richard McHugh, Hannah Smithson (Manchester Metropolitan University)

Published January 2018

Artform Theatre

Organisation Odd Arts   Project venues Barton Moss Secure Unit, HMP Manchester, Langley House Trust resettlement centres

Participant type Male Ex offenders

Sample size: 50

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

The Arts of Desistance: Evaluation of the Koestler Trust Arts Mentoring Programme for Former Prisoners

This report presents and discusses the findings of an evaluation of an arts-based mentoring scheme that is aimed at prolonging and enhancing desistance from crime through providing former prisoners with opportunities to continue engaging with the arts after release. The evaluation focused both on the implementation and effectiveness of the ... read on →

Author Leonidas Cheliotis (London School of Economics)

Published October 2014

Artforms Creative Writing, Multi-Arts, Music, Visual Arts

Organisation Koestler Trust   Project venues Parc, Peterborough

Participant type Male and Female Adult Ex offenders

Sample size: 60

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 →

Published 2013

Artform Music

Participant type Male and Female Adult Ex offenders

Sample size: 7

“The Good Days are Amazing”  An Evaluation of the Writers in Prison Network 

This qualitative evaluation by Sheffield Hallam University was designed to:

  • map the activities of the Writers in Prison Network (WIPN)
  • identify the barriers and facilitators to effective delivery of the programme
  • identify effective practice
  • assess the impact of the programme on prisoners, writers and prison staff
  • assess the effectiveness of ... read on →

    Authors Katherine Albertson, Caroline O'Keefe (Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University)

    Published October 2012

    Artforms Creative Writing, Multi-Arts

    Organisation Writers in Prison Network

  • 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

    Special Projects Programme evaluation

    As part of WIPN's comprehensive evaluation of their work undertaken by Sheffield Hallam University, a separate evaluation of their Special Projects programmes was completed, focusing on the impact of the programme delivery on participants and stakeholders, specifically focusing on the challenges and benefits of the indoividual projects, their developents and recommendations ... read on →

    Authors Katherine Albertson, Caroline O'Keefe (Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University)

    Published April 2012

    Artforms Creative Writing, Multi-Arts

    Organisation Writers in Prison Network   Project venues Frankland, Full Sutton, Wormwood Scrubs

    An evaluation of the Artist in Residence at HMP Grendon

    Through observation and interviews with inmates and staff,this report documents the process of developing an artistic residency in a Therapeutic Community prison and provides an evaluation of the impact on those taking part. Based on observations across four prison wings and interviews with sixteen inmates, this report is able to conclude that ... read on →

    Author Laura Caulfield (Birmingham City University)

    Published October 2011

    Artform Visual Arts

    Project venue Grendon

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 16

    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

    Inspiring Change: Final Project Report of the Evaluation Team

    An evaluation of a series of arts-based interventions across the Scottish criminal justice system, focusing on the impact of engagement in these programmes on offenders’ attitudes and behaviours as well as their ability to learn.The findings concentrate on examining the quality of the arts experience, the people and processes involved, ... read on →

    Authors KIrstin Anderson, Sarah Colvin, Fergus McNeill, Mike Nellis, Katie Overy, Richard Sparks (Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research, University of Glasgow, University of Glasgow)

    Published February 2011

    Artforms Creative Writing, Drama, Music, Visual Arts

    Organisation Motherwell College   Project venues Barlinnie, Greenock, Open Estate, Polmont, Shotts

    Participant type Male Adult Offenders, Male Young Offenders, Female Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 219

    The Great Escape: exploring the rehabilitative dynamics involved in 'Changing Tunes'

    The goal of this report is to develop a 'logic model' that can account for how Changing Tunes (CT) works as a rehabilitative strategy, outlining both the dynamic processes involved and their immediate/short-term and medium/longer-term impacts on the lives of participants. This analysis identified seven, key elements of the CT ... read on →

    Author Shadd Maruna (Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Belfast)

    Published 2010

    Artform Music

    Organisation Changing Tunes   Project venues Bristol, Bronzefield, Eastwood Park, Erlestoke, Exeter, Gloucester, Guys Marsh, Kingston, Leyhill, Parkhurst, Shepton Mallet, Winchester

    Participant type Male and Female Adult Offenders

    Sample size: 87

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