Evaluation Title

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

Type of evaluation

Data type Qualitative and Quantitative

Evaluation Focus Attitudinal change, Behaviour change, Confidence, Distinctive contribution of Arts, Emotional change, Impact of arts-based approaches, Impact of programme, Improved model of delivery, Learning outcomes, Personal development, Reducing offending, Rehabilitation, Self-Esteem, Sense of self, Value of Arts methodologies

Key indicators Attendance, Attitudes to parenting, Attitudinal change, Behavioural change, Challenging offending, Commitment, Communication skills, Confidence, Engagement, Estimate of impact, Identity different from being offender, Listening skills, Offending rates, Outcomes data, Personal skills, Reducing offending, Relationships with families, Relationships with staff, Self-Esteem, Social and Life Skills, Well Being

Project output Arts-based workshops

Model of change Adult learning theory, Desistance, Drama therapy

Methodologies Academic analysis, Assessments of change, Data analysis, Focus Groups, Interviews, Questionnaires, Reconviction study, Telephone interviews

Research limitations Control Groups, Longer term impact, Measuring crime reduction, Sample size

Summary of evaluation

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 with participants, family members and supporters, Safe Ground staff and experts regarding their qualitative experiences of the Family Man and the Network. In addition, recidivism rates of 211 men who took part in the project were also reviewed. The authors found that there were clearly set objectives in the programme and that prisoners experiences of both programmes were positive. Quantitative analysis of the 211 graduates reported a ten percentage point reduction in the number of adjudications received in the six months pre and post Family Man, as well as a promising reconviction rate of 19.6%, although it hsould be noted there was no comparison group.

Project description

Semi structured in depth qualitative interviews were conducted with participants (all male) of Family Man. In addition, 20 telephone interviews were conducted with relatives/supporters of the participants and 4 interviews were conducted with 4 staff members of Safe Ground responsible for implementing developments to the programmes. Five consultant partners with specialist expertise also completed semi-structured interviews or questionnaires. Furthermore, follow-up reoffending information for 211 men, who had completed the Family Man programme at HMP Wandsworth between 2005 and 2007, was also reviewed. Finally, seven national ‘players’ in the prisoner/learning/family policy arena were invited to respond to a short survey, either by telephone or e-mailed questionnaire.

Key Quote

Graduate: 'The course made me really start to see that my family are serving the sentence too,'

Supporter: 'I’m so glad I went. The staff really put you at your ease and you see other people in the same boat as you and you can have a laugh with them. It makes such a difference to find out what he is actually doing in there.'

'It must be said that the majority of respondents were extremely satisfied with the programme in its current (revised) format, with no suggestions to make for improvement.'

'It can be seen that very low numbers who were released re-offended within the first 6 months, and very slightly more beyond that 6 months.'

'In short, (the evidence demonstrates) a 10% reduction in prison adjudications in the 6 months after the men completed the Family Man programme.'

'Bearing in mind all the stated caveats, it seems possible cautiously to conclude that attending this programme made a contribution to reducing the anti-social and offending behaviour of these men.'

'Only in the middle of 2006 did the re-offending rates of Family Man graduates reach anything approaching that of the national 2004 rate. For most of the period 2005-7, it stayed well below that rate.'


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Arts Alliance Evidence Library