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 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

  • 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

    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

    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

    The Means of Production

    Evaluation of a long-term drama residency facilitated by Rideout at HMP Dovegate Therapeutic Community. The residency consituted a number of participatory performance projects and a Creative Leadership Skills course in which prisoners attended workshops about all aspects of running community arts projects. This report assesses the impact of the residency ... read on →

    Author Kate Goodrich

    Published October 2004

    Artform Drama

    Organisation Rideout   Project venue Dovegate

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

    Sample size: 15

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