peter walker, prison fellowship international presenting the evaluation of the sycamore tree...
TRANSCRIPT
Peter Walker, Prison Fellowship International
Presenting the Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme
What is Sycamore Tree?...
An accredited victim awareness/restorative justice programme based on Christian values
Aims to challenge attitudes to offending behaviour, raise awareness of the impact of crime on victims
and communities, and teach the principles and application of restorative justice
To provide offenders with an opportunity to make an informed choice to change their lives
…..And what it isn’t!
Sycamore Tree is not faith promoting
Staff and volunteers are motivated by their Christian faith to get involved
1. Restorative Justice - What’s That?
2. Taking Responsibility (Ripples)
3. Saying Sorry, Acting Sorry (Victim/s)
4. Reconciliation
5. Taking the Next Step
6. Symbolic Act of Restitution
Programme Sessions
0
2040
60
80
100120
140
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Programme Growth
688 Sycamore Tree programmes run
Sycamore Tree Programme 1998 - 2008
Sycamore Tree running in 68 of 140 prisons(Penetration rate of 48%)
Prisoners starting the programme 10,121
Prisoners completing the programme 9,784(Completion rate of 97%)
Prisons and Prisoners
Ethnicity White = 6Black = 4Asian = 4Undisclosed = 2
Diversity and Prisoner Access to Sycamore Tree (average 16 prisoners)
Literacy levels:L2 = 3L1 = 7E3 = 4E2 = 1
Undisclosed = 1
Trained volunteer tutors 48
Trained volunteers who facilitate small group work 207
Delivery through trained volunteers
✓ Sycamore Tree prisoners’ workbooks✓ Prison Fellowship feedback forms from prisoners, facilitators and victims ✓ Prisoners anecdotal evidence (pre and post)✓ Crime Pics II - a psychometric tool (questionnaire) for measuring attitude change
Success - What evidence is there?
Measuring Attitudinal Change usingCrime Pics
(Psychometric tool)
Independent Evaluation by Sheffield Hallam University
Research Centre for Community Justice
Analysis of Crime Pics II data from 2,188 prisoners from pre and post programme scores from Sycamore Tree programmes between April 2002 and December 2004
Sheffield Hallam Report2,188 prisoners nationwide
“There was a statistically significant improvement on all five CRIME-PICS II scales. This indicates that the Sycamore Tree programme had the desired impact on the participants and changed the attitudes that are known to be conducive to offending behaviour.”
Sheffield Hallam University, Research Centre for Community Justice; March 2005
General Attitude to Offending 50%Anticipation of Re-Offending 24%Victim Hurt Denial 37%Evaluation of Crime as Worthwhile 40%Perception of Current Life Problems 21%
Sheffield Hallam Report2,188 prisoners nationwide
HMP The Mount
Results from programmes run June 2006 - May 2007
Average scores for 9 programmes
Represents 121 prisoners
Prison reports and feedback
ScalePre
ScoreAfter Score
Positive Change
Positive Change
National Average
G 1.76 0.84 0.92 52% 50% General Attitude to Offending
A 3.05 2.33 0.72 23% 24% Anticipation of Re-offending
V 1.89 1.24 0.65 34% 37% Victim Hurt Denial
E 2.77 1.56 1.21 44% 40% Evaluation of Crime as Worthwhile
P 2.79 1.98 0.81 29% 21% Perception of Current Life Problems
Discussion and Questions
Thank you
Contacts:Lynette Parker – Prison Fellowship International
[email protected] Mason – Prison Fellowship England & Wales