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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon

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Results for educational programs

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Author: Gormally, Brian

Title: Thematic Evaluation of Funded Projects: Politically-motivated Former Prisoners and their Families

Summary: This thematic evaluation focuses on the work of projects which work in the border areas with politically motivated ex-prisoners and their families. Many of these projects have already been individually evaluated in terms of the details of their work and indeed those evaluations form part of the key data drawn upon in the current report. However, the function of this report is to draw out more general themes of broader applicability in assessing the peace and reconciliation outcomes and the impacts of the projects. This review encompasses nine, separate -- indeed sometimes very different -- projects providing services and support for the ex-prisoner community of the Border Region of Ireland and beyond. The projects reviewed include seven, primarily local projects in the border area: Abhaile Aris based in Letterkenny; Expac based in Monaghan; Failte Abhaile based in Dundalk; Failte Chluain Eois based in Clones; La Nua based in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim; Tus Nua Sligeach based in Sligo; and Teach na Failte based in Strabane. In addition, the thematic review also covers the all-Ireland work of Coiste na n-Iarchimi, the central co-ordinating organisation for Republican ex-prisoner projects, as well as The Educational Trust, a project run by the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders that offers grants to individual ex-prisoners or their family members enabling them to take accredited educational courses throughout Ireland.

Details: Belfast: Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice School of Law Queen’s University Belfast, 2007. 77p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://www.seupb.eu/Libraries/Peace_Network_Meetings_and_Events/PN__Thematic_Evaluation_of_Funded_Projects_Politically_motivated_former_prisoners_and_their_families__020210.sflb.ashx

Year: 2007

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.seupb.eu/Libraries/Peace_Network_Meetings_and_Events/PN__Thematic_Evaluation_of_Funded_Projects_Politically_motivated_former_prisoners_and_their_families__020210.sflb.ashx

Shelf Number: 125902

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Ex-Offenders
Ex-Prisoners (Northern Ireland)
Families of Prisoners
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoner Rehabilitation

Author: Cooper, Karen

Title: Keeping Young People Engaged: Improving education, training and employment opportunities for serious and persistent young offenders

Summary: In 2002, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) secured funding from the Government spending review to establish the ‘Keeping Young People Engaged’ (KYPE) initiative. A partnership project led by the YJB and the Connexions Service, KYPE was intended to support the existing capabilities of youth offending teams (YOTs) to provide relevant education, training and employment (ETE) services for all young offenders, but particularly for individuals subject to Detention and Training Orders (DTOs) and those serving community sentences of Intensive Surveillance and Supervision Programmes (ISSPs). The YJB and Connexions established a joint target to ensure that at least 90% of young offenders would be in suitable ETE during and at the end of their sentence. The main objective of the project was to enhance the resources available to local partnerships so that performance improvements would be achieved in pursuit of the 90% target. In 2003, eight Connexions frontrunner areas were selected to receive KYPE funding. In the projects’ second year, a further five YOT cluster areas were allocated funding. In undertaking the evaluation, three key aims provided an overall focus and a framework within which to draw up research activities. These aims were: to determine the effectiveness of resource funded by the project in successfully placing young offenders in ETE; to assess key components, approaches and practices to help develop an understanding of ‘what works’; and to capture learning from the project in a way that would best develop the wider knowledge base on ETE and provide evidence for policy development.

Details: London: Youth Justice Board, 2007. 206p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6703/1/Keeping_Young_People_Engaged_(Full_Report)-2.pdf

Year: 2007

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/6703/1/Keeping_Young_People_Engaged_(Full_Report)-2.pdf

Shelf Number: 126110

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Employment Programs
Juvenile Offenders (U.K.)
Youth Services

Author: Northern Ireland Executive

Title: Pathways to Success: Preventing Exclusion and Promoting Participation of Young People

Summary: The issue of young people disengaging from education, training and employment is one that Northern Ireland has faced, in common with other regions globally, for many years. The term ‘NEET’, meaning young people not in education, employment or training, was coined during the late 1990s and is widely recognised internationally. When used inappropriately, the term can carry possible negative connotations. However, it has gained widespread currency and its use in this document is intended to facilitate more precise thinking and strategic decision making about young people who spend a substantial amount of time outside education, employment or training. For the purposes of this strategy, it is helpful to consider three groups of young people for whom different types of Government intervention are appropriate: • those under 16, where the focus is on work to prevent young people becoming NEET; • those aged 16 to 18 who are not at school, college or in training, including those who face specific barriers to participation, where the focus is on measures to re-engage young people with education and training; and • young unemployed people aged 18 to 24, who are unemployed or economically inactive and who may or may not be in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance or other benefits, where the focus is on engaging young people with employment opportunities. In developing ‘Pathways to Success’, we have considered the three groups on an ‘end to end’ basis, from childhood all the way through to employment. There already exists a wide variety of existing public service provision to meet the needs of young people in all these groups, but one of the key issues identified through consultation was that the different programmes are not sufficiently joined up, leaving young people at risk of dropping out, particularly at key transition points. A main purpose of ‘Pathways to Success’ is, therefore, to help bring coherence to existing provision, while considering the need for new interventions to fill gaps, to signpost and to support young people in taking up the various programmes.

Details: Belfast: Northern Ireland Executive, 2012. 85p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 27, 2012 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/14668/1/del-pathways-to-success-june-2012.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/14668/1/del-pathways-to-success-june-2012.pdf

Shelf Number: 126120

Keywords:
Delinquency Prevention (Northern Ireland)
Educational Programs
Exployment Programs
Young Adults

Author: Robinson, Emma

Title: Achieving Learner Retention in Basic Skills: findings from a study of offenders in West Yorkshire

Summary: The general education level of those coming before the courts is low. It is estimated that ‘nearly 60 per cent of prisoners have poor literacy and communication skills and as many as 75 per cent have poor numeracy skills’ (Uden, 2004, p.9). These are levels of skills low enough to exclude them from 96 per cent of available jobs. Fifty-two per cent of men and 71 per cent of women prisoners have no qualifications at all, compared with 15 per cent of the general population. The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) published ‘Education and Training for Offenders’ in 2003 which charted a change in the ways that education and training are delivered in prisons. Whilst its initial focus was on prisons and prisoners, the focus of attention has broadened to concern offenders more generally. Indeed, there has been an increasing acceptance within the Criminal Justice System of the role of education and training in reducing re-offending. A number of recent Basic Skills Pathfinder Projects carried out between 1999 and 2002 tested out procedures for offenders on probation including screening of clients for basic skills needs, assessment, provision and arrangements to encourage take-up of basic skills opportunities by offenders. Findings from the pathfinder showed that 50% of the sample had no qualifications at all and only 26% had a level 2 qualification or above (McMahon et al, 2004). Approximately 35% of the sample were assessed as likely to have a basic skills need. Another important finding from the evaluation was the attrition that occurred at every stage of the process, resulting in only a small number of offenders receiving basic skills tuition. The highest rate of attrition occurred following the screening process with only 19% of the sample subsequently attending for assessment. This has led to an increased emphasis on the role of case managers in attempting to ensure attendance during the course of supervision. The Probation Service now plays a key role in identifying the learning needs of individuals, the provision of information and advice, and in referral to appropriate learning opportunities. Similar to the ‘core curriculum’ delivered in prisons with its associated targets, the Probation Service concentrates overwhelmingly on basic skills for which it has agreed the following targets in a Service Delivery Agreement: · 6,000 starts on basic skills programmes and 1,000 qualifications (at any level) for 2002/3 · 12,000 qualifications (2,000 at Entry level, 8,000 at Level 1 and 2,000 and Level 2). This report is the culmination of 12 months’ research into basic skills provision in West Yorkshire (April 2004 – March 2005). A range of internal and external projects have been drawn upon which include: · An internal research project looking at the implementation of DISC’s mentoring service for offenders. · An internal report examining the provision of basic skills for diverse offender groups, staff awareness of basic skills provision, and staff training needs. · Results from a series of internal throughput reports focusing on four particular offender groups: female offenders, minority ethnic offenders, offenders residing in hostels and drug misusing offenders subject to a Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO). · An internal evaluation of the early roll-out of Guided Skills Learning in West Yorkshire. · Results from an external research project led by the National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy (NRDC). West Yorkshire was one of two pathfinder areas involved in the Maths for Life: Talking up Numeracy offender pathfinder. · Key findings from two internally commissioned improvement projects set up in response to a low conversion rate for basic skills starts to awards. The projects comprised: a Learning Improvement Project (LIP) focusing on meeting the area awards target for 2004/5, and an improvement project in Leeds West focusing on the district awards target.

Details: West Yorkshire, UK: West Yorkshire National Probation Service, 2005. 39p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2012 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/pdfs/BasicSkills_2004-5_FullReport.pdf

Year: 2005

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/pdfs/BasicSkills_2004-5_FullReport.pdf

Shelf Number: 126280

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Probationers (U.K.)
Rehabilitation Programs
Remedial Education Programs

Author: Dooley, Julian

Title: Educational Evaluation of Cybersmart Detectives

Summary: The aim of the Australian Communications and Media Authority‟s (ACMA) Cybersmart Detectives (CSD) activity is to teach children key Internet safety messages in a safe school environment. The activity brings together a number of agencies with an interest in promoting online safety for young people, including education, State and Federal Police, government and child welfare advocates. The activity has been played by over 28, 000 students in Australia since initial trials in 2004. Cybersmart Detectives is offered free to schools by the ACMA as part of the Australian Government‟s commitment to cyber-safety. Based on a real-world Internet safety scenario, the CSD activity is delivered to students in the classroom as a series of messages. Aided by the classroom teacher, students work in small teams, reading correspondence, voting on a series of poll questions and sending questions and suggestions to their „Cybersmart Guide‟ waiting online. As the scenario unfolds, students discuss the risks of certain online and offline behaviours and ways of managing those risks. Cybersmart Guides are an important part of the activity. Guides are teachers, police and Internet safety experts who help students throughout the activity. The Guides respond to questions and theories posed by students online and help guide teams through each of the clues. Along with the interactive online CSD activity, the ACMA also provides a suite of teaching resources to support ongoing Internet safety education in the classroom. These resources include lesson plans and access to other ACMA online and hard copy resources. This independent evaluation, which was conducted by the Child Health Promotion Research Centre (CHPRC) at Edith Cowan University, was designed to answer five key questions: 1. Investigate if the game‟s key cyber-safety messages are identified by students; 2. Measure the short-term impact of CSD on student learning about cyber-safety; 3. Determine if students recognise the link between key cyber-safety messages and how these messages should be assimilated in their own behaviours/lives; 4. Examine the teacher‟s role in reinforcing the key cyber-safety messages; and 5. Assess the value of the pre-game and post-game lessons in reinforcing the key cyber-safety messages. The evaluation used a mixed methods approach, comprising stakeholder interviews, teacher interviews, quantitative student data collection and focus groups with students enabling the triangulation of results to support the implementation of the CSD activity. In addition to the data collection and analyses described in the proposal, the CHPRC conducted supplementary analyses to explore students‟ responses to poll questions (embedded within the CSD activity) and qualitative transcripts comprising student and guide comments posed during the CSD activity.

Details: Perth, Australia: Child Health Promotion Research Centre Edith Cowan University, 2011. 249p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310665/cybersmart_detectives-report.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310665/cybersmart_detectives-report.pdf

Shelf Number: 126680

Keywords:
Computer Safety
Cybercrimes
Educational Programs
Internet Safety (Australia)
Social Networking

Author: Haitana, Bronwyn

Title: Review of the New Zealand Police Youth Education Service Programmes

Summary: The New Zealand Police Strategic Plan 2011 – 2015 (Police Strategic Plan) determines the role of Youth Education Services (YES) as one of the many New Zealand Police (Police) services working within the Police's vision of Safer Communities Together. The mission articulated through the strategy is to direct Police to work in partnership with communities to prevent crime and road trauma, enhance public safety and maintain public order. The Prevention First National Operating Strategy 2011 ‐ 2015 (Prevention First Strategy) sits within the Police Strategic Plan. The strategy focuses on 'putting prevention at the front of policing'. The strategy indicates that Police will work with other agencies, service providers and the community, particularly Maori, Pacific and ethnic groups, to address the underlying causes of offending and victimisation. Youth is one of the five areas of focus within the Prevention First Strategy and YES plays a vital part in meeting those outcomes for the Police. YES has on average 120 Police Education Officers (PEOs) per annum working in partnership with school principals, teachers and the school communities in 25001 schools throughout New Zealand. The YES curriculum identifies two strategic themes.  Crime Prevention  School Road Safety Education (SRSE) Currently YES provides twenty‐one primary and nine secondary programmes free to schools. There are programmes for primary, intermediate and secondary schools. The programmes are all designed to help children and young people lead confident, safe lives and are focussed on various key competencies and learning areas within the New Zealand Curriculum. Schools are seen as ideal settings in which to promote mental, emotional and social wellbeing for young people. As a result, both in New Zealand and overseas, a smorgasbord of road safety, social responsibility, violence prevention and drug education programmes are offered in schools, many delivered by outside providers. Internationally and nationally, the popularity of these educational interventions is a result of a desire to satisfy a number of goals within government and non‐government agencies. They allow authorities to be seen to be addressing a matter of public concern: they are plausible, both to those who create them and those who receive them; and they are politically non‐controversial, requiring no regulation. However, the evidence indicates that they are in large part ineffective. 5 In New Zealand, as well as overseas, it has become essential for education prevention providers to consider whether their programmes align with the New Zealand Curriculum and to provide outcome evidence that their prevention programmes are invariably making a difference for youth. With the increasing awareness of ineffective intervention and the lack of outcome‐based programmes YES identified the need to partake in a review of its programmes to:  determine the education pedagogical2 principles within which effective YES programmes (within the YES key themes of Road Safety and Crime Prevention education) should be developed  identify strengths and opportunities for improvement of YES programmes  review and update systems and processes associated with the identification, development, implementation and evaluation of YES programmes  investigate the current profile of youth offending and victimisation and any correlation with YES programmes. This review concludes that YES has an important role in creating the understanding that Police is an integral part of New Zealand society. The YES service has provided a wide range of printed education resources and education services since 1980 and it has helped Police to provide a presence for children and young people and a reassurance that policing involves both a preventative (educative) as well as an enforcement approach to building a safer community.

Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Police, 2012. 126p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2013 at: http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/resources/youth-education-service-programmes-review-full.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: New Zealand

URL: http://www.police.govt.nz/sites/default/files/resources/youth-education-service-programmes-review-full.pdf

Shelf Number: 127590

Keywords:
Crime Prevention
Delinquency Prevention (New Zealand)
Educational Programs
Police-Community Relations
Police-School Partnerships

Author: Leshnick, Sukey Soukamneuth

Title: Evaluation of School-District-Based Strategies for Reducing Youth Involvement in Gangs and Violent Crime

Summary: In 2007, the Employment and Training Administration provided funding to five school districts to improve services to youth who are involved, have been involved or are at risk of involvement with gangs or the juvenile justice system. A variety of educational, employment, and violence prevention programs and strategies were developed and designed to increase academic performance, lower the involvement of drop-outs and reduce involvement in crime and gangs. The Evaluation of School District-Based Strategies for Reducing Youth Involvement in Gangs and Violent Crime report summarizes findings that cover several key areas for improving services: community context, school district characteristics, in-school and out-of-school youth service models, and program outcomes. The goals of the evaluation were to document prevention and intervention strategies, assess partnership models, document outcomes, and identify successful strategies, challenges and lessons learned.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor/ETZ, 2010. 239p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation_of_School_District-Based_Strategies_for_Reducing_Youth_Involvement_in_Gangs_and_Violent_Crime_Final_Report.pdf

Year: 2010

Country: United States

URL: http://wdr.doleta.gov/research/FullText_Documents/Evaluation_of_School_District-Based_Strategies_for_Reducing_Youth_Involvement_in_Gangs_and_Violent_Crime_Final_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 127711

Keywords:
At-risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Educational Programs
Gang Prevention
Gangs (U.S.)
Violent Crime
Vocational Training and Education
Youth Violence

Author: Robinson, Emma

Title: Piloting an all-female ETS group in Bradford. Evaluation Report

Summary: The initial part of the research was concerned with outcomes from males and females across all accredited programmes in West Yorkshire. Logistic regression techniques were applied in much of the analysis to try and pick out the key predictive factors for completion of any accredited programme then more specifically, ETS. Initial analysis of the data-set revealed that overall, in the 15-month period under review, females were just as likely to start an accredited programme as males. Completion figures were also very similar for males and females. Logistic regression analysis on this data showed that predictive factors for completion of an accredited programme were: Tier, Age and OGRS2 score. Offenders in the ‘too high’ OGRS band were less likely to complete an accredited programme as were Tier 3 and 4 cases. The likelihood of completion also appears to increase with age. The data revealed that a proportion of offenders had been inappropriately allocated to ETS on the basis of their OGRS2 score. However, whereas those in the ‘too high’ category were less likely to complete an accredited programme overall, this did not hold true for the ETS sub-sample as 72% of those in this category who started, then went on to complete the programme. This suggests that other factors may influence programme completion. A total of 12 females completed ETS in a fifteen month period in West Yorkshire. Four of these completers (33%) were singleton females. The all-female ETS pilot achieved two completions from 6 starts (33%), with a further individual attending catch-up sessions at the time of writing. Logistic regression analysis showed that when all other variables were controlled for, Gender and Age were significant predictors of the completion of ETS. The throughput showed that males were twice as likely to complete ETS than females and that the likelihood of completing the programme increases with age. Although a full set of psychometric test scores was not available, some preliminary analysis has been undertaken on the pre and post scores for the mixed ETS attendees and those post scores for the two completers of the pilot group. Overall, the data revealed some differences in scores pre to post programme for the mixed group, and on two of these measures, the post scores mean for the ETS female pilot were lower still. This may indicate some positive results for the female pilot, but without the pre-scores (which were not administered at the start of the course) it is not possible to confirm this. If further groups are to be run, it will be useful to ensure that these tests are administered in order to compare these groups against the mixed ETS programmes. The completers of the pilot group spoke positively about their experience of the programme and their engagement with the other group members. One of the completers indicated that she had no preference towards being in an all-female group or a mixed ETS group. Indeed, this was a common feeling among the respondents in this research as offenders in mixed groups did not necessarily feel that they would have been more comfortable in an all-female group. The pilot group achieved two completions, with a further female having dropped off the group at the very end. This was comparable to the number of ETS completion for females in the previous 15 months across West Yorkshire. Perhaps the group dynamics in the ETS pilot, for instance the supportive atmosphere and the use of real-life examples linked to the material does have an impact on engagement with the programme, but this did not in this instance impact on completion. The group dynamics may not be picked up on by the participants themselves having not been on a mixed group previously, and for those in mixed groups not having experience an all-female group. Both groups of respondents talked positively about the programme itself, and this did not appear to be affected by the composition of the group they were on, perhaps suggesting that females might engage with the programme more than males, and therefore there are other factors preventing females from completing ETS. It was thought that issues such as childcare might be one of these barriers, which was addressed by providing the creche service at the TWP. However, only one of the females used the creche service, so it is difficult to assess the impact of this link-in at this stage. If a further group is run, this may provide more data by which to assess the ‘added value’ of running the programme from TWP premises. The two programme tutors felt that although the creche facility was a useful resource for those attending the programme, it was issues linked to confidence that had made the group responsive to the needs of the women who took part. Confidence was picked up as a major factor for three of the women who were attending due to various issues around alcohol use and domestic violence relationships. As the women had an opportunity to use these real life examples and link them to the material covered in ETS, it was felt that the course had helped to boost their confidence This appeared to tie in with feedback from females on the group who suggested that it was not necessarily the absence of males on the group that was important, rather it was the opportunity to share experiences and talk with other females in a supportive environment. However, given this perceived better engagement of the women tutors had some unanswered questions about the low number of completions from the programme. The reasons for this are difficult to pinpoint and it was felt that organisational issues and an inadequate setting of programme boundaries might have played a part in this. This appears to have been a well-received pilot programme, as both offenders, tutors and staff at TWP spoke very positively about the experience and where hopeful about running further groups in the future. However it did not create significantly higher levels of completion, nor objective data to support the effectiveness of the programme.

Details: Wakefield, UK: West Yorkshire Probation Service, 2008. 30p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008

Year: 2008

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.westyorksprobation.org.uk/documentlist.php?type=1&year=2008

Shelf Number: 128274

Keywords:
Cognitive Skills
Educational Programs
Enhanced Thinking Skills Programs
Female Offenders (U.K.)
Rehabilitation Programs

Author: Courage Partners

Title: Final Report: Final Evaluation of Youth in Communities

Summary: Courage Partners was engaged by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to conduct an evaluation of the Youth in Communities program. The evaluation commenced in July 2010 and was finalised in June 2012. The final evaluation of the program showed participants are more engaged at school and with their peers, are involving themselves more in cultural programs, sport and leadership activities, and are benefiting from higher self-esteem. The evaluation also found that organisations supported by Youth in Communities had successfully strengthened their service models to deliver better outcomes for young people. This includes developing more gender-specific programs to improve participation among young males, offering youth work traineeships to help create sustainable local employment opportunities, and strengthening relationships with local elders.

Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2012. 110p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2013/youth_in_communities_final_evaluation_report.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: Australia

URL: https://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/02_2013/youth_in_communities_final_evaluation_report.pdf

Shelf Number: 128322

Keywords:
Aboriginal Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Educational Programs
Indigenous Youth
Juvenile Offenders (Australia)
School Attendance

Author: Centre for Social Justice

Title: Can Secure Colleges Transform Youth Custody? Transcript from a roundtable discussion on Secure Colleges

Summary: The case for change is clear. Last year more than 3,500 young offenders were sentenced to custody and more than 70% of them went onto reoffend within a year, despite an average of around £100,000 per annum being spent on their detention. There is an urgent need to improve the educational attainment of children in custody, reduce the sky-high levels of reoffending, and turn around the lives of these young people for their own sake and for the sake of the communities that are blighted by the crime they commit. The CSJ has long argued for education to play a central role in the rehabilitation of young offenders. We were delighted to host a roundtable on Secure Colleges with the Minister for Prisons and Rehabilitation, Jeremy Wright MP, and leading voices from the criminal justice and education sectors. Our aim was to bring together key individuals and organisations that can help the Coalition Government make the idea of Secure Colleges a successful reality in the UK.

Details: London: Centre for Social Justice, 2013. 51p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2013 at: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/publications/can-secure-colleges-transform-youth-custody

Year: 2013

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/publications/can-secure-colleges-transform-youth-custody

Shelf Number: 128796

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Offender Rehabilitation
Recidivism
Reoffending
Young Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Duwe, Grant

Title: The Effects of Minnesota Prison-Based Educational Programming on Recidivism and Employment

Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of prison-based educational programming by examining the effects of obtaining secondary and post-secondary degrees on recidivism and post-release employment outcomes among offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2007 and 2008. Obtaining a secondary degree in prison significantly increased the odds of securing post-release employment by 59 percent but did not have a significant effect on recidivism or other employment measures such as hourly wage, total hours worked, and total wages earned. Earning a post-secondary degree in prison, however, was associated with greater number of hours worked, higher overall wages, and less recidivism.

Details: St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Corrections, 2013. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 30, 2013 at: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNDOCEducationalProgrammingEvaluation_Final.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: United States

URL: http://www.doc.state.mn.us/publications/documents/MNDOCEducationalProgrammingEvaluation_Final.pdf

Shelf Number: 128880

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Ex-Offender Employment
Prison Programs
Prisoners (Minnesota, U.S.)
Recidivism
Vocational Training and Education

Author: Canton, Rob

Title: Outside Chances: Offender Learning in the Community: Final Report

Summary: Offenders have fewer educational and employment skills than the general population and fewer opportunities to access the services they need. Since education and qualifications help people to gain employment, and since employment is often central to desistance from crime, enhancement of services could contribute significantly to a reduction in reoffending. To understand how services are provided at the moment and how they are experienced by the users themselves, the City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development commissioned De Montfort University to interview offenders and to collate and interpret their experiences and their opinions. Research approach De Montfort interviewed 127 service users in four Probation Trust Areas. More than 30 professionals were also interviewed in a range of different roles, including offender managers in the probation service, and education providers/tutors. While interview schedules were used to ensure that the necessary areas of inquiry were covered systematically, interviewers encouraged participants to express their own views about what mattered to them – foregrounding the user voice – and a great deal of rich data were gathered. There has been quite a lot of research about learning opportunities in prison, but much less is known about provision in the community. The needs profile of offenders subject to community orders is likely to be very similar to that of prisoners, but the context of provision is very different, as are the accessibility and quality of learning as perceived by service users, and the incentives and barriers to participation. Key findings Offenders involved in learning have an enormous diversity of experience, aspirations and motives. For example, some were unable to read or write; others were educated to degree level. This needs to be taken into account by those undertaking assessment, as well as by those designing and delivering the programmes. A very common experience is under-achievement at school, for many and often inter-related reasons, and a subsequent disaffection from education which leaves offenders anxious and apprehensive about learning. Busy offender managers may fail to recognise doubts – for instance a reluctance to participate in educational programmes or even to acknowledge their needs – and therefore give priority to more obviously criminogenic factors in planning their work with offenders. Almost all respondents were subject to a community order. There seems rarely to have been a specific requirement to participate in education. The majority were attending education either as part of their supervision or on unpaid work. The experience of unpaid workers is mixed: many take it up to work off their hours more quickly or as what they perceive to be an easier option. While some may then participate enthusiastically, many do not and struggle to engage with the learning experience. There are different models of provision. Systems and procedures for the assessment of offenders and the delivery of education and learning vary considerably between Trust areas. Whilst there is scope for improvement in some places, there is considerable innovation and commitment to offender education across the areas. This research points to strengths and drawbacks of various arrangements, with some aspects of ‘best practice’ identified, but overall finds no one model to be superior to another. Assessment is variable. Despite the professionals’ insistence that assessment instruments were efficiently and routinely deployed, many offenders do not recall processes of assessment (which is not to say that they did not take place) and some say that they had to raise the matter of learning themselves. Although qualification and employment are often mentioned by offenders, there is a wide range of other motives to participate in education, including the value of learning for its own sake, intellectual stimulation, personal fulfilment and a wish to contribute to the learning of their own children. These are all worthy motives and should be valued for their own sake, as well as for the contribution that they are likely to make to the living of a ‘good life’ with which desistance is typically associated. Some offenders and offender managers explain that service users cannot usefully participate in education until they have addressed other challenges in their lives – for example, drug misuse and other criminogenic factors. Other professionals, on the other hand, and some service users say that learning has helped them to deal with those very problems, by giving them purpose, improving their skills of personal organisation and increasing their confidence. Even where it has been decided that an individual is not in a position to benefit from education for the time being, this should be reviewed periodically and not be forgotten. Providers typically offer encouragement, enthusiasm, patience and considerable educational skill. Even offenders who were relatively unimpressed with the programmes themselves tended to speak very highly of the tutors with whom they worked, whether probation employees, partners – mainly from Further Education colleges – or others. As well as supporting educational attendance, especially where this is voluntary, the quality of engagement with tutors seems likely to contribute to the general experience of probation and enhance compliance. This is another way in which educational provision might support reduced reoffending. Where employment is a principal motivation, in many cases offenders express disappointment that much available provision is too basic and offers no very clear pathway to work. A common criticism was that programmes were too elementary and there were insufficient opportunities to progress, at least through probation provision. Many offenders felt that there was very little choice available. Where learning programmes were individualised, this is valued and enables people to develop – both those at higher/faster levels and those who need more basic support and input. Motivation and attitude seem much the most important factors in determining participation. Crucially, the reasons for continuing in education may not be the same as those that led to participation in the first place. Offender managers may need to develop their skills in initial motivation. Once offenders have begun learning, their achievements often bring their own reward and reinforcement and tutors contribute invaluably in this process. There are practical constraints to educational participation. Probation and its partners are generally creative and supportive in overcoming many practical difficulties around times and location for educational provision. On the other hand, fear, lack of confidence, pessimism about employment prospects and a lack of funding to develop education beyond that provided by probation can further undermine the commitment of even the most motivated offenders. Many professionals are anxious about economic uncertainties. There is a worry that high unemployment will further prejudice the position of a profoundly disadvantaged client group. There is also great concern about the funding of future provision. Many professionals are worried that their projects may not be able to continue, despite their meeting of the targets set for them and the demonstrable value of the work. Several professionals said that much time was spent trying to find funding which might better be spent on developing the quality of offender learning. Generally the most appreciated programmes were characterised by: ● the personal qualities of the tutors ● a positive learning environment ● the active and continuing interest of the offender manager ● the provision of learning on familiar and accessible premises ● the opportunity to follow individualised learning programmes at the person’s level and pace ● connections between the learning and other concerns and interests in the service user’s life ● the intrinsic interest of the materials ● some opportunities for peer support in learning. Since educational programmes have several objectives and can bring many gains, different criteria and methods must be used to evaluate their effects. This challenges the idea of ‘payment by results’. No research findings have been able to establish a clear causal association between participation in education and reduced reoffending (with or without the intervening influence of employment), but the role of learning as one aspect of desistance, its value as a precondition of social inclusion and its indirect effects on self-esteem, confidence, problemsolving and personal relationships make it one of the most important services accessible through a community order.

Details: City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development; De Montfort University: Community and Criminal Justice, 2011.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: http://www.skillsdevelopment.org/PDF/Outside%20Chances%20full%20report.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.skillsdevelopment.org/PDF/Outside%20Chances%20full%20report.pdf

Shelf Number: 129022

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Ex-Offender Employment
Offender Rehabilitation (U.K.)

Author: Knight, Victoria

Title: A Study to Identify How 16 + Young Offenders across Leicestershire Engage with Education, Training or Employment

Summary: This research is in response to Leicestershire Youth Offending Service’s (YOS) targets with respect to 16+ year old young offenders’ educational, training and employment (ETE) status. They have found that a high proportion of this cohort is failing to engage or partially engage with ETE. Using information that is already collected by the YOS, De Montfort University’s Community and Criminal Justice Division were asked to explore how this might inform their practice and identify risks about this particular group. This report is divided into sections which include context of the study, and includes some literature, methodology, findings and conclusions. The conclusion also offers a summary of the findings with also some potential indicators about ETE amongst 16 + young offenders, which might offer guidance for practitioners.

Details: Leicester, UK: De Montfort University, Community and Criminal Justice Division, 2010. 24p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 18, 2013 at: https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/

Year: 2010

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.dora.dmu.ac.uk/

Shelf Number: 129025

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Employment Programs
Offender Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training
Young Adult Offenders (U.K.)

Author: Goldschmidt, Pete

Title: The Long-Term Effects of After-School Programming on Educational Adjustment and Juvenile Crime: A Study of the LA.s BEST After-School Program

Summary: Widespread interest in the impact of after-school programs on youth development has increased dramatically over the past several years. Although research has investigated the short-term impact of programs on academic and social student development, there is limited research on the long-term effectiveness of after-school programs in lowering rates of juvenile crime. This study bridges that research gap and presents results from an evaluation of the effectiveness of LA's BEST - the largest urban-based, after-school program in Los Angeles County - on long-term academic achievement growth and juvenile crime. This research tracked the academic and juvenile crime histories for a sample of 6,000 students, 2,000 students participating in LA's BEST and 4,000 matched control students not participating in LA's BEST. We used multilevel propensity scores to match control to treatment students and applied multilevel longitudinal models and multilevel survival analyses methods to analyze the data. Results indicate that students' engagement in the program is a strong mediating factor of program effectiveness. The key element of positive program impact is student engagement, as indicated by a medium to high average monthly attendance, and by significant adult contact of at least one additional adult (volunteer) per day. Student participants, who attended sites with a higher average of adult volunteerism, demonstrate modest achievement gains compared to students who did not participate in LA's BEST. Likewise, students who consistently attended LA's BEST demonstrate a substantively significant reduction in the juvenile crime hazard compared to participants with inconsistent attendance, and compared to students in the control group. Benefit-cost analyses indicate that results are sensitive to assumptions regarding the value of avoided costs from prevented crimes.

Details: Los Angeles: University of California, National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST), 2007. 177p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: http://www.lasbest.org/download/dept-of-justice-final-report

Year: 2007

Country: United States

URL: http://www.lasbest.org/download/dept-of-justice-final-report

Shelf Number: 132087

Keywords:
After-School Programs
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Crime Prevention
Delinquency Prevention
Educational Programs
Juvenile Delinquency

Author: Hwang, Sophia

Title: Supporting the Needs of Students Involved with the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System in the School District of Philadelphia

Summary: In January 2013, PolicyLab at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) was commissioned by the Mayor's Office of Education (MOE), School District of Philadelphia (SDP), Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC), and Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) to examine the distribution, concentration, and academic outcomes of youth in Philadelphia's public schools involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system. The research was requested to inform policy decisions intended to improve educational success for youth involved with DHS in Philadelphia. This report presents data from a targeted cross-system review of students in the 3rd, 7th, 9th, and 12th grades from the 2011-2012 academic year across all schools within the SDP. The goals of the review were to (1) describe the level of both ongoing and previous child welfare and juvenile justice involvement of students in the SDP and (2) better understand these students' educational needs. The key findings are highlighted below. KEY FINDINGS: I The population of students who have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system across the School District of Philadelphia is substantial. A Overall, 17% of students have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system-this increases to one in five for high school students. B Almost half of the high schools in the School District of Philadelphia have more than 100 students ever involved with DHS or more than 20% of the population ever involved with DHS-with some schools having both. C The enrollment of students ever involved with DHS is geographically dispersed across the School District of Philadelphia. II Students who have ever been involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system have greater identified educational needs than their peers. A Nearly one in four students ever involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system received special education services, a rate 64% greater than their peers who never had child welfare and/or juvenile justice involvement. B Educational outcomes (measured by Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores, high school credit accumulation, and grade promotion) and attendance rates were poorer among students ever involved with the child welfare and/or juvenile justice system. III Although enrollment of students who have ever been involved with DHS is geographically dispersed across the school system, these students tend to cluster in certain school types and have lower educational outcomes than students without DHS involvement. However, within the same school type, the performance of students with DHS involvement over time is similar to that of their peers without DHS involvement. A Students ever involved with DHS are concentrated in Comprehensive and Alternative Education Schools compared to Traditional Charter or Special Admission and Citywide Schools. B Educational outcomes vary by school type, but within similar settings, students ever involved with DHS tend to mirror the performance of their peers who never had DHS involvement.

Details: Philadelphia: PolicyLab, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 2014. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2014 at: http://policylab.chop.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/PolicyLab_Report_Supporting_Students_Involved_with_Child_Welfare_June_2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: http://policylab.chop.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/publications/PolicyLab_Report_Supporting_Students_Involved_with_Child_Welfare_June_2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 132515

Keywords:
Educational Programs
High School Students
Juvenile Offenders
School Dropouts
Schools

Author: Carmody, Moira

Title: Less to lose and more to gain? Men and Boys Violence Prevention Research Project Final Report,

Summary: Violence against women is a costly personal and social issue that has far reaching and long term impacts across the whole Australian community. Primary prevention takes these factors seriously and aims to intervene to prevent intimate partner violence and sexual violence before they occur. Our research found considerable interest at a state and national level in engaging men and boys in violence against women (VAW) primary prevention. The study findings indicate that VAW primary prevention is still in the early stages of development both in Australia and internationally. Effective intervention is acknowledged as more likely to occur if actions are taken at multiple levels within the community. This requires action at policy levels as well as within communities or organisations and at the local level of service provision. The survey that was undertaken for this study of prevention agencies and programs found a significant clustering of prevention efforts in Victoria and NSW with work also being undertaken in Queensland. Students at high school and university were the most common targets of primary prevention efforts, with adolescence and early adulthood recognised as key periods for VAW perpetration and victimisation. Other programs identified in our study worked specifically with Indigenous communities, CALD communities and sports organisations. Most stakeholders described their programs as underpinned by a gendered, ecological model of VAW that understands violence as a product of gender inequity and gender norms. The findings from surveys and interviews indicate that a coherent and identifiable field of prevention practice focused specifically on men and boys has yet to emerge in Australia. Activities in the field are piecemeal, ad hoc and dispersed. There is no peak organisation that provides support to areas of emerging practice except in relation to men's behaviour change programs (i.e. perpetrator programs). Primary prevention activities are scarce as well as programs focused on boys or men specific activities. Despite these findings, there are areas of prevention activity focusing on men and boys that indicate promising practice. These include programs and activities such as: respectful relationships education, bystander strategies, community development approaches, whole of organisation approaches, infant and parenting programs and social marketing. The strongest finding emerging from our research is that best practice in engaging men and boys occurs in two key areas of primary prevention: - Community strengthening and development; and, - Organisational and workforce development. Section 5 of the report provides a detailed evaluation of 2 programs that demonstrate these approaches. They are the Strong Aboriginal Men Program (SAM) and the NRL Respectful Relationship Sex & Ethics Program. These two programs share the primary prevention goal of preventing violence before it occurs as well as other important similarities, in particular: - They are underpinned by a gendered analysis of violence against women; - They involve working specifically or mainly with men; - They emerge from and are supported by organisations with significant experience and expertise in violence against women; and, - They engage men in multi-systemic change including at the community or organisational level. While both programs have been developed in response to men and boys in specific settings they are potentially adaptable and replicable in other settings. The knowledge gained from the design and implementation of the SAM program could be applied well to working with CALD communities and emerging refugee settings. The NRL program has many key features that can be used by diverse sporting codes and with other male workforce based programs. Both programs therefore demonstrate a potential for reach and influence beyond their immediate program base. This is important to enhance further primary prevention activities and in addressing long term cost effectiveness. Primary prevention is both a short and long term investment in challenging deep seated practices. Without a clear commitment and investment in policies and programs focused on intervening before violence occurs, personal and financial costs will continue to grow leading to increased tertiary sector expenditure. Leadership is needed within organisations and across our diverse communities to promote policies and practices that build on existing international evidence to progress primary prevention of VAW. In particular, attending to the following issues will increase engagement by men and boys in the prevention of VAW: - Addressing the role of gender in VAW in a manner that is relevant and boys and men can understand - Utilising educators who men and boys can relate to as role models will increase their willingness to 'hear' violence prevention messages - Recognising that masculinities are diverse, fluid and sometimes contradictory within individuals, groups and communities - Experiences of masculinity are effected by class, location, ethnicity, cultural background, sexuality and other factors; there is no 'one size fits all' experience - This has implications for ensuring educational programs and other prevention activities are tailored to the specific needs of men; for example using methods of education that Indigenous men can relate to - Engaging men and boys in the contexts and institutions in which they live, work and play may assist in enhancing the relevance of VAW prevention.

Details: Sydney: University of Western Sydney: 2014. 118p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2015 at: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0019/300619/PDF_2_Final_Report_Men_and_Boys.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: Australia

URL:

Shelf Number: 134662

Keywords:
Abusive Men and Boys
Crime Prevention Programs
Educational Programs
Family Violence
Intimate Partner Violence
Sexual Violence
Violence Against Women (Australia)
Violence Prevention Programs

Author: Elwick, Alex

Title: Improving outcomes for young offenders: An international perspective

Summary: This review of international approaches to education and interventions for young people in custody identifies differences between judicial systems, and in particular youth justice systems, across the world. It focuses on reoffending behaviour in these different systems and the methods these administrations employ to address the issue. The review draws upon a series of case studies from a range of high-performing jurisdictions in order to exemplify institutions, interventions and programmes which have either been shown to have a positive impact on reoffending or indirectly contribute towards these acknowledged or proven high-performing systems. Based upon these case studies, a number of key features of provision for young offenders in custody emerge which, within their own contexts, contribute to a successful approach. These include: - Education is placed at the heart of an institution's focus. - Interventions are personalised and targeted. - Staff are given multidisciplinary training, often to graduate level, and custodial staff are also involved in the education of offenders. - Institutions are relatively small, and are split into units which are even smaller. - There are high ratios of staff to offenders. - Offenders are assigned mentors who work with them up to 12 months after their release. - Activities within the community are a key aspect of provision. - Residential facilities are locally distributed, situated reasonably close to the homes of young offenders. Building on this analysis, a number of recommendations are made in terms of the future of youth custody in England and Wales:

Details: Reading, Berkshire, UK: CfBT Education Trust, 2013. 32p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: International

URL: http://cdn.cfbt.com/~/media/cfbtcorporate/files/research/2013/r-improving-outcomes-2013.pdf

Shelf Number: 135268

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Evidence-Based Programs
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Rehabilitation Programs
Reoffending

Author: Utah. Legislative Auditor General

Title: A Performance Audit of Inmate High School Education

Summary: Our office was asked to compare the effectiveness and efficiency of inmate high school education programs in Utah's jails and prisons. Educational services are provided by the adult education program of the school district where an inmate is incarcerated. Programs include adult high school completion (AHSC), adult basic education (ABE), and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL). In 2011, 21 local school districts provided educational services to 5,268 inmate students in 23 jails and 2 state prisons. The Utah State Office of Education (USOE) administers the adult education programs, including tracking student demographics, contact hours, and outcomes on a compute-based information system. Inmate High School Education Costs Were about $5.4 Million in 2011. This chapter identifies the cost of educating inmate students. There are two primary revenue sources for inmate high school education: (1) a portion of the Adult Education budget distributed based on a formula that considers the number of enrollees, contact hours, and outcomes (diplomas/GEDs, credits, and academic level gains); and (2) Corrections Education funds distributed only to the two school districts with prison programs, Canyons and South Sanpete. In 2011, school districts with prison programs received significantly more funds ($1330 per student) than districts with jail programs ($653 per student). Based on this inequity, we recommend that USOE consider modifying the distribution formula to ensure that school districts receive an equitable portion of the Adult Education funds. USOE should also develop a formula to provide some of the Corrections Education funds to jail programs with students who are prison inmates housed in jails on a contractual basis. Inmates Achieve Academic Benefits. In 2011, the 5,268 inmates enrolled in adult education were awarded 853 diplomas and 330 GEDs, while achieving 12,003 high school credits and 2,143 level gains. On average, these outcomes per student were equivalent for both jail and prison programs but prison programs chose to focus mostly on issuing diplomas instead of GEDs. Comparisons show that inmate programs achieved significantly more than students in traditional adult education programs. Impact of High School Education on Employment Is Unclear. The primary purpose of educating inmates is to enhance their opportunities for employment upon release, which in turn makes it less likely they will return to jail. However, employment rates are not effectively evaluated. One factor impacting employment rates is identifying the incarceration status of former students. Our limited evaluation shows that many former students are still incarcerated and not available to work. Since education is beneficial only when inmates will soon be available for employment, we recommend that inmate programs give priority to students who are likely to leave the correctional facility within five years of participating in the education program. We also recommend that USOE and the Utah Department of Corrections partner to further evaluate the employment benefits of inmate education. Monitoring Is Needed to Ensure Inmate Contact Hours Are Reasonable. Comparisons of contact hours per student and per outcome revealed that some programs used an excessive amount of contact hours to educate inmates. But these students did not always demonstrate much progress toward achieving their goals. We recommend that USOE establish guidelines for the number of contact hours that are reasonable in relation to a student's accomplishments. Many Contact Hours Are Used for Students Who Already Have Diplomas. Many inmate students with diplomas continue to receive adult education services. Administrative rules state that adults with a high school diploma are eligible to receive services if tests show their functional educational level is less than a post-secondary level. Many students qualify, including students who have just been awarded a diploma. Although USOE policies require that priority be given to students lacking a diploma, some of these students continue receiving thousands of hours of services with little gain. We recommend that USOE consider placing limits on the number of contact hours used for students who already have a diploma.

Details: Salt Lake City: Utah Legislative Auditor General, 2012. 45p.

Source: Internet Resource: Report no. 2012-11: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: http://le.utah.gov/audit/12_11rpt.pdf

Year: 2012

Country: United States

URL: http://le.utah.gov/audit/12_11rpt.pdf

Shelf Number: 129973

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Correctional Programs
Costs of Corrections
Educational Programs
Ex-Offender Employment

Author: Tolbert, Michelle

Title: Educational Technology in Corrections 2015

Summary: Technology has transformed the way we approach most daily tasks and activities. It plays a role in how we apply for and perform on a job, communicate with friends and family, access government and other services, manage our finances, and purchase entertainment. Technology also enables our learning. Recognizing the positive impact technology can have on education, President Obama, with the support of the U.S. Department of Education�s Office of Educational Technology, developed the National Education Technology Plan. It outlines how our education system could use advanced technologies to support student learning regardless of backgrounds, languages, and disabilities; instruction and the professional development of teachers; data collection and analysis; and program improvement (U.S. Department of Education 2010). A corresponding plan describes how these technologies can be applied to the adult education field and adult learners (Russell et al. 2015). As states, districts, higher education institutions, and other education providers implement these plans, education programs in correctional facilities are being left behind. The policies and practices of federal, state, and local corrections agencies, including the juvenile justice system, severely hinder the ability of correctional education programs to enable learning through technology. For example, according to a 2013 survey of state correctional education directors, although most states offer students limited use of computers in their prisons, less than half reported that one or more of their prisons provided students with off-line access to Internet content and even fewer allowed restricted Internet access (Davis et al. 2014). The primary concern about adopting educational technology in corrections is the potential for security breaches. Other reasons include, but are not limited to, insufficient resources and staff capacity to purchase, implement, maintain, and monitor advanced technologies. Despite these legitimate concerns, a sea change is occurring in corrections. As advanced technologies are integrated into other areas of correctional facility life (e.g., family communications via e-mail and video conferencing, and access to health and treatment services via telemedicine), a growing number of corrections agencies and facilities and their education partners are exploring ways to securely and cost-effectively increase access to educational technology. Specifically, they are cautiously adopting advanced technologies to � help prepare students to join our globally networked society by developing and improving their computer and digital literacy skills, making educational gains around the clock through computer-assisted instruction, accessing college courses, and preparing for employment; � provide students with access to online assessments (e.g., online high school equivalency tests and industry-recognized certification exams), and instructors and administrators with the ability to measure student progress for program improvement purposes; � expand the professional development resources available to instructors and equip them with technology-based instructional tools (e.g., open educational resources [OERs], learning management systems, and flipped classrooms) to enhance the classroom experience; � support an education continuum for incarcerated individuals through data sharing, and aligning prison-based education and training programs with those in the community; and � expand the reach of correctional education services to provide more incarcerated individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to obtain livingwage employment, become productive members of society, and exit court supervision upon release. In addition to strengthening correctional education services, advanced technologies can � help correctional education programs have a greater impact on recidivism rates. As documented by a recent meta-analysis of the effects of education on recidivism and postrelease employment outcomes for incarcerated adults, inmates who participated in correctional education programs were 43 percent less likely to return to prison than those who did not enroll (Davis et al. 2014). Advanced technologies could provide the means to expand correctional education services�to reach more students and to offer broader, more diverse curriculum�thereby further lowering recidivism rates. � ease the reentry process by allowing incarcerated individuals to prepare for release by researching employment opportunities; applying for jobs, financial aid, and benefits; enrolling in college; addressing outstanding legal issues; searching for and securing housing; and maintaining or developing personal relationships with their community support networks. Most, if not all, of these prerelease activities require some form of computer or telecommunication device and Internet access.

Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, 2015. 40p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/policybriefedtech.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/policybriefedtech.pdf

Shelf Number: 136641

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Correctional Programs
Educational Programs
Technology
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Fumia, Danielle

Title: Washington's Coordination of Services Program for Juvenile Offenders: Outcome Evaluation and Benefit-Cost Analysis

Summary: Coordination of Services (COS) is an educational program for low-risk juvenile offenders that provides information about services available in the community. The program is designed to help juvenile offenders avoid further involvement with the criminal justice system. COS currently serves about 600 youth per year in Washington State. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) first evaluated COS in 2004 following its first year of implementation. As part of ongoing work to identify research- and evidence-based programming in juvenile justice, WSIPP re-evaluated COS to determine its current impact on recidivism. Based on the results from both of WSIPP's evaluations of COS, we estimate that the program reduces recidivism by about 3.5 percentage points (from 20% to 16.5%).

Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public policy, 2015. 28p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 29, 2015 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1617/Wsipp_Washingtons-Coordination-of-Services-Program-for-Juvenile-Offenders-Outcome-Evaluation-and-Benefit-Cost-Analysis_Report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1617/Wsipp_Washingtons-Coordination-of-Services-Program-for-Juvenile-Offenders-Outcome-Evaluation-and-Benefit-Cost-Analysis_Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 137005

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth
Community-Based Programs
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Educational Programs
Evidence-Based Programs
Juvenile Offenders
Recidivism
Treatment Programs

Author: Mukamal, Debbie

Title: Degrees of Freedom: Expanding College Opportunities for Currently and Formerly Incarcerated Californians

Summary: College has the power to change lives. A college education creates job opportunities; it fosters leadership and improves the social and economic well-being of students, families, and communities. California has long recognized these benefits, and we enjoy a robust public higher education system unparalleled by any in the nation. More significantly, California is a national leader with a long-standing commitment to making college accessible and affordable for all its residents. In order to fully realize this commitment, we cannot overlook Californians who are involved in the criminal justice system. College can break the cycle of recidivism and transform formerly incarcerated individuals into community leaders and role models; it can alleviate economic barriers faced by the formerly incarcerated and enable families to enjoy the fruits of economic mobility. We must recognize that these students' success is part of California's success by including them in our existing education structures, and by ensuring that they persist to graduation. Improving access for all will require leadership and strategic intervention. Our colleges and criminal justice agencies must break out of their silos and share a commitment to high-quality education for all students whether they are learning in prison, jail, or the community. Our policymakers must enable partnership and collaboration between the education and criminal justice fields. Realizing this vision may not be easy, but doing so will improve the lives of thousands of potential college students, for the benefit of our communities now and in future generations. California has a history as a leader in prioritizing college access for all, including criminal justice-involved students. In the late 1970s, every state prison facility offered in-person college courses, and programs to support students with criminal histories existed at 15 community colleges across the state and on nearly half of California State University campuses. Today, we have the infrastructure and experience to successfully support non-traditional students working to achieve their educational goals, but we have only one in-person college program in our 35 prisons and only a handful of small campus programs to assist formerly incarcerated students. We can be a national leader again. This vision will not be realized without overcoming challenges. California is a remarkably decentralized state, both in education and in criminal justice. Programs that work in one region may be practically or politically unpalatable in another. Budgeting priorities in one county may differ greatly from the adjacent county, and each county has its own way of delegating decision-making power between education institutions and criminal justice agencies. For these reasons, a college education may remain elusive for criminal justice-involved individuals as well as others. To do nothing, however, abandons thousands of potential students who are eager for better opportunities. We have the tools to help, and we should. The descriptions and recommendations in this report are based on research conducted in 2014 by the Stanford Criminal Justice Center at Stanford Law School and the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. This initiative included a May 2014 convening of over 150 leaders and stakeholders in education and criminal justice from across California and the United States, as well as reviews of academic research, government reports, legal archives, publicly available databases, and surveys. We interviewed over 175 educators, educational administrators, criminal justice stakeholders, and formerly incarcerated students throughout California and the nation, including in-depth, semi-structured interviews with representatives of college programs for criminal justice-involved students across the country. Some of their direct words are highlighted throughout the report. (See Appendix A for a complete list of contacts and Appendix B for program descriptions.) Drawing on these sources, this report begins with a background on the higher education and criminal justice systems in California. This background section highlights the vocabulary and common pathways for each system, and provides a primer on California community colleges. Part II explains why California needs this initiative. Part III presents the landscape of existing college programs dedicated to criminal justice-involved populations in the community and in jails and prisons. This landscape identifies promising strategies and sites of innovation across the state, as well as current challenges to sustaining and expanding these programs. Part IV lays out concrete recommendations California should take to realize the vision of expanding high-quality college opportunities for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. It includes guidelines for developing high-quality, sustainable programs, building and strengthening partnerships, and shaping the policy landscape, both by using existing opportunities and by advocating for specific legislative and policy changes. Profiles of current college students and graduates with criminal records divide the sections and offer first-hand accounts of the joys and challenges of a college experience. Throughout this report, terms marked in red italics are defined in the Glossary (only the first appearance of glossary terms are marked in red). Throughout this report, we refer to jail and prison inmates as incarcerated people or prospective students. The education and criminal justice systems relate and refer to the individuals who pass through them differently: colleges and universities teach students by exposing them to new ideas and skills, instilling a thirst for inquiry and cultivating leadership; correctional institutions confine inmates and prioritize the safety and security of their facilities by enforcing compliance and restricting individuality. Using the term student, rather than inmate or offender, intentionally aims to shift public perception of these individuals from passively confined inmates to actively engaged students pursuing the goals and dreams that a college education makes possible.

Details: Stanford, CA: Stanford Criminal Justice Center; Berkeley, CA: Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy, 2015. 154p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2015 at: http://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/default/files/publication/874512/doc/slspublic/Degrees%20of%20Freedom2015.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/default/files/publication/874512/doc/slspublic/Degrees%20of%20Freedom2015.pdf

Shelf Number: 137139

Keywords:
Colleges and Universities
Educational Programs
Rehabilitation Programs
Vocational Training and Education

Author: Council of State Governments, Justice Center

Title: Locked Out: Improving Educational and Vocational Outcomes for Incarcerated Youth

Summary: The report, �Locked Out: Improving Educational and Vocational Outcomes for Incarcerated Youth,� reveals that despite spending between $100,000 to $300,000 per incarcerated child in secure facilities, only 13 states provide all incarcerated youth with access to the same types of educational services that students have in the community. Meanwhile, only nine states offer community-equivalent vocational services to all kids in lock-up. While most youth incarcerated 10 years ago were in facilities operated by state government, nearly two-thirds of youth locked up in the U.S. today are held in facilities operated by local government agencies or nonprofit or for-profit organizations. The survey, conducted by the CSG Justice Center and in partnership with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, asked leaders in each state: Who is responsible for educating kids incarcerated in this patchwork of institutions? The report found that in more than 80 percent of states, no single state agency is charged with this authority, leaving an absence of leadership and, ultimately, accountability for ensuring youth make sufficient progress towards college and career readiness. The report also found: �Fewer than one in three states is able to document what percentage of youth released from a juvenile correctional facility subsequently obtain a high school diploma; �In nearly half of the states, it is up to the parent or guardian of the youth, or perhaps a community-based organization advocating on his or her behalf, to get that young person enrolled in a public school or another educational setting after his/her release from a correctional facility; �In more than one-third of states, youth released from a facility are automatically enrolled in an alternative educational setting, which often do not meet state curricular and performance standards and suffer from lower graduation rates that traditional public schools.

Details: New York: Center for State Governments Justice Center, 2015. 16p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 6, 2015 at: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LOCKED_OUT_Improving_Educational_and_Vocational_Outcomes_for_Incarcerated_Youth.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: https://csgjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/LOCKED_OUT_Improving_Educational_and_Vocational_Outcomes_for_Incarcerated_Youth.pdf

Shelf Number: 137210

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Juvenile Offenders
Offender Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Holden, Jenny

Title: We Want to Learn About Good Love: Findings from a Qualitative Study Assessing the Links Between Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Violence Against Women and Girls

Summary: Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) - including learning about relationships, gender and gender-based violence (GBV), sex, sexuality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) - can empower young people to make informed, autonomous decisions regarding their current and future relationships. CSE may also influence a positive shift in social norms which underpin violence against women and girls (VAWG), such as harmful notions of masculinity, and rigid gender roles and stereotypes - both in schools and the wider community. Drawing on global evidence on CSE interventions and primary and secondary research in Cambodia and Uganda1, this report explores the extent to which CSE may be a key mechanism to promote gender equality, shift harmful social norms and prevent VAWG. This report finds compelling evidence that CSE can be seen not only as part of a quality education, but also as part of a holistic approach to preventing VAWG. However, more evidence on 'what works' in changing attitudes on gender equality and reducing VAWG as part of CSE delivery is needed.

Details: London: Plan International UK and Social Development Direct, 2015. 52p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://www.plan-uk.org/assets/Documents/pdf/we-want-to-learn-about-good-love

Year: 2015

Country: International

URL: http://www.plan-uk.org/assets/Documents/pdf/we-want-to-learn-about-good-love

Shelf Number: 137347

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Gender-Related Violence
Sex Education
Sexual Violence
Violence Against Women, Girls
Violence Prevention

Author: Yahner, Jennifer

Title: Arts Infusion Initiative, 2010-15: Evaluation Report

Summary: In 2010, an ambitious model for social change emerged in Chicago that aimed to connect detained youth and those at risk for incarceration ("at-risk youth") to rigorous and engaging arts instruction, infused with social and emotional learning goals. Dubbed the Arts Infusion Initiative, the Chicago Community Trust ("the Trust") spearheaded and funded this five year, $2.5 million demonstration while earning cooperation from the local detention facility, public school system, community policing office, and community arts program leaders to integrate arts programming into youths' school and after school environments. Since its launch, the Arts Infusion Initiative2 has served more than 2,000 youth at an average annual cost of $700 per teen, linking them to high performing arts instruction associated with significant increases in social and emotional learning. This report marks the first large-scale evaluation of the Arts Infusion Initiative which was designed to: (1) assess the degree to which the project, as an emergent model for social change, was achieving its intended purposes and (2) generate actionable information for promoting effective Arts Infusion practices while redirecting those that have been less effective. To accomplish these objectives, from April to August 2015, the Urban Institute ("Urban"), in consultation with the National Guild for Community Arts Education ("the National Guild"), conducted a multi-method evaluation that drew on the following sources: 1. Five years of Arts Infusion documentation, including arts programs' teaching unit plans for infusing social and emotional skills instruction, proposals and final reports, assessments of youths' social and emotional progress, and knowledge sharing activities, attendance, and participant feedback; 2. Quantitative analysis of the initiative's 2014-15 social and emotional youth assessment data (n=320); 3. More than six dozen (n=73) interviews and focus groups with Arts Infusion instructors, program directors, youth participants, and community stakeholders; 4. An online survey assessing stakeholders' (n=45) perceptions of the initiative, conducted by Urban during the evaluation period; and 5. Observations of more than a dozen Arts Infusion classes, events, and performances, as well as artwork (music, poetry, dance, theatre, and visual art) produced by teen and young adult participants. Together, these data enabled Urban's researchers to investigate key questions about the initiative's evolution and impact. This report presents the evaluation's key findings and recommendations. It consists of six chapters. Following the first chapter's introduction, chapter 2 describes the importance of efforts such as the Arts Infusion Initiative as (1) an emergent model3 for social change, based on the principles of restorative justice and creative youth development and (2) as a means to help improve outcomes for detained youth and youth nationwide who live in at-risk, socioeconomically deprived environments affected by gangs, drugs, and violence. Chapter 3 defines the core components of the Arts Infusion Initiative as they evolved, including the arts activities and objectives of the 14 most recent participating programs and efforts by the Trust to link Arts Infusion practitioners to research guidance by convening knowledge sharing sessions and by funding consultations with an arts assessment expert. Chapter4 details the evaluation methods, research questions, and limitations, while chapter 5 explains the seven key evaluation findings (summarized following this paragraph), along with supportive evidence and examples. Finally, chapter 6 identifies several promising practice recommendations for the next phase of the Arts Infusion Initiative. Seven key findings that emerged from the Arts Infusion Initiative evaluation: 1. Arts Infusion youth participants showed statistically significant and substantial improvements in social and emotional learning skills, as measured by conflict resolution, future orientation, critical response, and career readiness. 2. Arts Infusion teaching artists with strong artistic knowledge and classroom management skills were 3. The Arts Infusion Initiative helped foster co-creations and collaborations between program directors, public schools, community policing, and the detention facility. 4. Arts Infusion knowledge sharing sessions and assessment consultations evolved to effectively provide professional development opportunities and increase the assessment capabilities of program directors and teaching artists. 5. Arts Infusion programs succeeded in exposing at-risk youth to new skills and technologies, providing confidence building experiences that opened their minds to a positive future. 6. Arts Infusion programs experienced challenges connecting to and engaging youth after their release from detention. 7. Arts Infusion programs served nearly 750 at-risk youth in 2014-15 at an average cost of $700 per teen; JTDC based programs cost $600 per teen, and community based programs cost $750 per teen. effective at engaging and inspiring youth.

Details: Washington, DC: The Urban Institute; Chicago: Chicago Community Trust; New York: National Guild for Community Arts Education, 2015. 139p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000392-Arts-Infusion-Initiative-2010-15-Evaluation-Report.pdf

Year: 2015

Country: United States

URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000392-Arts-Infusion-Initiative-2010-15-Evaluation-Report.pdf

Shelf Number: 138331

Keywords:
Arts in Prisons
Arts Programs
At-Risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Disadvantaged Youth
Educational Programs

Author: Orr, Kate Skellington

Title: HM YOI Polmont: Evaluation of the Implementation and Early Impact of the Peer Learning Hub

Summary: Background 1.1 This report presents the findings from an independent evaluation of the Peer Learning Hub pilot that was set up in HM Young Offenders Institution (YOI) Polmont in 2014. 1.2 The purpose of the evaluation was twofold: to document and examine the set up and initial implementation of the Peer Learning Hub; as well as to consider early indications of its impact. 1.3 The evaluation focussed retrospectively on the set up and running of the pilot over the first nine months following implementation and also sought to identify and appraise changes to the pilot model that have subsequently taken place. The evaluation was intended to be formative, insofar as the findings will be used to help the pilot Hub reflect on learning and experience to date, and explore ways in which the project can continue to develop and progress in the future. Research Aims & Questions 1.4 The evaluation directly explored the following research questions: - How has the Peer Learning Hub been established? Has it been implemented as planned? What is the fidelity of implementation? - Have there been barriers to implementation? If so what were they, what was their impact, and how were (or will) they be addressed? - What is being delivered in the Peer Learning Hub? - Are activities being delivered as intended? - Are participants being reached as intended? - What are the characteristics of participants, the throughput and the attrition rates? - What are participants' views on peer mentoring? - What changes, if any, have been made to the Peer Learning Hub as a consequence of initial lessons learned? How and why have changes been made? What impact have such changes had on the success of the Peer Learning Hub? 1.5 Recognising that the Hub is also still fairly new in its implementation, and that impact data was therefore limited to the short term and would be indicative, at best, the evaluation also considered: - Whether peers are better at engaging young people in Polmont than staff members; - Whether peers are more effective at sharing and imparting information and knowledge; - Whether young offenders can act as successful role models; - If, in custodial settings, prisoners can form pro-social communities that realise wider benefits; - Whether the Peer Learning Hub increases confidence, self-esteem and self-worth of the mentors; - Whether peer mentees feel more empowered and responsible; 2 - Whether deployment of peer mentors works as a symbol and signal of a pro-social, asset building culture; - Whether peers can become ambassadors to other service users; and - The extent to which peers can improve service delivery by identifying real issues on the ground. 1.6 It is important to stress that the research did not seek to assess the effectiveness of peer mentoring per se, since the benefits of peer mentoring and other peer interventions in the custodial setting is already well documented1. It is well known, for example, that under the right conditions, peers may be better at engaging offenders than prison or other staff, that they can act as positive role models and may be more effective at communicating information and knowledge to peers than traditional teaching staff. Research has also shown that peer mentors can be effective in helping to change the behaviour of their peers, and can be especially helpful in reaching traditionally hard to reach groups. Instead, what this evaluation sought to do was to explore the specific approach being adopted at HM YOI Polmont and the suitability for the particular offender group housed there.

Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Prison Service, 2015. 47p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2016 at: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-3922.aspx

Year: 2015

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Publication-3922.aspx

Shelf Number: 138687

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Educational Programs
Juvenile Corrections
Juvenile Inmates
Mentoring
Peer Learning
Young Offenders

Author: Walsh, Kerryann

Title: School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse (Review)

Summary: School-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse have been implemented on a large scale in some countries. We reviewed the evidence for the effectiveness of these programmes in the following areas: (i) children's skills in protective behaviours; (ii) children's knowledge of child sexual abuse prevention concepts; (iii) children's retention of protective behaviours over time; (iv) children's retention of knowledge over time; (v) parental or child anxiety or fear as a result of programme participation; and (vi) disclosures of past or current child sexual abuse during or after programmes. The evidence is current to September 2014. Study characteristics This review included 24 studies, conducted with a total of 5802 participants in primary (elementary) and secondary (high) schools in the United States, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, Taiwan, and Turkey. The duration of interventions ranged from a single 45-minute session to eight 20-minute sessions on consecutive days. Although a wide range of programmes were used, there were many common elements, including the teaching of safety rules, body ownership, private parts of the body, distinguishing types of touches and types of secrets, and who to tell. Programme delivery formats included film, video or DVD, theatrical plays, and multimedia presentations. Other resources used included songs, puppets, comics, and colouring books. Teaching methods used in delivery included rehearsal, practice, role-play, discussion, and feedback. Key results This review found evidence that school-based sexual abuse prevention programmes were effective in increasing participants' skills in protective behaviours and knowledge of sexual abuse prevention concepts (measured via questionnaires or vignettes). Knowledge gains (measured via questionnaires) were not significantly eroded one to six months after the intervention for either intervention or control groups. In terms of harm, there was no evidence that programmes increased or decreased children's anxiety or fear. No studies measured parental anxiety or fear. Children exposed to a child sexual abuse prevention programme had greater odds of disclosing their abuse than children who had not been exposed, however we were more uncertain about this effect when the analysis was adjusted to account for the grouping of participants in classes or schools. Studies have not yet adequately measured the long-term benefits of programmes in terms of reducing the incidence or prevalence (or both) of child sexual abuse in programme participants. Quality of the evidence The quality of the evidence for all outcomes included in the meta-analyses (combining of data) was moderate. Study quality was compromised in about half of the included studies, due to suboptimal data collection methods for study outcomes and inappropriate data analysis. Authors' conclusions: The studies included in this review show evidence of improvements in protective behaviours and knowledge among children exposed to school-based programmes, regardless of the type of programme. The results might have differed had the true ICCs or cluster-adjusted results been available. There is evidence that children's knowledge does not deteriorate over time, although this requires further research with longer-term follow-up. Programme participation does not generate increased or decreased child anxiety or fear, however there is a need for ongoing monitoring of both positive and negative short- and long-term effects. The results show that programme participation may increase the odds of disclosure, however there is a need for more programme evaluations to routinely collect such data. Further investigation of the moderators of programme effects is required along with longitudinal or data linkage studies that can assess actual prevention of child sexual abuse.

Details: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2015. 123p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 23, 2016 at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004380.pub3/epdf

Year: 2015

Country: International

URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004380.pub3/epdf

Shelf Number: 138730

Keywords:
Child Abuse and Neglect
Child Protection
Child Sexual Abuse
Educational Programs

Author: Nepal, Som Raj

Title: From Margins to Mainstream: Through supplementary education and protection to the vulnerable children in slums of Kolkata, India

Summary: he study specifically aims to explicate the processes of mainstreaming of life and education of vulnerable children in the marginalized slum community of Kolkata, India through the integrated approach of supplementary education and protection by a local NGO, IPER (Institute of Psychological and Educational Research). It also equally elucidates the methods and network used by IPER for integrated intervention in primary education and protection of vulnerable children, its holistic impact on the respective community and parents, and challenges of mainstreaming at local context. The research followed a qualitative approach with data triangulation methods to ensure validity and veracity. Participant observation, case studies and semi structured interviews were undertaken as primary data collection from the beneficiaries and sub-beneficiaries of IPER projects of education and protection. Relevant secondary data were obtained from internet, published and unpublished official records of the concerned organization, I/NGOs and journals related to the study-subject. The main findings suggest that universalization of education focusing on compulsory elementary education to those who were not benefitted by public schools have had substantially shaped in Kolkata due to NGOs driving initiatives and government-civil society partnership. The protection cum education intervention to those destitute children of slum and street by arranging individual sponsors or own resources under the aegis of IPER has not only helped to mainstream life and education but also brought the gross happiness in parents motivating them for further education of children. However the problems are in millions but the beneficiaries are in hundreds due to limited means and resources of NGOs and government. Moreover the weaknesses in governance in mapping the problem has resulted many difficulties for poor people to have easy access of education in own areas and negligence of public school's management and teachers towards education of children resulted high drop-out-of school children or discontinuity even at primary level. In addition, case studies of three educated and empowered youths of slums included in the report assure that it would be the best intervention in community if it was from the people of same community for which they were ready to take up community awareness and development tasks. Similarly another case study of a rescued domestic child labour shows the practical problems of social workers in the cases when social tradition dominates the existing laws.

Details: Helsinki, Finland: Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, 2013. 103p.

Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/57167

Year: 2013

Country: India

URL: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/57167

Shelf Number: 140816

Keywords:
At-Risk Youth
Delinquency Prevention
Educational Programs
Poverty
Slums

Author: Open Society Foundations

Title: Eroding Trust: The UK's Prevent Counter-Extremism Strategy in Health and Education

Summary: Eroding Trust: The UK’s Prevent Counter-Extremism Strategy in Health and Education is the most comprehensive independent assessment to date of the workings of the UK government’s Prevent counter-extremism strategy. Established to "stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism," Prevent has imposed since 2015 a statutory duty on health and education bodies to have "due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism." The report concludes that the strategy creates a serious risk of human rights violations and is also counterproductive. It argues that its application in schools, colleges, and healthcare institutions is damaging trust: between teachers and students; between doctors and patients; and between the police and members of the UK’s Muslim community, whose support is an essential element of counterterrorism efforts

Details: New York: Open Society Foundations, 2016. 152p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2016 at: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/eroding-trust-20161017_0.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/eroding-trust-20161017_0.pdf

Shelf Number: 140875

Keywords:
Counter-Extremism
Educational Programs
Extremism
Extremist Groups
Radical Groups
Radicalism
Terrorism
Terrorists

Author: Macaluso, Agnese

Title: From Countering to Preventing Radicalization Through Education: Limits and Opportunities

Summary: In recent years, Western societies in particular are witnessing an unprecedented emphasis on the need to find sustainable and effective strategies to tackle radicalization. This has led to an increase of interventions within the framework of education. Studies have shown that the relationship between education and radicalization is ambivalent, and there is no evidence that access to education may decrease the risk of radicalization. The limited understanding of radicalization processes has so far led to ineffective and even detrimental policies. Interventions mainly at the level of secondary and higher education have primarily sought to identify early signs of radicalization and to target vulnerable individuals, who often belong to the same religious or ethnic groups. These approaches have weakened social cohesion by demonizing certain communities and underscoring stereotypes. This paper argues that schools should not be a space to enforce counter racialization measures and promote a specific set of values and beliefs, but rather the opposite. Relying on evidence identified by research in the fields of education and peacebuilding, the paper argues that schools should be a forum in which values are questioned and openly discussed, in which critical thinking and the exchange of different ideas and perspectives are encouraged. Because education is paramount to shape values and behavior and to favor identity formation, this paper also advises shifting the focus of such preventive policies from secondary to primary education.

Details: The Hague: The Hague Institute for Global Justice, 2016. 17p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: http://www.thehagueinstituteforglobaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Countering-Preventing-Radicalization-Education.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: International

URL: http://www.thehagueinstituteforglobaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Countering-Preventing-Radicalization-Education.pdf

Shelf Number: 141181

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Extremism
Extremist Groups
Radical Groups
Radicalization
Violence Prevention

Author: Rampey, Bobby D.

Title: Highlights from the U.S. PIAAC Survey of Incarcerated Adults: Their Skills, Work Experience, Education, and Training: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies: 2014

Summary: he U.S. PIAAC Survey of Incarcerated Adults was designed to provide policymakers, administrators, educators, and researchers with information to improve educational and training opportunities for incarcerated adults and foster skills they need in order to return to, and work successfully in, society upon release from prison. This report highlights data from the survey's extensive background questionnaire and direct assessments of cognitive skills. It examines the skills of incarcerated adults in relationship to their work experiences and to their education and training in prison. Results for incarcerated adults on the literacy and numeracy domains are presented in two ways: (1) as scale scores (estimated on a 0-500 scale), and (2) as percentages of adults reaching the proficiency levels established for each of these domains. The report includes results for groups of incarcerated adults by various characteristics, including employment prior to incarceration, experiences with prison jobs, skills certifications, educational attainment in prison, and participation in academic programs and training classes.

Details: U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, 2016. 70p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016040.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United States

URL: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2016/2016040.pdf

Shelf Number: 140238

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Educational Programs
Ex-Offender Employment
Prisoner Reentry
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Hopkins, Tom

Title: Turning Pages, Changing Lives: Evaluation of the Shannon Trust Turning Pages programme

Summary: Turning Pages is a newly developed reading programme by Shannon Trust and, whilst it shares a focus on phonics with its predecessor Toe by Toe, it has many unique factors that aim to contribute to the development and acquisition of reading in adult Learners within the context of prison. This evaluation therefore aims to monitor the impact Turning Pages has on Learners and Mentors and by doing so aims to answer the following research questions: • How effective are the Turning Pages teaching methods in improving reading ability in adults? • How important are the delivery methods in prisons, the quality of provision and the impact of the one on the other? • What are the wider benefits/outcomes to Learners and Mentors of involvement in Turning Pages? The evaluation drew on multiple theoretical perspectives to address these questions and to make judgements about effectiveness. Phonological awareness and de-coding skills were assessed through the use of quantitative, standardised word and non-word reading tests undertaken over a six-month period. As Turning Pages incorporates five manuals that contain interactive learning activities for Learners, the evaluation considered the impact manual progression had on Learners’ reading ability. The impact of working with Turning Pages on the lives of Learners and Mentors was explored through semi-structured interviews and discussion groups. Key Findings How effective are the Turning Pages teaching methods in improving reading ability in adults? • Turning Pages was able to promote the word decoding skills and sight word reading of adult Learners through the application of a synthetic phonics based approach. • Significant gains in word reading and non-word reading scores were found for all Learners involved in the Turning Pages evaluation (regardless of their initial reading ability) during the first three months and from baseline to the final six-month period. • Learners reported an increase in reading confidence over the six-month period. • Learners reported a significant increase in their self-rated reading attainment, enjoyment and reading comprehension ability over the six-month period. • Learners who had either completed Turning Pages or were reading the final manual, read significantly more words and non-words compared to their peers and rated themselves as more able readers over the six-month period. • Learners and Mentors place significant value on the informal, non-institutional nature of Turning Pages and identified the adult focus of the programme, one-to-one support of Mentors and the opportunity to work at their own pace as key factors in supporting successful learning. How important are the delivery methods in prisons, quality of provision and the impact of the one on the other? • The Learner/Mentor pairing is highly valued by all parties and central to the success of the programme. The nuanced, individualised approach to support taken by Mentors (‘grounded pedagogies’) in negotiation with their Learners is seen by Learners as central to their success. • The success of Turning Pages is related to the ‘un-schooled’, social approach Turning Pages has to adult learning (i.e. occurring outside formal education) which, based upon responses in this evaluation, has been shown to attract Learners. • The number of weekly sessions Learners had with Mentors ranged from 3 to 5. The number of reading sessions was not found to have an effect on reading performance. It may be possible therefore for Learners to vary the number of sessions each week without negatively affecting reading improvement. It is still recommended, however, that the full allocation of 5 sessions is made available to all Learners. • Learners attending functional skills classes read fewer words and non-words than their peers and they were also completing the reading manuals at a significantly slower rate. However, this sub-group still showed improvement in their reading abilities. The fact that most reported having a diagnosis of dyslexia suggests that this (along with other potential learning needs) may be contributing to their slower rate of reading acquisition and manual progression. • Learners were progressing through the manuals with most having reached either the second manual or stage two of the first after the first three months and after six-months, most Learners had either completed Turning Pages or had reached the final manual. This suggests that the duration of six months at the intensity of around 3-5 weekly sessions was enough for Learners to reach the final stages of the reading programme. • Manual progression was related to perceived reading improvement and gains in reading scores, suggesting that improvement in reading over time was related to the Turning Pages manuals. • Significant positive correlations were found between perceived reading ability, perceived reading enjoyment and perceived reading comprehension ability at the six-month stage, and perceived ratings also correlated significantly with word and non-word reading scores at the three-month stage. This suggests that some importance should be weighted to the promotion of reading enjoyment, comprehension and reader confidence in the reading sessions for Learners engaged in Turning Pages. What are the wider benefits/outcomes to Learners and Mentors of involvement in Turning Pages? • Findings show that after the six-month intervention, Learners were reading more for functional participation within prison and for social engagement. This also included reading materials that Learners had reported a lack of confidence reading prior to their engagement with Turning Pages, such as legal letters, books and application forms. • Turning Pages provided Learners with productive opportunities to re-engage with learning, build confidence and work towards goals that were meaningful to their own lives. • Phase Two data suggests that working with Turning Pages provided important opportunities for Learners and Mentors to exercise a degree of choice in an otherwise highly regulated environment – this fed into a re-appraisal of their existing ideas and experiences of education and opened up opportunities for thoughtful reflection on the past, present and future. This enabled participants to begin to articulate new hopes and aspirations for the future. Recommendations For Shannon Trust • It is recommended that the reading plan model of participation (peer mentoring) continues to remain separate from formal compulsory education to maintain the un-schooled, social approach Turning Pages has to adult learning, which based upon responses in this evaluation has been shown to attract Learners. • To provide better access to more reading books (Readers) that accompany the manuals for Learners. • To consider including building opportunities for reading comprehension in to the manuals or associated materials to encourage Mentors to target reading comprehension in conjunction with the Readers. • To identify Learners with additional learning needs and Learners who are accessing literacy support to monitor their progression and provide any additional tailored support that focuses on reinforcing components learnt in the manuals. Promoting greater awareness of dyslexia and managing this through reading programmes like Turning Pages could be incorporated in the Mentor training. For the prison service and NOMS • To promote awareness of Turning Pages across all prison staff and prospective Learners and in partnership with Shannon Trust develop a standardised model to which new potential Learners are introduced and encouraged to participate in the reading programme. • Embed the Turning Pages sessions into the prison routine and other learning/educational sessions so as not to disrupt Learners’ free time and to ensure that sessions are being delivered. For research • To fully test the effectiveness of Turning Pages, any outcomes measured would need to be compared to a comparison group who are ideally also receiving a similar educational intervention. • It would be useful to gain information on the way in which Mentors creatively tailor their approach to Learners in conjunction with the resources used in Turning Pages and to identify the extent to which this contributes to a successful learning experience for Learners enrolled on Turning Pages. • To assess prison staff’s awareness of Turning Pages and its psycho-social benefits in order to highlight potential solutions for increasing awareness and Learner recruitment. • To monitor the long-term value and benefits of working with Turning Pages in a longitudinal impact study. • To monitor the implementation of any reading comprehension activities and the extent to which this aids the development of reading.

Details: London: Shannon Trust, 2017. 96p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 11, 2017 at: http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/3809/1/report

Year: 2017

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/3809/1/report

Shelf Number: 144828

Keywords:
Correctional Programs
Educational Programs
Literacy Programs
Mentoring Programs
Prisoner Rehabilitation
Reading Programs

Author: Cronin, Jake

Title: The Path to Successful Reentry: The Relationship Between Correctional Education, Employment and Recidivism

Summary: Nearly all Missouri inmates will be released from prison, but the majority of them will reoffend and return to prison. To combat this problem, prisons have implemented educational programs to help offenders successfully reenter society. Using data from the Missouri Department of Corrections, this study evaluates the impact of these educational programs in terms of post-prison employment rates and recidivism rates. The results show that inmates who increase their education in prison are more likely to find a full-time job after prison, and those with a job are less likely to return to prison.

Details: Columbia, MO: Institute of Public Policy, Truman Policy Research, Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs, 2011. 6p.

Source: Internet Resource: Report 15-2011: Accessed February 18, 2017 at: https://ipp.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/the_path_to_successful_reentry.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United States

URL: https://ipp.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/06/the_path_to_successful_reentry.pdf

Shelf Number: 146683

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Educational Programs
Ex-Offender Employment
Prison Education
Prisoner Reentry
Recidivism

Author: Bonnell, Joe

Title: Teaching approaches that help to build resilience to extremism among young people

Summary: This report presents the findings from a large-scale, in-depth research study into teaching methods - knowledge, skills, teaching practices and behaviours - that help to build resilience to extremism. The focus is on teaching methods to be used in a general classroom setting rather than as part of interventions targeted at those deemed at risk of extremism. The research methods used were 10 in-depth case studies of relevant projects and interventions, including interviews with teachers, practitioners and students and classroom observation, a literature review conducted according to systematic principles, and close engagement with 20 academic and other experts in the field. The study was commissioned by the former Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF), now the Department for Education (DfE), with support from the Home Office. The Office for Public Management (OPM), an independent public service research and development centre, conducted the research in partnership with the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), which is the UK's largest independent provider of research, assessment and information services for education, training and children's services. The primary aim of the research was to provide a strong evidence base for schools and other education providers to help them adopt and commission the appropriate interventions to build resilience to extremism. Following detailed analysis and synthesis of findings from the case study visits, together with findings from the literature review, we identified a number of key ingredients which were important for resilience-building teaching activities. Taken together, these ingredients help to counteract the impact of factors that can help to either push or pull young people towards extremism and / or violent extremism, such as a sense of injustice or feelings of exclusion. The key ingredients can be clustered under three headings: 1. making a connection through good design and a young-person centred approach 2. facilitating a safe space for dialogue and positive interaction 3. equipping young people with appropriate capabilities - skills, knowledge, understanding and awareness. Whatever the setting and resources available, the principles of good design and facilitation - the first two of the three - are crucial and non-negotiable. This research suggests that a well-designed, well-facilitated intervention will go a long way to building resilience. To be more confident of longer-term, sustainable resilience, however, an additional focus is needed, over and above good design and facilitation, on building 'harder' skills, knowledge, understanding and awareness, including practical tools and techniques for personal resilience.

Details: Feethams, Darlington, UK: Department of Education, 2011. 150p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR119; Accessed May 9, 2017 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-approaches-that-help-to-build-resilience-to-extremism-among-young-people

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teaching-approaches-that-help-to-build-resilience-to-extremism-among-young-people

Shelf Number: 145364

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Extremism
Radicalization
Resilience
Violent Extremism

Author: Sheikh, Sanah

Title: Teaching methods that help to build resilience to extremism Rapid Evidence Assessment

Summary: The Office for Public Management (OPM) was commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to conduct a review of the literature on good practice in preventing gangs and gun activity and extremist behaviour amongst young people. This review is part of a wider programme of work being undertaken by OPM, in partnership with the National Foundation for Educational Research (NfER), for DfE, the aim of which is develop an evidence base about the teaching methods and tools that work in building resilience to extremism. The specific objectives of this review were to provide an overview of the evidence relating to: - What works in building resilience against and prevention of the following risky behaviours amongst young people: - Guns and gangs crime/violence/activity - Extremist behaviour, including Al-Qaeda inspired extremism, far right extremism or racist extremism - The role of teachers and schools in the prevention of the above behaviour Representatives from the DfE and OPM team recognised from the outset that the broad nature of the subject of study had a number of implications for the literature review, including: - There is likely to be a greater amount of high quality material relevant to the prevention of gangs and guns activity compared with extremist behaviour, particularly Al-Qaeda inspired extremism - The inclusion of international literature means that there is likely to be a broad range of preventative initiatives identified in the literature, with varying degrees of relevance to the UK context - Methodologies used, particularly, in the case of evaluations of preventative initiatives, are likely to vary considerably, thus making it difficult to compare across studies and generate conclusions This review has thus been designed to 'map out the terrain' and to adopt a strategic approach to honing in on particular areas that have the greatest potential in yielding key insights and learning points to inform DfE's work.

Details: Feethams, Darlington, UK; Department of Education, 2011. 73p.

Source: Internet Resource: Research Report DFE-RR120; Accessed May 9, 2017 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3597/1/3597_DFE-RR120.pdf

Year: 2011

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/3597/1/3597_DFE-RR120.pdf

Shelf Number: 145365

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Extremism
Extremist Violence
Gangs
Gun-Related Violence
Radicalization
Resilience

Author: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Title: Preventing violent extremism through education: A guide for policy-makers

Summary: Over the past years, the number of reported attacks perpetrated by violent extremist groups has risen. As we witness tragedies on all continents, we understand that violent extremism knows no boundaries and affects every society. Young people are, however, most at risk. They are the main targets of recruitment strategies and fall victim to extremist violence. This phenomenon alerts us to the risk of losing a generation of youth to despair and disengagement. In the face of such threats, there is no single solution. Security responses are important, but not sufficient, and will not tackle the many underlying conditions that breed violent extremism and drive youth to join violent extremist groups. We need soft power, such as education. In particular, we need relevant, inclusive and equitable quality education. This is the sine qua non to effective action and requires countries to simultaneously implement short, medium and long-term responses. To assist countries in their efforts, UNESCO has developed this publication Preventing violent extremism through education: A guide for policy-makers. The Guide also responds to the decision of UNESCO's Executive Board at its 197th session (197 EX/Dec46) through which Member States acknowledged the importance of preventing violent extremism through education and requested that UNESCO assist them in this endeavour. Together with the Teachers' Guide on the Prevention of Violent Extremism produced by UNESCO, this Guide offers technical guidance for education professionals (policy-makers, teachers and various education stakeholders) on how to address the concrete challenges posed by violent extremism within each society. The Guide particularly aims to help policy-makers within ministries of education to prioritize, plan and implement effective preventive actions.

Details: Paris: UNESCO, 2017. 72p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 26, 2017 at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002477/247764e.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: International

URL: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002477/247764e.pdf

Shelf Number: 145803

Keywords:
Crime Prevention
Educational Programs
Extremist Groups
Radical Groups
Terrorist Recruitment
Violence Prevention
Violent Extremism

Author: Loveless, Tom

Title: The 2017 Brown Center Report on American Education: How Well are American Students Learning? With sections on the latest international test scores, foreign exchange students, and school suspensions

Summary: This Brown Center Report (BCR) on American Education is the sixth and final edition in the third volume and the 16th issue overall. The series began in 2000. As in the past, the report comprises three studies. Also in keeping with tradition, the first section features recent results from state, national, or international assessments; the second section investigates a thematic topic in education, either by collecting new data or by analyzing existing empirical evidence in a novel way; and the third section looks at one or more education policies. In Part I, this year's focus is on the latest results from two international tests, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Both tests were administered in 2015, and the U.S. participated in both. TIMSS tests fourth and eighth grade students in math and science. PISA tests 15-year-olds in reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy. TIMSS began in 1995. From 1995-2015, the U.S. made statistically significant gains on TIMSS fourth grade math, eighth grade math, and eighth grade science assessments. The four-point scale score gain in fourth grade science is not statistically significant. PISA began in 2000. Since PISA's inception, U.S. scores have been flat on all three subjects; however, the 2015 math score of 470 marks a significant decline from 481 in 2012 and 487 in 2009. Part II revisits one of the most popular studies in BCR history, a 2001 survey of foreign exchange students. The same survey was conducted in 2016. The idea is simple, asking kids from abroad who have attended U.S. high schools what they think about U.S. education and their American peers. Comparing the results, 15 years apart, suggests that not much has changed. International students still think U.S. schools are much less challenging than schools in their home countries and that American teens are more focused on success at sports compared to their peers back home. Part III examines race and school discipline. Exclusionary punishments, those that remove students from schools, have come under fire in recent years. California officials have been pushing schools to reduce out-of-school suspensions, especially because of the racial disparities associated with that form of discipline. The policy has succeeded in reducing suspensions in the state - they are down dramatically - but racial disparities persist. Black students continue to be suspended at three to four times their proportion of student enrollment. The study examines three years (2013-2015) of California school-level data (a sample of 7,180 schools) to identify characteristics of schools that are correlated with high- and low- suspension-rates for African-American kids. Schools with large populations, schools exclusively serving middle school grades (e.g., grades six to eight), and schools serving a high proportion of poor or black students are all associated with elevated suspension rates for African-Americans. Disciplinary reformers have promoted restorative programs as alternatives to exclusionary punishment, but the approaches are controversial and the empirical evidence of their impact is limited. The current study cannot draw causal conclusions, but altering the structural characteristics of schools associated with higher suspension rates should be considered in future reform efforts.

Details: Washington, DC: Brown Center on Education Policy at Brookings, 2017. 38p.

Source: Internet Resource: Volume 3, Number 6: Accessed October 10, 2017 at: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-brown-center-report-on-american-education.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United Kingdom

URL: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/2017-brown-center-report-on-american-education.pdf

Shelf Number: 147654

Keywords:
Educational Programs
Racial Disparities
School Discipline
School Suspensions

Author: Pham, Duy

Title: Incarceration to Reentry: Education & Training Pathways in Indiana

Summary: Because the social, economic, political, historical, and racial context that shapes the criminal justice system is both complex and extensive, individuals who have been incarcerated face limited opportunities - particularly for education and training - both during and after incarceration. Historical investments in corrections and policies that prioritize punishment over prevention and rehabilitation have been unsuccessful in improving public safety and have greatly marginalized low-income communities and communities of color. Research has shown, however, that correctional education and training can significantly improve the outcomes of those returning to society. These positive outcomes are leading to increased federal and state momentum to improve postsecondary access for prisoners and are lifting this issue higher on reform agendas. Nonetheless, the education and training needs of prisoners are far more complex than what traditional postsecondary education can meet, and linking those needs to training that articulates to post-release opportunities is essential for successful reentry. Building on the theme of continuity from incarceration to reentry, these briefs will highlight the continuous improvement stories of states that are moving toward this type of alignment. This brief will focus on Indiana.

Details: Washington, DC: CLASP, 2017. 14p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2017 at: https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/publications/2017/11/2017_incarcerationtoreentryindiana.pdf

Year: 2017

Country: United States

URL: https://www.clasp.org/sites/default/files/publications/2017/11/2017_incarcerationtoreentryindiana.pdf

Shelf Number: 148272

Keywords:
Correctional Education
Educational Programs
Prisoner Reentry
Prisoner Rehabilitation
Vocational Education and Training

Author: Bovarnick, Silvie

Title: Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention Education: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

Summary: With their ability to reach the largest number of children and young people, schools have the potential to play an invaluable role in preventative education (Beckett et al 2013; The Education and Training Inspectorate 2014). However, while UK safeguarding policies recognise the unique position of schools and other educational settings in delivering prevention programmes to a 'captive audience' (OUSTED 2012; The Education and Training Inspectorate 2014), relatively little is known about what makes such work effective (Topping and Barron 2009). This briefing is based on a rapid assessment of the available evidence relevant to CSE prevention education. It brings together key messages from research and evaluation about what works to prevent sexual exploitation and promote healthy relationships. As specific evidence is limited, it also incorporates some messages from other kinds of prevention work in educational settings. It explores what successful interventions might look like, how they should be delivered, and what impact such interventions might be expected to achieve. KEY MESSAGES: - A whole school approach, integrating CSE prevention across the curriculum, is shown to be an effective model for school-based prevention. Schools should adopt a 'zero-tolerance' culture and respond appropriately to peer on peer sexual harassment in schools. - Longer-term, more intensive interventions achieve higher impact. Although there is no consistent message about the ideal duration, weekly hour-long sessions over several months e.g. as part of PSHE education, promises better and more sustainable outcomes than one-off sessions. - Young people's participation in the development/delivery of interventions adds authenticity, credibility and acceptability, which are key factors for impact. - Interventions should be based on an assessment of need and be tailored to the specific audience and local context, in which they are delivered. They should include a range of different activities that engage young people and cater for different learning styles. - High risk children and young people need additional resources and targeted support; links between particular vulnerabilities and CSE need to be recognised and incorporated into targeted responses. Clear referral and support pathways are required for high risk children and young people. - Evaluations of school-based prevention programmes in related fields show mixed results. Even high intensity, well-designed programmes have shown little impact on young people's actual behaviour although they can build confidence, increase knowledge and change some attitudes that may legitimize harmful behaviours.

Details: Ilford, UK: Barnardo's, 2014. 23p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2018 at: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/cse_exploitation_education_rea.pdf

Year: 2016

Country: United Kingdom

URL: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/cse_exploitation_education_rea.pdf

Shelf Number: 149546

Keywords:
Child Protection
Child Sexual Abuse
Child Sexual Exploitation
Educational Programs

Author: Brewster, Larry

Title: California Prison Arts: A Quantitative Evaluation

Summary: California has been a leader in prison fine arts programs in the United States. Arts-in-Corrections, the granddaddy of them all, enjoyed a highly successful 30 year run until the state budget crisis led to its closure in 2010. The need for prison arts education is greater than ever, in part because of AIC's demonstrated transformational impact on imprisoned men and women. The William James Association Prison Arts Project, California Lawyers for the Arts, The Actor's Gang, Marin Shakespeare, and Jail Guitar Doors are California non-profit organizations with experience and a demonstrated commitment, not only to provide art instruction in prisons, but to engage in ongoing evaluation of the impact of these programs on human development. This report presents results from the most recent quantitative evaluation of prison arts education, in collaboration with these organizations, and with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, and the Andy Warhol, Gerbode and San Francisco Foundations. There is evidence that prison fine arts programs provide authentic learning experiences that engage the minds and hearts of the incarcerated. Prison art program evaluations in the United States and elsewhere in the world have found strong correlations between arts education and improved work ethic, self-esteem, creativity, intellectual agility, motivation, self-confidence, emotional control, and an ability to work with others. Further, interdisciplinary research shows cognitive, social and personal competencies are cultivated through arts instruction and practice. The findings of this research is further evidence of the transformative power of the arts. A brief description of this study and main findings are provided below: - This quantitative evaluation of California prison arts programs using a pretest-posttest survey research design was conducted in four California prisons and included classes in theater(California Rehabilitation Center, Norco, San Quentin), poetry (San Quentin), writing (New Folsom), and visual arts (Soledad). - A sample of 110 inmates participated in the study, including former Arts-in-Corrections inmates (N=49), and those new to prison arts education (N=61). Approximately half of the 61 inmates had studied or practiced art prior to their incarceration (N=30), while 31 of the participants had never studied or practiced art. - Three surveys were administered: one to former Arts-in-Corrections inmates (33 variables); the other two were pretest (28 variables) and posttest (29 variables) questionnaires given to those who had not been involved in AIC. - Each questionnaire included attitudinal scales adapted from the statistically validated "Life Effectiveness Questionnaire (LEQ) that measures: Time Management, Social Competence, Achievement Motivation, Intellectual Flexibility, Emotional Control, Active Initiative, and Self-Confidence. - Those with previous arts education and practice, including former AIC participants (N=79), were statistically more likely to be intellectually flexible, self-confident, motivated, in control of their emotions, socially competent, and better managers of their time than inmates who had never studied or practiced art (N=31). - Participants who had previously studied or practiced art were statistically more likely to pursue other educational and/or vocational programs than were those without arts education. - A significant majority of former AIC inmates attribute to the arts program their greater confidence and self-discipline to pursue other academic and vocational opportunities. This was particularly true for those who had participated in Arts-in-Corrections for two or more years. - Many participants self-reported a reduction in disciplinary reports while involved in the art classes, and 61% of those who were in the Arts-in-Corrections program for 5 or more years reported improved behavior. - Most AIC inmates, regardless of years in the program, reported that they got along better with other inmates and prison staff. - These findings are supported by a 1983 cost-benefit study of Arts-in-Corrections that showed a significant reduction in disciplinary reports for inmates active in the Arts-inCorrections program. - A significant majority of participants reported that the art programs helped them to relieve stress, feel happier, and gain valuable insights. Over half (58%) said their art brought them closer to family; enriching their conversations and nurturing a new identity as artist, rather than convict. - A comparison of the pretest-post-test survey results for the 31 inmates who had no previous arts education or practice showed a positive and statistically significant correlation between their participation in the theater, writing and visual arts classes and improved time management, achievement motivation, intellectual flexibility, active initiative, and self-confidence. - There was a positive, although not statistically significant, change in their feelings of social competence and emotional control. The fact that former AIC inmates who had participated two or more years in the arts program showed statistically significant improvement in these areas of social behavior suggests the importance of long-term exposure to arts education and practice.

Details: San Francisco: University of San Francisco, 2014. 34p.

Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2019 at: https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/resources/Documents/larry_brewster--california_prison_arts_evaluation--jan_2014.pdf

Year: 2014

Country: United States

URL: https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/resources/Documents/larry_brewster--california_prison_arts_evaluation--jan_2014.pdf

Shelf Number: 154945

Keywords:
Arts Programs
Correctional Programs
Educational Programs
Offender Rehabilitation
Prison Programs

Rutgers - School of Law, Newark

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