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Missing Out – Action For Prisoners’ Families

Summary of the impact

In 2008 Mary Cooper was commissioned by Clean Break Theatre, London and Action for Prisoners' Families (APF) to write a short drama which would address issues particular to women in prison and their families. The drama toured women's prisons in 2009. In 2010 Cooper was commissioned to adapt the stage play as a short film, which went on to win the IVCA Gold Award for Best Drama 2010. It is now widely recommended by leading charities and agencies and regularly used as a training tool throughout England and Wales to increase understanding of family relationships within prisoners' families.

Submitting Institution

University of Bolton

Unit of Assessment

English Language and Literature

Summary Impact Type

Cultural

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology, Social Work

Interrogating Penal Power and Developing Policy Responses to Deaths in Custody

Summary of the impact

This case study reflects on Professor Joe Sim's work, and his public engagement with the academic, political, public and policy debates, around penal policy and deaths in custody. The underpinning aims of Sim's research are to: alleviate the pains and harms associated with deaths in custody for bereaved families; highlight the experiences of those staff committed to humane reform; engage critically with policies around penal reform in order to develop alternatives to custody based on humanity and social justice; and attempt to hold to account those who deliver penal policy. The ultimate aim is to heal the individual offender, reduce victimisation and protect wider society.

Submitting Institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Unit of Assessment

Social Work and Social Policy

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Voting Rights for Prisoners

Summary of the impact

Easton's research on prisoners' rights has contributed to the policy debate on prisoners' voting rights and has been used as evidence by lobby groups which are seeking policy change in this area.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2005 that the UK's laws disenfranchising most sentenced prisoners serving their sentences at the time of the election breached the right to vote under the European Convention on Human Rights (Hirst v UK). A change in the law would affect more than 87,000 prisoners in English and Welsh prisons. Easton contributed responses to both government consultations on the issue and her research has been used by groups calling for change. Easton's research has also been cited in the Parliamentary briefing paper on prisoners' voting rights and her work on this topic has also been used to provide information to the Joint Committee currently reviewing the Draft Voting Eligibility Bill and possible options for change.

Submitting Institution

Brunel University

Unit of Assessment

Law

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Shaping International and National Prison Law and Policy

Summary of the impact

Comparative legal and penological research conducted by Professor Dirk van Zyl Smit (DvZS) and Dr Róisín Mulgrew (RM) has had a significant effect internationally and nationally in shaping law and policy relating to the implementation of imprisonment in general, and on life imprisonment, sanctions for young offenders and the transfer and treatment of foreign and international prisoners in particular. This research has underpinned the creation and development of penal law and policy in states (e.g. Bangladesh and Malaysia), international and regional organisations (e.g, European Union, Council of Europe, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), as well as in the judgments and policies of international and regional human rights and criminal courts and tribunals (e.g. European Court of Human Rights and the International Criminal Court).

Submitting Institution

University of Nottingham

Unit of Assessment

Law

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Promoting Literacy and Creative Writing Skills at HMP Edinburgh

Summary of the impact

This case study describes the impact of research on reading and writing in prisons for prisoners at HMP Edinburgh, through a partnership between the BA (Hons) English Suite at Edinburgh Napier, Fife College (previously `Carnegie College') and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). Dr Anne Schwan's research into the literary and cultural significance of literacy in prisons has resulted in a partnership that benefits prisoners who receive one-to-one tuition from student volunteers. The students engage in literacy and creative writing exercises at the prison. These activities provide tailored support that could not be offered within the resource constraints of regular educational provision.

Submitting Institution

Edinburgh Napier University

Unit of Assessment

English Language and Literature

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Language, Communication and Culture: Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

Going beyond race: establishing recognition of diversity and equalities in prisons

Summary of the impact

Research carried out at the University of Bradford has directly and indirectly influenced how prisons in England and Wales respond to issues of diversity and equalities; consequently impacting the lived experience of those working and residing in prisons. The research has contributed to the development of a national equalities policy framework; the development of new national and local policies and guidance for the care and management of transgender offenders; revisions to and widening of the mechanisms for prisoner reporting and investigation of discrimination and inequality, and the development of human capital through a more equalities literate workforce and prisoner population.

Submitting Institution

University of Bradford

Unit of Assessment

Social Work and Social Policy

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services
Studies In Human Society: Criminology

The Management of Diversity in Prison

Summary of the impact

This impact case study emanates from two ESRC grants. The impacts yielded by it are theoretical, in that they advance thinking in relation to identities, penal theory and research methodology; policy related in that they have already impacted on National Offender Management Service (NOMS) prison related policies; and practical, in that they have changed the practices in the prison where the research was undertaken.

Submitting Institution

Sheffield Hallam University

Unit of Assessment

Communication, Cultural and Media Studies, Library and Information Management 

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology

Generating applied insights into criminal justice through HMP Grendon

Summary of the impact

The case study refers to research conducted by the Centre for Applied Criminology (CAC), which has focused on HMP Grendon. This document evidences the following impacts:

* Effects on and changes and benefits to policy and practice within and beyond HMP Grendon.

* Reduction or prevention of harm / negative effects upon staff and prisoners at HMP Grendon.

* Effects on awareness and understanding of needs specific groups of prisoners at HMP Grendon.

* Changes and benefits to opportunities available for HMP Grendon prisoners and applicants.

* Benefits in terms of awareness of penal issues amongst audiences of specific media.

Submitting Institution

Birmingham City University

Unit of Assessment

Social Work and Social Policy

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology, Social Work

Innocence: assisting victims of wrongful imprisonment

Summary of the impact

This case study details Dr. Michael Naughton's translation of his sociological research on wrongful convictions and imprisonment into practical help for alleged victims and into policy reforms in the UK and internationally. It refers to five impacts, all occurring wholly or mainly since 2008: (1) Generating a shift in thinking by the Parole Board in 2008 about prisoners maintaining innocence which in turn triggered reforms to prison policy on the treatment of such prisoners in 2010. (2) Establishing 26 innocence projects in UK universities under the banner of the Innocence Network UK (INUK) which has influenced casework and generated pro bono work equivalent to over £5 million. (3) Supporting and shaping the working practices of those innocence projects by creating mandatory protocols instituted in 2008, organising national training conferences (eleven in total between 2008 and 2013) and providing supporting materials that have been updated yearly. (4) Raising public and media awareness, both of the limitations of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) and the issue of wrongful convictions in general. (5) Influencing criminal justice policy in the United States and Australia: in particular, helping prevent the wholesale adoption of the UK CCRC system in Australia in 2010 as Naughton's research had demonstrated functional flaws and potential harms in that system.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Sociology

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Raising Awareness of Prisoners through Writing

Summary of the impact

Through her research at UWE Bristol, Marie Mulvey-Roberts has enhanced public understanding of imprisonment and political contributions made by prisoners from the nineteenth century to the present day. The underpinning research covers cases such as an inmate from a Victorian asylum through to an imprisoned Suffragette and contemporary prisoners facing capital punishment in America. By showing through writing how prisoners have exposed conditions and other aspects of their ordeal, she has raised the quality of public debate and wider understanding of basic standards of wellbeing and conceptions of human rights. The research has stimulated events at which members of the public have engaged with the issues raised and benefited the school curriculum.

Submitting Institution

University of the West of England, Bristol

Unit of Assessment

English Language and Literature

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Criminology

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