Evaluation of PIPEs in Prisons and Approved Premises
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluation of Psychologically Informed Planned Environments (PIPES) in prisons and Approved Premises
IRAS ID
190897
Contact name
Mark Freestone
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Barts Health Joint Research Management Office
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 0 days
Research summary
Offenders with a personality disorder make up between 50-80% of the prison population, and are some of the most challenging individuals to rehabilitate successfully since their mental disorder can predispose them to future criminal activity. In an effort to address these challenges, the UK National Offender Management Service, in collaboration with NHS England, has developed a new initiative called the Psychologically Informed Planned Environment (PIPE) Programme. This programme involves the creation of special units ('PIPEs') within existing prison and approved premises ('bail hostel') settings, which are provided with additional staff training and expert psychological input from NHS clinicians to help better manage offenders with a suspected personality disorder. The PIPE programme has been in operation since 2012 and the UK Ministry of Justice has commissioned an evaluation of their effectiveness, which this study will deliver.
The evaluation will have three main aims: firstly, to explore the experiences fo staff and offenders in PIPES; second, to see how these experiences differ from those of staff and offenders elsewhere in the system; and finally, to examine how closely these accounts link to the expectations laid out in policy and operating documentation of what PIPEs are seeking to achieve. To answer these questions, we will talk to offenders and staff in a sample of five PIPEs based in both prisons and approved premises, including both male and female offenders, and those working or living in different levels of security. We will also distribute questionnaires asking offenders about their social skills and experiences of living on a PIPE, and asking both staff and offenders about their impressions of the 'social climate' of the PIPEs. We will also recruit a comparison group comprised of staff and offenders not in a PIPE - but based in the same prison or probation authority.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0149
Date of REC Opinion
21 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion