A Research Project: Effectiveness of Prison Rehabilitation Programs

This research project investigates the effectiveness of the prison service in rehabilitating prisoners, focusing on Her Majesty's Prison Service. The study explores the impact of imprisonment on individuals, including both positive and negative effects, and analyzes changes in prisoners' mindsets before and after incarceration. The methodology involves a quantitative approach using questionnaires to gather data from a sample of respondents. The findings indicate that prisoners often experience negative consequences such as psychological deterioration, emotional withdrawal, and depression. The research also identifies differences in mindset, with some prisoners becoming hardened or less capable of lawful living. The report concludes with recommendations for improving rehabilitation efforts, such as providing motivation, better direction, and training programs to ensure a more effective prison service. The project also highlights the importance of future research, including the use of qualitative methods to gather more in-depth information.

Research Project
Table of Contents

Research Title: “Is the prison service effective at rehabilitating prisoners”. A research work on
Her Majesty's Prison Service...........................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Background and rationale for project.....................................................................................1
Aims and objectives (Hypothesis)..........................................................................................1
Research questions.................................................................................................................1
Methodology....................................................................................................................................2
Interpretation and Presentation of data............................................................................................3
Evaluation of Results.......................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Future considerations.......................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

Research Title: “Is the prison service effective at rehabilitating prisoners”. A
research work on Her Majesty's Prison Service.
Introduction
Background and rationale for project
The current research is based on evaluation of, Is the prison service effective at
rehabilitating prisoners in order to evaluate about what impact is lead by these rehabilitation
activity on mind and personality of prisoner (Joseph and Olayinka, 2019). Thus, selection of this
research topic is viable from view point of whole society hence meet the professional implication
of researcher. Further, the current research topic is also rationale from personal perspective of
researcher as it ensures better development of managerial skills and work experience that also
meet educational and academic purpose.
Aims and objectives (Hypothesis)
Aim of project
The aim behind conducting this research work on Her Majesty's Prison Service is, “To
evaluate about whether the prison services are effective at rehabilitating prisoners.”
Research objectives
The main research objectives and set Hypothesis that are evaluated and examined through
current research on Her Majesty's Prison Service are stated as follows:
 To find out if people are effected positively or negatively after spending time in prison.
 To evaluate about the difference lead in mindset of people before and after prison (Chan
and et. al., 2019).
 To determine about what people have gone through at prisons and how they managed.
Research questions
 What effect is lead and created on people after spending time in prison?
 What difference is lead on mindset of people before and after prison?
 What people have gone through at prisons and how they managed?
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Methodology
Research approaches and methodology basically associated with methods and techniques
used for conducting a research work in more effective manner a discussion about which is
provided below:
Research philosophy- It is bifurcated in two main types i.e. Positivism and Interpretivism
out of which use of Positivism is made for currant research work Her Majesty's Prison Service as
it lead to a more practical and effective investigation of quantitative data (Addo, 2018).
Research method- Quantitative and qualitative are two most basically used research method
out if which use of quantitative research method is for current investigation on Her Majesty's
Prison Service to have better interpretation and presentation of research findings as it lead to
collection of data in numeric form (Cullen and et. al., 2016).
Research approach- The two type of research approach consists of deductive and inductive
out of which deductive approach is applied for current research as it lead to enhanced support
and better generalization of quantitative method.
Source of data- Use of both primary along with the secondary source of data collection is
made for current investigation on Her Majesty's Prison Service to maintain the authenticity and
viability of research (Jefferson, 2017). Primary source yield first hand and latest data directly
from participants where secondary lead to support for these primary findings and a base for
investigation.
Sample method- It is represent the process of selecting a pre defined and specific
number of units from a larger number of population in order to make an investigation more easy
and cost effective (Yin, 2020). A sample size of 20 respondents is selected from Her Majesty's
Prison Service with the use of random sampling method in order to remove biasness and
favoritism from resrch work.
Research instrument- With respect to current investigation it was planned that use of
focus groups would be made for data collection as research instrument but because of current
global pandemic of COVID-19 it is not possible to collect information through focus group in
order to maintain the social distancing thus, use of questionnaire is made as research instrument
for collection of information for current investigation.Use of questionnaire is made for the
purpose of data collection which is provided below:
Questionnaire
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Q1) What opinion you are having regarding the fact that, if people are effected positively
or negatively after spending time in prison?
a) Positive
b) Negative
c) Neutral
Q2) What difference is lead on mindset of people before and after prison?
a) Hardened in the beginning then become even harder or even colder
b) Less capable of living a lawful life than were prior to imprisonment
c) Conscientious to stay out of trouble
Q3) What people have gone through at prisons?
a) Psychological deterioration
b) Emotional withdrawal and depression
c) Suicidal tendencies and increased levels of hostility
Q4) What steps could be taken by Her Majesty's Prison Service to manage lives of prisoner
at rehabilitating prison in a more effective and better way?
a) Providing motivation and better direction to lives of prisoner
b) Yielding training and learning to prisoners to ensure better future life
Q5) Any further recommendation for Her Majesty's Prison Service to ensure effective
prison service at rehabilitating prisoners?
Interpretation and Presentation of data
For ensures better analysis and interpretation of data collected through use of questionnaire
and to ensure effective presentation of this data use of pie charts are made which are shown as
follows:
Theme 1: People are effected positively or negatively after spending time in prison
Q1) What opinion you are having regarding the fact that, if people
are effected positively or negatively after spending time in prison?
Frequency
a) Positive 1
b) Negative 16
c) Neutral 3
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Interpretation
On the basis of above pie chart it has been interpreted that only one respondent believes
that positive effect is lead on people after spending time in prison while 16 participants had
supported negative effects on life and mentality of people after spending time in prison. Further,
3 individuals were also there who were in support of neutral effect after spending time in prison.
Theme 2: Difference lead on mindset of people before and after prison
Q2) What difference is lead on mindset of people before and after
prison?
Frequency
a) Hardened in the beginning then become even harder or even colder 8
b) Less capable of living a lawful life than were prior to imprisonment 7
c) Conscientious to stay out of trouble 5
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Interpretation
It has been evaluated with current investigation that Difference lead on mindset of people
before and after prison which consist of Hardened in the beginning then become even harder or
even colder as supported by 8 participants where as 7 were in favour of Less capable of living a
lawful life than were prior to imprisonment. Apart from this, 5 other respondents also favoured
Conscientious to stay out of trouble as a Difference lead on mindset of people before and after
prison.
Theme 3: People have gone through at prisons
Q3) What people have gone through at prisons? Frequency
a) Psychological deterioration 7
b) Emotional withdrawal and depression 8
c) Suicidal tendencies and increased levels of hostility 5
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Interpretation
Prisoners have gone through many pits and falls during the time imprisonment that
consist of Psychological deterioration as per view point of 7 participants while 8 other
respondents had favoured Emotional withdrawal and depression. Beside this, 5 more individuals
believe that Suicidal tendencies and increased levels of hostility is seen in people at prisons.
Theme 4: Steps to manage lives of prisoner at rehabilitating prison in a more effective and
better way
Q4) What steps could be taken by Her Majesty's Prison Service to
manage lives of prisoner at rehabilitating prison in a more effective
and better way?
Frequency
a) Providing motivation and better direction to lives of prisoner 11
b) Yielding training and learning to prisoners to ensure better future life 9
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Interpretation
It has been evaluated on the basis of above stated pie chart that 11 participants had
favoured that Providing motivation and better direction to lives of prisoner is a effective step that
could be taken by Her Majesty's Prison Service to manage lives of prisoner at rehabilitating
prison in a more effective and better way where as 9 other respondents had supported Yielding
training and learning to prisoners to ensure better future life.
Evaluation of Results
On the basis of above investigation it can be evaluated that people are affected negatively
after spending time in prison as they have gone through many pits and depressing situations that
consist of psychological deterioration, emotional withdrawal and depression along with Suicidal
tendencies and increased levels of hostility. Further, it has been also observed with respect to
current investigation that a difference in mindset of people before and after prison is also seen
that includes if they are hardened in the beginning then they would become even harder or even
colder along with less capable of living a lawful life than they were prior to their imprisonment
with a more conscientious to stay out of trouble. Beside this, it has been also observed that the
steps that could be taken to manage lives of prisoner at rehabilitating prison in a more effective
and better way consists of Providing motivation and better direction to lives of prisoner and
Yielding training and learning to prisoners to ensure better future life.
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Conclusion
On the basis of above research work it has been concluded that prisoners have hone through
many depressing situation at prison that lead to a negative effect on their personality like
psychological deterioration, emotional withdrawal and depression. Further, it could be
summarised that many difference are also seen in prisoner while and after to their imprisonment
as they become more conscientious to stay out of trouble. At last, it can be summarised that steps
like providing motivation and better direction along with Yielding training and learning to
prisoners to ensure better future life could be taken to ensure better impact and effective prison
service at rehabilitating prisoners.
Future considerations
The current research project is significant for me as it lead to better development of my
skills and knowledge. The work experience and better management that is learnt by me through
current investigation would be used by me in future work to ensure more efficiency and
effectiveness. The use of quantitative approach used for current research is effective to meet
current objectives by ensure better presentation and interpretation of numeric data. The drawback
of current research method includes the fact that it does not provided detailed information. Thus,
in future use of qualitative research method and interview could also be made by me to ensure
collection of theoretical data.
REFERENCES
Books and journal
Addo, A.K., 2018. History of Prison Education in Ghana. In Strategic Learning Ideologies in
Prison Education Programs (pp. 179-196). IGI Global.
Chan, J.P. and et. al., 2019. Utilising digital media as enabling technologies for effective
correctional rehabilitation. Safer Communities.
Cullen, F.T. and et. al., 2016. Seven ways to make prisons work. In What is to Be Done About
Crime and Punishment? (pp. 159-196). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
Einat, T., 2017. The wounded healer: Self-rehabilitation of prisoners through providing care and
support to physically and mentally challenged inmates. Journal of crime and justice.
40(2). pp.204-221.
Jefferson, A. C., 2017. Rehabilitating Prison Contracting: States Must Reclaim Prison
Management and Emphasize Inmate Rehabilitation through Utilization of Schedule
Contracts for State-Run Prison Procurement. Public Contract Law Journal. 47(1).
pp.101-122.
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Joseph, F. F. and Olayinka, F.P., 2019. ROLES OF LIBRARY SERVICES TO PRISON
INMATES'REHABILITATION IN SOME SELECTED PRISONS OF SOUTH
WESTERN NIGERIA. Library Philosophy and Practice, pp.1-21.
Lewis, S., 2019. Culture Club Assemble! The powerful role of multi-agent relationships in
prison habilitation. Multi-Agency Working in Criminal Justice 2e: Theory, Policy and
Practice, p.187.
Lo, T. W., 2017. Prison and correctional services. Understandin criminal justice in Hong Kong,
pp.337-358.
Ricciardelli, R., Perry, K. and Carleton, R .N., 2017. Prison officer orientations and the
implications for responsivity with incarcerated youth.
Ricciardelli, R., Perry, K. and Carleton, R.N., 2017. Prison officer orientations and the
implications for responsivity with incarcerated youth.
Weisburd, D. and et. al., 2017. Reinforcing the impacts of work release on prisoner recidivism:
the importance of integrative interventions. Journal of Experimental Criminology. 13(2).
pp.241-264.
Yin, E. T., 2020. Religion, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration of Prison Inmates Into Mainstream
Society. In Handbook of Research on Trends and Issues in Crime Prevention,
Rehabilitation, and Victim Support (pp. 398-414). IGI Global.
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