Presenting the Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme

Presenting the Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme Peter Walker, Prison Fellowship International

What is Sycamore Tree? . . . An accredited victim awareness/restorative justice programme based on Christian values Aims to challenge attitudes to offending behaviour, raise awareness of the impact of crime on victims and communities, and teach the principles and application of restorative justice To provide offenders with an opportunity to make an informed choice to change their lives

…. . And what it isn’t! Sycamore Tree is not faith promoting Staff and volunteers are motivated by their Christian faith to get involved

Programme Sessions 1. Restorative Justice - What’s That? 2. Taking Responsibility (Ripples) 3. Saying Sorry, Acting Sorry (Victim/s) 4. Reconciliation 5. Taking the Next Step 6. Symbolic Act of Restitution

Programme Growth

Sycamore Tree Programme 1998 - 2008 688 Sycamore Tree programmes run

Prisons and Prisoners Sycamore Tree running in 68 of 140 prisons (Penetration rate of 48%) Prisoners starting the programme 10, 121 Prisoners completing the programme 9, 784 (Completion rate of 97%)

Diversity and Prisoner Access to Sycamore Tree (average 16 prisoners) Ethnicity White = 6 Black = 4 Asian = 4 Undisclosed = 2 Literacy levels: L 2 = 3 L 1 = 7 E 3 = 4 E 2 = 1 Undisclosed = 1

Delivery through trained volunteers Trained volunteer tutors 48 Trained volunteers who facilitate small group work 207

Success - What evidence is there? ✓ Sycamore Tree prisoners’ workbooks ✓ Prison Fellowship feedback forms from prisoners, facilitators and victims ✓ Prisoners anecdotal evidence (pre and post) ✓ Crime Pics II - a psychometric tool (questionnaire) for measuring attitude change

Measuring Attitudinal Change using Crime Pics (Psychometric tool)

Independent Evaluation by Sheffield Hallam University Research Centre for Community Justice Analysis of Crime Pics II data from 2, 188 prisoners from pre and post programme scores from Sycamore Tree programmes between April 2002 and December 2004

Sheffield Hallam Report 2, 188 prisoners nationwide “There was a statistically significant improvement on all five CRIME-PICS II scales. This indicates that the Sycamore Tree programme had the desired impact on the participants and changed the attitudes that are known to be conducive to offending behaviour. ” Sheffield Hallam University, Research Centre for Community Justice; March 2005

Sheffield Hallam Report 2, 188 prisoners nationwide General Attitude to Offending 50% Anticipation of Re-Offending 24% Victim Hurt Denial 37% Evaluation of Crime as Worthwhile 40% Perception of Current Life Problems 21%

Prison reports and feedback HMP The Mount Results from programmes run June 2006 - May 2007 Average scores for 9 programmes Represents 121 prisoners Scale Pre Score After Score Positive Change National Average G 1. 76 0. 84 0. 92 52% 50% General Attitude to Offending A 3. 05 2. 33 0. 72 23% 24% Anticipation of Re-offending V 1. 89 1. 24 0. 65 34% 37% Victim Hurt Denial E 2. 77 1. 56 1. 21 44% 40% Evaluation of Crime as Worthwhile P 2. 79 1. 98 0. 81 29% 21% Perception of Current Life Problems

Thank you Discussion and Questions Contacts: Lynette Parker – Prison Fellowship International lparker@pfi. org Anne Mason – Prison Fellowship England & Wales annemason@prisonfellowship. org. uk