Assessment and Intervention
This area of research seeks to investigate a variety of interventions and examine their effectiveness in terms of both process and outcome evaluation.
There are a number of projects within this domain, for example, the Supporting Offenders through Restoration Inside programme and evaluation of the Control of Violence in Angry Impulsive Drinkers.
Further details of these projects are given below:-
Evaluation of COVAID (Control of Violence for Angry Impulsive Drinkers)
Group members:
J Sellen
N Bowes
This project seeks to evaluate an intervention which is officially accredited for use in prisons in England & Wales and is currently running in two prison sites in South Wales. The pilot study is funded by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Cyrmu for £30,000k. An application for further funding has been submitted to conduct a randomised controlled trial at the two sites in South WalesIt is intended to be a 3 year programme in total which will pilot, refine and ultimately recruite over 200 prisoners. The primary outcome is violent reconviction, the process of change will be measured by anger expression and controlled drinking self-efficacy.
Collaborators:
Professor Mary McMurran, Nottingham University, UK
Dr Siriol David, Head of Psychological Services, NOMS Cymru
Advisors:
Professor David Cohen, Director of Wales Health Economics Support Service (WHESS)
Selected Publications:
Bowes, N., Sutton, A., Jenkins, S., & McMurran, M. (in press). The alcohol treatment needs of violent and non-violent prisoners. British Journal of Forensic Practice.
Grant applications:
European Research Advisory Board bid made for the evaluation of an alcohol and violence intervention (COVAID). Awaiting decision
SORI (Supporting Offenders through Restoration Inside) programme
This is a new project with seed funding from NOMS Cymru. SORI is a restorative justice programme run at HMP Cardiff, and we are engaged in evaluating its effectiveness through qualtitative data analysis techniques. Research is conducted in collaboration with staff at HMP Cardiff.
Members:
J Sellen
D Heggs
J Mercer
Trainee:
Sian Lewis, Forensic Psychologist in Training, NOMS Cymru
Grants:
Cardiff Metropolitan Univesity Foundation are exploring potential for further funding to support a postdoctoral researcher and a PhD student. These posts would develop the collaboration with HMP Cardiff and NOMS Cymru to examine the contribution that SORI can make nationwide.
Randomised control trial of a psycho-social intervention within detoxification unit at HMP Cardiff
This project aims to explore whether a simple psycho-social intervention could be offered to prisoners or men held on remand and undergoing checmical detox, and whether there are any benefits of doing so. The intervention was largely borrowed from exisiting intervention techniques and involves substance misuse specific teaching (relapse prevention, relaxation techniques, harm minimisation) with simple problem solving (Stop & Think) and problem identification techniques (SPIDER). It also contains an element of mentoring with the group being introduced to the various services available to them in prison. Outcome measures include psychometric measures, relapse into substance misuse and a qualitative review of stakeholders.
PhD Students/researchers:
Amy Williams, Cardiff University, UK.
Collaborators:
Professor Pamela Taylor, Cardiff University, UK
Grants:
PI. Professor Taylor. Medical officer’s grant, Cardiff University, £10,000
Members:
N Bowes
Completed Projects:
Aggression and violence
This research explores the utility of a newly developed psychometric measure of thinking related to aggression. The study involved prisoners and non-offenders. The findings indicated that self reported violence and the psychmetric tool (Maudsley Violence Questionnaire) was significantly related and that regression analysis indicated that high scores on one factor of the psychometric (machismo) was predictive of self reported violence.
Collaborators:
Dr Julian Walker, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Fromeside Clinic, Bristol
Selected Publications:
In preparation
Members:
N Bowes
Offender profiling and robbery
This study explored whether current applications of offender profiling methodologies could be applied by clinicians working in correctional facilities with convicted and imprisoned robbery offenders. Seventy offenders files were reviewed and information gathered detailing specific offence behaviours and offender characteristics. Crime scene information, including offence behaviours were analysed to predict an offender’s previous convictions. Statistically significant associations were found between certain offence behaviours and offender previous convictions. Regression analysis further identified significant predictive findings, which may, if replicated, assist in the investigation of robbery offences. This appears to be the first pragmatic application of offender profiling methodologies by clinicians in correctional facilities to robbery offences. This provides a structure for more cohesive work between the Criminal Justice agencies in the UK; engaging the vast amount of information stored on convicted offenders held in prisons in order to assist Police officers in their investigation processes. The findings indicate simple changes to the recording systems which would significantly improve the information available and enhance opportunities for offender profiling strategies to be employed within correctional facilities.
Collaborators:
Dr Alasdair Goodwill, University of Birmingham, UK
Selected Publications:
In preparation
Members:
N Bowes