Opening up communicative space: towards a collaboratively generated impact in responding to Diversity in HMP Wakefield
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bradford
Department Name: Faculty of Social Sciences
Abstract
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Organisations
| Description | Consistent with the Knowledge Exchange (KE) focus of the project the 'findings' of the research take the form of outputs. These can be categorised into 'pedagogic' outputs, by that we mean the materials generated by the research team to facilitate the workshops and 'practical' outputs; those arising from and developed following the workshops which are now being exploited. PEDAGOGIC OUTPUTS: The programme of events, agendas, exercises and PowerPoint slides for each of the three workshops are available on the ESRC project website. These materials are freely available for use by other prisons and other organisations in their diversity training. PRACTICAL OUTPUTS: These are listed separately below for each of the three workshops. Workshop 1 Sensitivity to diversity in security searching: • Amendments to Local Security Instructions (LSI) covering the 7 areas of diversity • Production of reference guides outlining staff powers, authorities and procedures for respectful searching in relation to religious observance, wheel-chair bound prisoners, transgender/transsexual prisoners. Workshop 2 Translating policy into respectful practice: • Development of a local policy outlining the provision for transsexual prisoners • Production of a transsexual 'Compact' document, which outlines the rights and codes of conduct of staff and transsexual prisoners. Workshop 3 Developing 'prisoner diversity representatives' (PDRs) understanding of the intersectional nature of diversity': • Development of an induction package for new PDRs • A training package for current PDRs is being designed • PDRs have been actively involved in the development of the induction and training packages. |
| Exploitation Route | The potential for use in non-academic contexts arises mainly from exploitation of the materials developed to facilitate the workshops. The programme of events, agendas, exercises and PowerPoint slides for each of the three workshops are available on the ESRC project website. These materials are freely available for use by other prisons and other organisations in their diversity training.The outputs arising from the KE activities hold the potential for exploitation for various groups including: a) the user (prisons) community b) academic users c) third sector/non-academic users. The exploitation routes arising from each workshop are listed separately below for each of these groups. EXPLOITATION TO THE 'USER' (PRISONS) COMMUNITY' Workshop 1 Sensitivity to diversity in security searching: The Local Security Instructions (LSIs) and reference guides for staff when searching have been exploited in the following ways: • Within HMP Wakefield: via the staff intranet and copies in all workshops and wings of the prison • Within the wider High Security Estate: via the Local Strategic Framework (LSF: a mechanism through which prisons are able to share information, good practice etc.) Workshop 2 Translating policy into respectful practice: The local Transsexual Policy and corresponding Compact document have been exploited in the following ways: • Within HMP Wakefield: the local policy has been implemented and the Compact document is already in use with transsexual prisoners within the establishment. • Within the wider High Security Estate: a) the new local Transsexual Policy has already been shared with two other prisons housing transsexual prisoners, thereby impacting the development of their local policies and b) Diversity Advisors across the estate have been made aware of the policy and it is available to other High Security prisons via the LSF. Workshop 3 Developing 'prisoner diversity representatives' (PDRs) understanding of the intersectional nature of diversity: The induction package to support the training of prisoners acting as diversity representatives have been exploited in the following ways: • Within HMP Wakefield: the induction package is being delivered bi-monthly • Within the wider High Security Estate: the induction package is available via the LSF. b) EXPLOITATION TO ACADEMIC COMMUNITIES Exploitation to academic communities has primarily occurred through presentations at academic conferences or workshops, listed below. • Cowburn, M. and Lavis, V. (2013) 'Using a Prisoner Advisory Group to develop diversity research in a maximum-security prison: as means of enhancing prisoner participation or participatory research? Groupwork, Special Edition, Vol 23(3) pp. 32-44. • 'Making knowledge work in prisons: employing appreciative inquiry to facilitate knowledge exchange in prisons settings', British Society of Criminology Conference. Newcastle. June, 2011. • 'Making knowledge work in prisons: employing appreciative inquiry to facilitate knowledge exchange in prisons settings' POWS British Psychological Society Conference. Windsor. June, 2011. |
| Sectors | Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| URL | http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my-esrc/grants/RES-192-22-0047/read |
| Description | The research influenced the development of reference guides to assist staff in respecting diversity when searching prisoners. An audit of security searching subsequent to the workshop demonstrated improved staff confidence in searching prisoners from diverse minorities. Whilst this demonstrates a direct benefit to staff, it also benefits prisoners through more dignified and respectful searching of their person and belongings. A second workshop was undertaken with prisoners who were working as representatives for diversity on their residential wings. The workshop developed the representatives' appreciation of the intersectional nature of diversity and encouraged them to develop strategies for supporting others which moved beyond their previous focus on singular strands of diversity. Subsequently, the representatives used this understanding to produce and implement a training package to help new prisoner diversity representatives understand diversity from an intersectional perspective. This training package has been shared with other prisons within the High Security Estate benefitting diversity representatives and those diverse minority prisoners they support. The final workshop which focussed on the development of policy and practice relating to prisoner sexuality, in particular transgender. Learning arising from this workshop was subsequently incorporated into training materials for the management of transsexual prisoners by a national Prison Service trainer who attended the workshop. This enabled transmission of the learning across the local and wider national workforce. The same workshop impacted on the creation of a local policy for the management of transgender prisoners which was subsequently shared between prisons within the High Security estate. This local policy was significant as, at that time, a national policy had not yet been released. Beneficiaries of this policy included transgender prisoners at the local prison and subsequently in the wider High Security estate and the prison staff responsible for their care by providing clarity about respectful and decent treatment of transgender offenders in terms of access to facilities, personal searching techniques, and the rights and responsibilities of both staff and transgender offenders. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2011 |
| Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Intersectionality and prisoner diversity representatives understanding of equalities |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation stimulated discussion about the applicability of appreciative inquiry based research methods to wider fields of inquiry within education, health, sexuality and gender relations. Subsequent to the presentation I received inquiries for further information about appreciative inquiry methods and about how appreciative inquiry can be used in research. This has prompted the development of a book chapter on this issue which will be published in 2015. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Making knoweldge work in prisons (security and diversity) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation generated questions and discussion about the complexity and challenges of responding to diversity in prisons. Subsequently I was asked to write a book chapter which was related to this presentation by consideration of issues of intersectionality and equalities. Lavis, V.J. and Walker, T. (2013) 'Whose side are we on: feminism within criminology', in M. Cowburn, M. Duggan, A. Robinson and P. Senior (eds), Values in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Bristol: Policy Press. pp 57-76. Hardback: 978-1-4473-0035-9 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011 |
| Description | Prisoner diversity representatives (intersectionality) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of its strategy to support prisoners in diverse minority groupings, the prison instituted a system of prisoner 'representatives' (PDRs) for each of the main strands of diversity. This workshop engaged prisoner diversity representatives in three specialist activities and group discussions 1. Identifying Intersections; aimed to assist PDRs in thinking beyond the single strand of diversity they represent when offering support. The activity highlights that several strands of diversity may be present in a person's identity. 2. Individual differences in Diversity; aimed to raise awareness of individual differences in what aspects of diversity may be important to different individuals. 3. Disclosure; aimed to encourage creative thinking about the intersectional nature of diversity and what strategies might be most effective when responding. 4. Group discussion identifying strategies to a) improve PDRs practice when supporting prisoners, b) raise other prisoners' awareness of the intersectional nature of diversity and c) identify resources, training or support which might be needed by PDRs. The workshop developed PDRs appreciation of the intersectional nature of diversity and encouraged them to develop strategies for supporting others which moved beyond their previous focus on singular strands of diversity. Subsequently, PDRs used this understanding to produce and implement a training package to help new prisoner diversity representatives understand diversity from an intersectional perspective. This training package was shared with other High Security Prisons nationally. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
| Description | Public Research Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr. Victoria Lavis (University of Bradford), Prof. Malcolm Cowburn (Sheffield Hallam University) and Governor Chris Robinson (HMP Wakefield) led a seminar which presented findings from an ESRC-funded pilot study into promoting diversity in prisons. The seminar, attended by members of the public, equalities stakeholder groups and included staff from probation and prison services, stimulated questions and discussions about equalities, diversity and prisoners rights. This activity generated interest from other stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System and subsequently some organisations attending have become part of an Executive Steering Group for a further ESRC funded research project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| URL | http://www.bradford.ac.uk/ssis/events-and-podcasts/archive/research-centre-seminar-3-10d.php |