Written question asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour) on Monday, 9 October 2006.

Prisoners: InnerChange Initiative

Question: How many prisoners participated in the InnerChange initiative at H M Prison Dartmoor; and what has been the impact on their behaviour; and

Answer: The InnerChange programme was introduced as a pilot only. Under Prison Service Order 4350 (Effective Regimes Interventions), the Prison Service is required to review all programmes to ensure that they are of the appropriate quality and effectiveness and offer value for money. A multidisciplinary panel, which included the National Offender Management Service Chaplaincy, reviewed the programme and identified a range of concerns. The most significant were the poor quality of the manuals, which did not demonstrate a structured and coherent programme, a lack of consistency and clarity about the primary aims of the programme, a lack of understanding and appropriate sensitivity to the diversity agenda of the Prison Service, and an absence of protocols for the management of the mentor system, making it unsafe. The area manager considered the recommendation from the panel and decided to discontinue the programme. Forty-two prisoners have undertaken the course. No formal evaluation on the impact on behaviour has been possible given the small numbers involved.

Secondary information