Ho

sted

by:

Fu

nd

ed b

y:

Results from a national survey of offenders – why is awareness and use of third

sector services so low?

Dina Gojkovic Third Sector Research Centre

University of Southampton

• PHASE 3: scoping study of TSOs working with offenders, and an offender survey of engagement with and awareness of TSOs

• Scoping study: Mapped landscape and extent of third sector agencies’ involvement in the resettlement of offenders; size, number, geographic area, total income. Used existing datasets (CC and NSTSO)

• Offender survey: builds upon and extends this investigation by exploring prisoners’ experiences of TSOs involved in resettlement work.

Overview of research

Scoping study findings

• Nearly 20,000 TSOs (11%) report working with offenders

• Approx. 1,750 report offenders, ex-offenders and their families as their primary beneficiary group

• Approx. 5,000 TSOs identify CJ as their area of work

• Issues around defining ‘work with offenders’

• Inter-penetration of CJS and community work, where working with offenders and their families goes beyond the immediate boundaries of the criminal justice system

% of TSOs by Pathway

Geographic area Percentage (%)

National 14

Regional 20

County council area 7

Borough/district council/other LA 37

Neighbourhood 21

% of TSOs working with offenders, ex-offenders and their families, by area of operation

Category Percentage (%)

Over £1,000,000 9

£100,000-£1,000,000 26

£40,001-£100,000 9

£10,001-£40,000 13

£10,000 or under 39

Not reported 4

Levels of annual income

Offender survey• Distributed in 8 prisons across England, as a supplement to qualitative

interviews with prison staff, third sector representatives and offenders

• 8 prisons diverse in terms of the population held, the function of the prison, geographical location and the prison providers

• Survey included a list of TSOs that reportedly worked with the prison

• For each TSO, prisoners asked to indicate whether or not they had heard of or engaged with it

• If heard of but not worked with TSO-choice of 6 explanations

• Open-ended questions

Respondent profile

• N = 680, age 15-78 years (mean age 32)• 85% male• 3% juvenile, 7% young adult• 59% repeat prisoners• 60% White British, 12% Black British, 7% Asian, 6% mixed race, 6% White

other• 19% on remand• Already in prison for 3 months on average• Average sentence 14 months

Survey findings• 12% return rate (680 in total)

• 116 TSOs were operating across the eight prisons research sites at the time of data collection, with many working in more than one establishment.

• The TSOs classified into seven resettlement pathways

• Number of TSOs per establishment 15-31 (Average =20)

• Prisoners heard of 4 and engaged with 1 on average

• Minor variation between prisons, except for 1 where awareness over 50%

0102030405060708090

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

% o

f re

spo

nd

ents

Prison ID

engaged with

heard of

neither

% of respondents in each prison who heard of/engaged with TSOs

0102030405060708090

100

% o

f re

spo

nd

ents

engaged with

heard of

neither

Awareness of and engagement with at least one TSO by pathway

Reasons for not engaging with TSOs

1. I don’t think they can help me

2. I don’t know anything about them

3. I don’t need any help

4. I put in an application and never heard back

5. The appointments are at a time when I am busy

6. I tried to get in touch but was told that I am not entitled to their service

Highlights from open-ended questions

• ACCOMMODATION• Range of TSOs providing advice and assistance, but 75-80% of

prisoners never heard of them• Links needed with HAs which cover areas outside large cities.• Strict criteria hinder access to people on short sentences, women

offenders with children, people with substance misuse issues and young people.

• In line with scoping study- under-representation of TSOs offering services to more vulnerable ex-offenders (BAME, young people and women prisoners)-3 times less

• EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING• 1 in 4 respondents think that more TSOs are needed that

provide services in this pathway• Yet, only 1 in 4 report having ever heard of the employment

and training TSOs operating in their establishment!• The importance of placements emphasised in young and

juvenile establishments and open prisons.

• FINANCE, BENEFIT AND DEBT• Closed establishments have less opportunities to engage with

TSOs in this pathway • Some prisons appointed Finance Manager, sub-contracted Co-ops

and credit unions, or housing advisors act as finance advisors as well.

• Unmet needs of short-sentence prisoners and non-sentenced prisoners

Why is awareness/use low?• Narrow remit of the TSO services (geography, age, etc)• For some TSOs this is not an issue as they only offer services to those who

fit criteria-broader awareness not relevant• Limited resources- one-man bands, Nr of prisoners they can help is low

(likely to be exacerbated by budget cuts)• Emphasis on formal and informal partnership in the policy-way to secure

funding for TSOs and engage with local communities for prisons• Services not publicised enough-to prison staff (not able to refer) or

prisoners (reliance on written material)• Inconsistencies/issues with access• VCS coordinators needed to improve communication and promote TSOs

services more widely in the prison

Panel members

• Ruth Lowe (Platform 51)• Ali Hooper (1625ip)• Jackie Gonzales (Relate)