Background to the Research

• The Inspire Women's Project, established in Belfast on 27 October 2008, aimed to ensure that gender specific provision was available for women offenders in NI. This report presents findings of the Evaluation of the Pilot Inspire Women's Project.

Research Approach

• The key aim of the evaluation was to assess the Inspire Women's Project in relation to its key objectives: to provide a woman-centred approach; to provide women offenders with a framework within which they can address their offending behaviour and complex needs; to establish a network of agencies that can provide a holistic multi-agency response for women offenders; and to enable women offenders to desist from crime and reintegrate into society.
• It was also intended that an examination of cost benefits of the service would be undertaken and examples of good practice be identified that could facilitate the roll out of a gender specific approach to women offenders across NI.

Main Findings

• A total of 309 women offenders were referred to Inspire between 27 October 2008 and 31 July 2010. They ranged in age from 19 to 68, with the majority younger than 50 years old. 56% of these offenders lived in Belfast and most were on community sentences (89%). While information on the background needs of all 309 women offenders was not gathered, details provided for 37 women offenders who were interviewed suggested that their background experiences and underlying needs were similar to those of the entire population of women offenders in NI. In relation to offending histories, women offenders referred to Inspire were most likely to have committed an acquisitive offence (37%).
• For women offenders not serving a custodial sentence, engagement with Inspire is determined by the requirements specified by the courts in the community sentence.
• A wide range of external partner agencies accept referrals from Inspire; data about the nature and number of external referrals made for the 309 women offenders shows that a total of 421 referrals for support from a number of different agencies were made.
• The majority (72%) of the 309 women offenders were compliant with their community sentence. The most common reason for non-compliance was not attending appointments (81%).
• Of the 309 women offenders, a total of 69 (22%) breached their community sentence.
• The Inspire Women's Project was viewed highly by both women offenders and key stakeholders. Women offenders were positive about the provision available to them at Inspire, both in relation to the quality of supervision and the variety of options available. However, apart from women offenders referred from prison, most would have liked further information about Inspire at the point of referral. Having limited information about the Project had left some women offenders feeling apprehensive about attending, although their fears were usually allayed after their first visit. Women offenders were grateful for the women-only provision and physical space; the non-judgemental attitude of their probation officers; the flexible but 'boundaried' approach at Inspire; the opportunity for support from their peers; the support provided around specific issues such as debt, housing, attending court etc; the links that they were making in the community; and the range of meaningful activities and interventions provided.
• Inspire was viewed by key stakeholders as a unique and much needed service that has been highly effective in the short time it has been running. The staff team are highly regarded by both women offenders and stakeholders alike. Central to the Project's success has been its women-centred approach which involves women in identifying their own needs and objectives and the wide and varied links with community based organisations, particularly the Northern Ireland Women's Centres.
• While it was not possible to establish quantitative outcomes for the Inspire Women's Project for a number of reasons, there were a number of promising findings in relation to qualitative outcomes for women offenders. Interviews with women offenders found that 78% (29) had not committed any further offences since engaging with Inspire; 70% (26) reported changes in their attitudes towards their offending; 76% (28) reported improvements to their self esteem; and a number reported a range of other benefits including improvements to physical and mental health, substance use, relationships, self control, education and training, and employment.
• ACE Scores were used to measure the change in risk of reoffending for the cohort of 309 women offenders between their first and most recent assessment. The average ACE Score reduced by three points, a statistically significant reduction. It was not possible, however, to compare this change with a matched group of women offenders who received mainstream supervision due to problems constructing a suitable comparison group. It was also not possible to examine changes in rates of re-offending as this data was not available at the time of the evaluation.
• The total cost of running the project between 27 October 2008 and 31 July 2010 was approximately £187,250, which equates to approximately £606 per woman offender in addition to mainstream probation provision.
• As it was not possible to establish clearly the quantitative outcomes for women offenders attending Inspire or indeed the cost benefit of establishing provision such as that available at Inspire, this should become the focus of further research.

Conclusions

• The report ends with a series of recommendations including: priority identification and analysis of data about outcomes (particularly re-offending); formal documentation about the key principles of a woman centred approach; Inspire should work towards the development of gender-specific assessment tools; Inspire should work towards improving provision for women offenders outside the pilot area; the Inspire Women's Project Working Group should work towards establishing formal links with providers of accommodation and housing and meaningful education and training opportunities for women offenders, and should establish formal links with services supporting women with complex mental health needs, past or present experiences of violence, substance misuse or a combinations of these needs; voluntary sector staff delivering programmes and support who are not experienced in working with substance misusing women offenders should be given training and support; an assessment of the likely impacts of funding cuts should be made to ensure continuity of provision for women offenders involved with Inspire; and Inspire should continue development of its women-centred approach to women's offending.

Please see Report on the DOJ Website