Press release: Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme

Home | About Us | More About CRIME-PICS II | Publications | CRIAQ Questionnaire | Ordering & Prices | Links | Contact Us

We are delighted to announce the publication of the 2009 Hallam Centre for Community Justice "Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme", based on an analysis of Crime Pics II data, by Simon Feasey and Patrick Williams. The Hallam Centre for Community Justice was commissioned to report on 5,007 sets of Crime Pics II data collected on the Sycamore Tree programme between January 2006 and May 2009. The data was collected from each participant at the beginning and the end of each programme, thus providing evidence of change as a result of the Sycamore Tree programme.

The report findings are extremely encouraging, and some of the key conclusions are highlighted below:

• Across the whole sample of prisoners there were significant positive attitudinal changes with regard to the five psychometric features of Crime Pics II.
• Statistical analysis indicates that these positive changes are associated with completion of the programme.
• The positive attitudinal changes are associated with all groups of prisoners including male, female, adult and young prisoners.
• The positive attitudinal changes are also evidenced across all institutional categories.

The report determines that the Sycamore Tree programme is an effective intervention for all groups of prisoners in all institutional categories. Furthermore, this report directly links completion of the Sycamore Tree programme to positive attitudinal change on the five Crime Pics II scales. Due to the size of the sample, the report authors state that there is only a very small chance that the significant positive attitudinal change is not the result of completing the Sycamore Tree programme.

For a full copy of the report, please contact info@prisonfellowship.org.uk or phone 01621 843232.