Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to produce impact evaluations for offender behaviour programmes which have been running for over three years.

This is a complex field of work, with many factors influencing the overall effectiveness of offending behaviour programmes. Our current programmes have been informed by various evaluations on existing and predecessor programmes. Impact evaluations require large samples and a significant follow-up period following offenders’ completion of the programme to measure reoffending. It can take several years before there is a large enough sample to complete this research, however all programmes are subject to ongoing quality assurance and monitoring.

The Correctional Services Advice and Accreditation Panel (CSAAP), independent international experts, make recommendations to HMPPS on whether to accredit offending behaviour programmes by reviewing programme design, quality assurance, and evaluations. As part of this review process, programme developers must demonstrate that programmes are designed in line with the latest international evidence, thereby minimising any risk that these programmes will not have the desired impact.