Criminology Research Council grant ; (2/83)
The volunteer Program at the Queensland women's prison began as a weekly social skills training course in 1979. In the second year the program was extended to include a broad range of communication and personal development skills, including drama, art, poetry, yoga, music and crafts, as well as a series of sessions on Aboriginal health. Formal study was encouraged and tutors were provided to assist inmates in enrolling for study and completing their lessons. All classes were conducted by volunteers from the Brisbane community, including the University of Queensland.
After three years, with the opening of a new prison facility, a full weekly schedule of educational and recreational activities was implemented, including classes in typing, alcohol awareness, pottery and leatherwork, and an individual counselling service. An evaluation of this expanded program is the subject of this report.
The report briefly describes the search for an appropriate evaluation model within the limitations of applied program evaluation in general, and prison programs in particular. Emphasis is placed on the assessment of significant content and process variable in short-term effects, rather than attempting to find evidence of a long-term program impact. The short-term effects were evaluated within a formative evaluation model, using observational and consultative techniques.
The evaluation is reported in three stages. Stage 1 traces the program's history, with a retrospective assessment based on available data. Stage 2 reports on systematic observations made on five classes over a four-month period during which attendance was noted, and comments regarding class benefits, or criticisms, were recorded.
Stage 3 comprises a survey of attitudes toward each of nine ongoing classes, based on opinions expressed by the women in Stage 2.
Voluntary participation by the women in the program overall was found to be 86 per cent; that is, 86 per cent of the women participated in at least one group at least part of the time. Four women in the sample attended, none of the classes, and two women attended only one. All the rest attended three or more, and the modal number of groups attended was six. Sixty-one per cent of the inmates were involved at some level of education.
The most frequently reported reason for attending classes was to acquire skills and knowledge, although process variables (it provides a break from prison routine, it's a relaxing activity, it helps cope with prison, enjoy contact with people from outside) were evident in the responses of all the women.
It was noted that bi-racial attendance had increased markedly over the five years. Aboriginal participation had been negligible prior to the introduction of the Aboriginal Health group (with Aboriginal leaders) in Stage 2, but segregation had all but disappeared by Stage 3. An exception was noted in the utilisation of the Counselling service, and Aboriginal counsellors have been added to the program.
Three problems were noted: The restriction of all Volunteer classes to the single large classroom, which was especially acute for women in Education who were trying to study, and for Counselling where privacy and confidentiality is essential; the lack of a fulltime co-ordinator to ensure that volunteer tutors are replaced when they leave, and to organise new classes to meet the changing needs of the inmates; and the lack of adequate communication and involvement with the prison officer staff.
Benefits to the volunteers themselves were described, in terms of their own learning experience, and it was recommended that a positive public relations campaign through the media as community education would be beneficial. Benefits of utilising volunteer resources in prison programs were described in terms of the variability and flexibility of program planning, and the broad range of expertise available in the volunteer community. In light of the present economic climate, and the lack of adequate professional support resources, volunteers are seen as a valuable asset. With a permanent paid co-ordinator, volunteer resources would be adequately available.