Annual Report and Research Findings 2009

VALUES, PRACTICES AND OUTCOMES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CORRECTIONS In 2006, Professor Alison Liebling and Dr Ben Crewe successfully applied for a large, ESRC research grant for a project titled Values, Practices and Outcomes in Public and Private Corrections. The study was shaped by previous research by both investigators, and drew upon their expertise in the analysis of prison life and their excellent relationships with practitioners in both the public and private prison sectors. The fieldwork (now completed) included extensive data collection in two matched public and two matched private prisons, as well as in-depth interviews with over eighty senior managers about their values, backgrounds and motivations. Dr Susie Hulley and Ms Clare McLean worked as part of the research team. Ms Jennifer Cartwright is the project administrator. The team plan to present their findings and write up the study during 2009. The findings are complex (and at present, tentative), but some general themes can be summarised as follows: