Relational Prison Audits : Methodology and Results of a Pilot Audit

THE RELATIONSHIPS FOUNDATION.

FROM THE PREFACE: In April 1994, the Scottish Prison Service commissioned the Relationships Foundation (a research and social policy group in Cambridge) to develop a methodology for 'Relational Prison Audits'. This was for use as a management tool by S.P.S. to assess Scottish prisons' progress in developing a good 'relational' ethos between prisoners and staff in the context of the annual strategic planning exercise. The project began on June 1 1994, and this report represents the conclusions reached at the end of the project.

In addition to developing the methodology for relational audits, the Relationships Foundation also undertook to trial the audit. Before it was possible to trial the audit in a Scottish prison, it was necessary to carry out a pre-trial in an English prison. H.M.P. Littlehey, Cambridgeshire, was willing to be used for this trial. In November, members of the Relationships Foundation and Sima UK (a management consultancy specialising in individual assessment), carried out a relational audit on Darroch Hall in Greenock Prison. This report details both the developed methodology, and the results of this trial.

Scottish Prison Service. 1994.. 143p