Involving those detained in secure settings in research

2012 Conference

Abstract:
What type of involvement do those detained in prison or secure mental health services have in shaping or conducting social research and evaluation? Putting aside philosophical and legal issues this might raise about their being ‘members of the public’ at that time, there is no doubt that people in receipt of services (the case for many of those in secure settings) have much to contribute to research. However, there are few opportunities to do so as a result of the restrictions and requirements of the institution. As part of evaluating services for women in secure settings, we explored ways of seeking their involvement in evaluation design which were meaningful to them and contributed to ownership of the findings by services as a whole. Using repertory grid technique, we reflect on how this can be used to enable people to identify what matters most to them and what they think makes most difference to how they do or do not benefit from the service. The ‘concepts’ are tested with providers to help determine levels of shared understanding. These ‘concepts’ are also central to identifying indicators and in this way women contribute to the evaluation design.