Research centre
Communication and Computing Research Centre

Date
October 2010

Towards a collaboratively generated impact in responding to Diversity in HMP Wakefield

This project brings together practical, policy and theoretical concerns about diversity in prison. The proposed project builds on a strong established relationship between the applicants and HMP Wakefield, a maximum security dispersal prison in the North of England. In March 2009 the applicants were awarded an ESRC small grant to fund a pilot project using one wing of the prison to develop and trial a methodology to evaluate the prison’s response to diversity. The research has generated knowledge about diversity which the prison is committed to informing its developing practice.

Working collaboratively the three key areas outlined below have been identified particularly relevant to enabling the knowledge produced by and utilised in the research to make an impact on policy and practice.

Sensitivity to diversity when searching: Staff involved in searching functions across the prison will work together to develop guidelines for improving sensitivity to diversity when searching prisoners, their property and visitors to the prison.

Translating policy into respectful practice: Multidisciplinary prison staff will work together to develop guidelines for translating policy about a) respecting religious practices and b) sexual behaviours in prison, into respectful practice.

Developing prisoner diversity representatives' understanding of the intersectional nature of diversity: Prisoner diversity representatives will engage in activities designed to a) enhance their knowledge about the ways in which diversities they can intersect and b) develop ideas for promoting more respectful awareness of minority groupings.

You can find more information about this project here on the ESRC website.

Researchers involved

Malcolm Cowburn - Emeritus Professor (Applied Social Science)