Investigating the impact of support through enhanced management (StEM) on safety measures within the women’s estate prisons – a matched control group study

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of support through enhanced management (StEM) on the safety of people who have committed offences, who reside in the women’s estate prisons in England. Design/methodology/approach A matched control study comprising 32 participants investigated the number of safety incidents before and after the implementation of StEM. Findings When comparing people in prison who had StEM, to those who had not, there were no significant differences in the number of safety incidents one month after StEM was implemented, compared to the one month before. There was a statistically significant reduction in safety incidents in the three months after StEM was completed, compared to the three months before it was implemented, compared to the matched control group. Research limitations/implications This study was not able to achieve the minimum number of StEM cases to obtain sufficient power. The matched control group limited the number of StEM cases that could be included. Practical implications StEM has a positive influence on the reduction of safety incidents longer term. Researchers hypothesised that adherence to the StEM policy, collaborative and joined up staff working and investment in the care of people in prison were central to successful outcomes. Originality/value This research contributes to the growing evidence about the effective use of the StEM consultancy process within women’s estate prisons. It is the first evaluation of StEM to introduce a matched control group.