Evaluation of an Inmate-Run Alternatives to Violence Project

Abstract

The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), a nonviolence training program run for inmates by inmates, represents an attempt to combat institutional violence. This program provides alternatives to violent behavior; it decreases the rate of violence within and among the prison population and may translate back to the community on release. An impact evaluation of an AVP was conducted in a medium-security corrections facility in Maryland. Despite limitations, the results from this evaluation demonstrate a positive impact on anger and self-reported confrontation for inmates who completed a basic level conflict resolution workshop as compared to those who did not. The power of the institutional environment, the need for continued intervention with offenders, and future directions for correctional setting-based evaluations are discussed.