Evaluation of Prisoner Learning Initial Impacts and Delivery

This document describes an evaluation of the Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) during its third and fourth phases, assessing the impact of prisoner education programs on post-release outcomes such as re-offending, employment, and further learning. The evaluation, which faced methodological challenges, used Propensity Score Matching to compare outcomes due to the impracticality of randomized control trials. Findings suggest that OLASS3 participation led to reduced re-offending and increased employment, while OLASS4's early stages showed no significant impact on re-offending and some negative effects on employment. The evaluation also highlights the economic benefits of prisoner education, the importance of partnership working, and the need for improvements such as more flexible funding and better post-release monitoring. Challenges identified include data sharing, resource constraints, and the need for earlier resettlement support. Overall, OLASS3 showed positive effects, but the early impacts of OLASS4 were less clear, with recommendations for future enhancements to the program. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Closed organisation: Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
• Evaluation types: Impact evaluation; Process evaluation
• Impact methods: Randomised control trial (RCT)
• RCT methods: No RCT methods listed
• Process methods: Case studies; Individual interviews; Other
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: May 2018

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes