Evaluation of the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund

The Reducing Reoffending Change Fund (RRCF) has two key aims:

• to provide prolific young male offenders and women offenders with substantial one-to-one support through evidence-based mentoring schemes;
• to promote strong, equal partnership working between third and public sector organisations.

RRCF funding was allocated to six Public Social Partnerships (PSPs) to deliver mentoring schemes for offenders.

The Scottish Government (along with the Robertson Trust and Scottish Prison Service) commissioned Ipsos Scotland, in collaboration with a team of academics led by Professor Gill McIvor, to carry out an evaluation of the RRCF. The aim of the evaluation was to provide a comprehensive assessment of the extent to which the PSP model delivers effective mentoring services that reduce the risk of reoffending and support reintegration.

Evaluation methods

The mixed-method evaluation was carried out in three phases between September 2013 and November 2015. It included:

• analysis of data collected by PSPs, including surveys of mentees;
• in-depth interviews with mentees;
• focus groups and in-depth interviews with mentors;
• in-depth interviews with representatives from each PSP’s lead organisation and a sample of partner organisations;
• an online survey with organisations involved in each PSP;
• in-depth interviews with national stakeholders.

Key findings

There is strong evidence that mentoring is an effective approach which helps mentees to learn constructive, non-criminal ways of addressing problems and which reduces risk factors associated with offending.

In combination with a wider system of support – and mentoring also helps engagement with other services – the evidence suggests that this will, in the long term, contribute to a reduction in reoffending. There is therefore a strong case for the continuation and expansion of mentoring services.

Whether mentoring services are best provided by PSPs (as opposed to other models of funding and delivery) is less clear. One element in the assessment of whether the PSP model has been successful is whether the services are sustained beyond the current funding period – and that will not be known until after funding expires in 2017. What is clear, however, is that the model has led public sector partners to a significantly increased appreciation of the expertise and potential contribution of the third sector.

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