HMP Ranby Executive Summary. 

Conflict Resolution visualization developed with staff and Prisoners.  

1. Project Overview -2017- 2020 

2. Introduction to InsightBox

3. Review of the Insightbox Software

3.1 Types of Conflict

3.2 Types of prejudice  addressed by the conflict resolution team 

3.2 Locations of  conflict

3.4 Emotions in  Conflict (prior to conflict occurring)

3.5 Emotions in  Conflict (during conflict incidents)

3.6 Emotions after  conflict (after conflict incidents)

3.7 Solutions to  conflicts to resolve the situation

3.8 How many  agreements were reached for those in conflict?

4. Cost savings of the Conflict Resolution Team

4.1 Preventing further  violence

4.2 Efficiency Costs

5. Addressing Self-Isolation

6. Addressing the issue of debt

7. Changes HMP Ranby due to Conflict Resolution

7.1 Stakeholder views  of Conflict Resolution

7.2 Case studies of  Conflict at Ranby

8. Next steps for InsightBox

8.1 Conflict  Competence: Capturing Skills of those in Conflict Resolution

8.2 Inclusive  Integration: Ensuring Accessibility

9. Conclusion and recommendations

9.1 Conclusion

9.2 Recommendations

The introduction of Conflict Resolution to HMP Ranby was pioneered at the request of Governor Nigel Hurst and Robin Tanguy in 2017.

The model included both training for staff and prisoner mediators, along with the introduction of InsightBox software for capturing, reporting and measuring practice. It was implemented between 2017 and 2019.

During the eight-month period from May to December 2019:-

· 67 conflict reports

· 63 reports resulted in the Conflict Resolution process

· Key data captures:

• conflict types
• prejudices leading to the conflict
• locations
• emotions 
• most successful solutions per conflict type.

The Ranby Conflict Resolution Team reached a mammoth 432 individual agreements.

This resulted in cost reductions in the prevention of further incidents and escalations at a cost of £11,200 per incident. (Economic & Social Crime Report 2018)

(This figure excludes any cost savings associated with hospitalisation, additional restraint or segregation.)

Up-date: NOVEMBER 2020.

Since the time of this report, a further 47 cases have been logged using the InsightBox, including resolution being carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a total of 109 cases this represents a saving of £1,220,800.000 during the continued use of the conflict resolution programme in HMP Ranby. Our team of mobile app developers can help you bring your ideas to life on iOS and Android platforms. We specialize in developing native mobile apps that are fast, reliable and easy to use.

HMP Ranby: Conflict Resolution Model Using InsightBox Software.

HMP Ranby is a Male Category C Prison situated in Nottinghamshire. The population is approximately 1000 men. At the request of Governor Nigel Hurst, Dr Luke Roberts, the CEO of Resolve Consultants and one of the founders of InsightBox, was asked to develop a conflict resolution model in an adult setting. Both HMP Ranby and Resolve would pioneer the Conflict Resolution Model, which Resolve had already been developing across the Youth Estate to address violence and improve community cohesion. 

An instant distinction was made that the Adult Estate Model for a Category C need to include Prison Officers and Prisoners working together. After an initial scoping, it became clear that the existing responses to conflict were limited such as violence reduction or moving prisoners were not meeting the needs of those involved or the running of the regime. 

Initial training was delivered in 2017, led by the Head of Safer Custody, Robin Tanguy, she also oversaw operational delivery. The first round of training was received very positively from both staff and prisoners, this helped to break down mistrust but also develop a Conflict Resolution Team. 

The Conflict Resolution Team then begin working to develop a clear brand and communication strategy to inform prisoners and staff of the benefits of using a conflict resolution process to address problems.

By 2018 the number of originally trained prisoners except for one, due to their exemplary behaviour with them being released on being sent to a category D establishment. There were also changes in the staff, with new staff joining the safeguarding team. A second round of training was put on with a more refined criteria for prisoners to ensure greater stability in the service delivery. In addition. Trevor Merry, was identified as the single point of contact to manage day-to-day activities for the Conflict Resolution Team. 

During 2018 one member of the team was suspended due to being involved in a fight. The team decided that they would allow him to return if it was clear that such action undermined the entire point of conflict resolution. Since then, he has not only been an excellent ambassador for conflict resolution but also wishes to develop a professional mediator when in the community. 

In 2019, a third group of staff and prisoners were trained this group was also supported by the existing staff and prisoners in the conflict resolution team. This was an indication that the conflict resolution was moving from an implementation stage through continuous improvement towards an embedding stage within Ranby.

About the Safer Custody Team:

The Safer Custody Team (SCT) have developed a unique model of Conflict Resolution in the adult estate. The administration, recruitment and practice development of the Conflict Resolution programme. However, the practice, engagement and information awareness area collaboration between the SCT and the prisoners trained as practitioners. These has enabled high levels of participation and trust across the prison. 

The InsightBox software is a unique solution developed to support practitioners for the digitisation of the conflict resolution process. In addition, it provides a data capture and analysis process to be able to demonstrate a range of metrics which helps progress individual practitioners as well as the organisation as a whole.

In partnership with HMP Ranby data capture was completed by Laura Spurr within the safeguarding team to ensure staff and prisoners were able to input case information into conflict up. Having a designated lead data capture have been vital to the integrity and evaluation of the competent resolution within HMP Ranby. 

Over an eight-month period, from May to December 2019, sixty-seven conflicts were logged on the InsightBox system. 

The actual levels of incident were 67 over the data collection period, of which 63 conflict resolution meetings were held. However, not all cases are suitable for conflict resolution. The reasons for refusal to participate in the four cases which did not go to conflict resolution included: 

1. Trust issues, (prisoners not feeling that the other prisoner is trusting) 

2. Don’t think they will get anything out of CR 

3. Already had an adjudication for the ‘fight/incident’.

Of the three per cent of cases which did not go to Conflict Resolution, the practitioners asked what the concerns were by those who refused to participate. Addressing each issue in turn, the first issue is the issue of trust, which is multi-directional, with prisoners having to trust the Conflict Resolution Process, i.e. are they clear on what is involved, as they have generated a range of options to move on from the conflict situation. Secondly, prisoners need to have a space to enable a peaceful conversation to occur, the fear of secondary violence, that is, violence occurring in the meeting, is a real concern, and although this has only happened once since HMP Ranby introduced Conflict Resolution in 2017. Trusting other prisons in a new process can be exceptionally difficult and the fact that the Conflict Resolution Team at HMP Ranby is testament to both the model and their ongoing skills at resolving conflict situations which involve physical and psychological harm. 

The third reason for refusal in an issue across both adult and young offender institutions in that adults and young people feel that having been through adjudication and received a punishment there is no further reason to engage in a process to repair the relations. This indicates a tension between institutional (procedural justice) and community peace processes (which focus on relationships). 

The types of conflict addressed by the team included physical assaults, verbal abuse, when more group shouting and intimidation. Other forms of conflict included bullying and altercations were one party held extremist views. 

The types of conflict addressed were varied from gang issues to homophobia. Fourteen conflict resolution meetings were held to address issues of debt within the prison. This is an important point because often that issues can cause further conflict as well as present self-isolating for fear of retaliation for being in debt. Other issues addressed included disputes within the traveller community, queue jumping, and noise. The team also tackled issues in regard to Equalities such as disability and mental health, religion.

The InsightBox has been mapped on to the areas of interaction in Ranby. The Safeguarding Team are now able to identify those in conflict with self-identity moments of conflict.  the results.

Locations of Conflict in Ranby. 

• Workshops 35 
• Grounds 15 
• HB1 North 11 
• HB3 North Landings 8 
• HB2 South Landings 7

Total: 76

The InsightBox software is able to collect data on how participants in the conflict felt before, during and after the conflict situation. Interestingly, 26 percent felt neutral, that is not feeling a particular strong emotion prior to the conflict situation escalated. Whereas a further 24 per cent felt angry as the conflict situation escalated. The third largest group with those participants 11 per cent felt happy prior to the conflict situation reaching a point crisis.

The top three motions felt during conflict situations were:

· 37% felt anger 

· 11% felt surprise 

· 9% felt scared 

Other emotions included disgust, sadness and embarrassment.

The emotions felt after conflict instant included:

· 24% felt neutral 

· 18% felt embarrassed 

· 15% felt angry 

· 12% felt sad 

Other emotions include feeling deflated, regretful, betrayed, and jealous.

3.7 Solutions to conflicts to resolve the situation:

During the conflict resolution process, those involved are asked why they can generate solutions to resolve the situation and allow all parties to find peace. The four highest response in conflict resolution meeting were:

· 14% to move on (i.e. move past the conflict situation).

· 13% to make amends 

· 12% to contribute to a resolution

· 11% to treat each other with respect.

These solutions are important because they allow all parties to agree ways in which to peacefully coexist within a prison setting.

Over the eight-month period 432 agreements were reached with the team having an extremely busy month in June 2019 with 124 agreements reached. 

By using the Conflict Resolution Model in a category C prison HMP Ranby has reduced costs in several ways:

Although the data shows a high level of agreement reached, it is important to recognise the conflict resolution model has therefore prevented further conflict situations that resulted in physical or psychological harm. This can be due to retaliatory behaviour or an escalation of conflict when more prisoners become involved in the conflict situation. 

According to the Economic and Social Costs Crime of Report (2018), the cost of violence with injury is £11,220.00 with an additional £2500.00 in responding to this by the criminal justice system. This equates to £13720.00 per assault. In prisons, additional costs would include the cost adjudication, hospitalisation, use of restraint and segregation in response costs. Furthermore, wider costs implications such as disruption to the regime as well as conflict management costs such as moving wings or prisons between prisoners. Finally, prevention costs such as body worn cameras have both been included. 

At HMP Ranby 85 assaults occurred during the data collection phase this equates to £1,166,200.00 cost to the prison. The number of assaults is higher than the number of cases due to multiple participants being involved or where on one part has been repeatedly attacked. 

Of the 63 cases which were successfully resolved based on the assumption that if those parties had not resolved their conflict, and the conflict did not escalate this would cost HMP Ranby a further £1,166,200.00 in violence with injury costs. The cost of violence at this point would be £2,332,400.00.

The full cost of the Conflict Resolution Model costs £32,820.00 which includes training and the InsightBox software standard license. This equates to a cost benefit ration on 1:35, hence for everyone pound spent on the conflict resolution model there is a £35 pound saving to the prison. 

the conflict resolution model has allowed prisoners to peacefully coexist on the wings and within the prison environment. This meant that staff spent less time separating prisoners or preparing for managed moves between wings or in high levels harm between prisons. 

a key feature of the conflict resolution model and adult estate has been to train prisoners to support other prisoners in resolving the conflict situations. This is particularly important where prisoners for fear of conflict or retaliation choose to self-isolate which has considerable impact on their mental health. The conflict resolution team at HMP Ranby have specifically worked with prisoners who have self-isolated as part conflict resolution process. By doing this work enables self-isolators to feel reassured and safe within the prison environment and participate in education employment training and health benefits as well as great opportunities for association between prisoners as well as with visits.

The issue of debt is complex in prisons, as they may happen for a number of reasons, the main however being the debt incurred in the consumption of drugs. The 2019 Prison Drug Strategy states:

The debt resulting from the supply, distribution and use of drugs is also a significant cause of violence, intimidation and self-harm across the estate, endangering both staff and other prisoners. Consequently, to tackle drug misuse, we need changes in all elements of this cycle, enabling prisoners to engage positively with rehabilitation, in a calm and safe environment. Reducing drug misuse is crucial to the safety of our prisons and the rehabilitation of prisoners

(2019:3)

In HMP Ranby, the Conflict Resolution Model has been successfully used in 15 incidents to address the conflicts which occur due to debt. The absence of Conflict Resolution from the Drug Strategy due to the small scale of the Ranby pilot but with further support this could be developed to enhance the service offer as well as go to scale in other establishments. 

The advantages of Conflict Resolution at HMP Ranby have made a difference to a wide variety of stakeholders in the prison. Below are a sample of comments:

‘I have been a prison officer for 25 years and I realise that I deal with conflict every day, more officers need to recognise that resolving conflict makes our lives easier’.

Conflict Resolution Prisoner Officer

‘I have committed loads of GBH, and I never thought about my needs when committing violence let alone the other persons, this intervention has changed me, and I haven’t even started yet!’

Conflict Resolution Prison Practitioner

Just makes sense

Conflict Resolution Prisoner Officer

Group assault during movement.

On a Friday, two groups of men had and altercation during movement from wings to work in the main yard. 15 men in total were involved. The disruption to movement meant that other prisoners where late to arrive at employment, training and education. It was also clear that the men involved did feel that there had been clear win and both groups were willing to continue the violence at the next opportunity which would be Monday. 

The conflict resolution team one officer and one prison practitioner spent the weekend interviewing all participants. They discovered that the conflict had started over a misunderstanding but that everyone could not see a resolution without being seen as weak and losing respect. 

The team identified the key participants driving the conflict, arranged a meeting and skilfully facilitated a meeting in which the parties could clarify the misunderstanding and allow a face-saving way to end the dispute. The success of this resolution meant that during the next mass move all parties did not provoke each other and the regime ran in a routine fashion, to the relief of the prison community.

This case study shows how one incident did have an effect on the whole community. The Conflict Resolution Team showed confidence in applying their skills to resolve the situation and prevent further violence. 

The proposed innovations of InsightBox are subject to development funding: 

The InsightBox Software has been developed to capture both Immediate Resolution, issues which are low level and can be done by all staff or prisoners, as well as the more formal conflict resolution process. At present, the software does not collect the skills prisoners gain through being through the process. This may be an opportunity to develop a skills capture progress to support their learning whilst in custody as well as provide evidence for future employment. 

The InsightBox software at present is designed for data capture, whit further development this could become more dynamic through the use of videos and recordings. This would enable InsightBox to be used as part of the induction process. In addition, the dynamic content would make the use of Conflict Resolution more accessible to participants with different learning styles such as dyslexia. This would support officers in having ready-made promotional and engagement material so support peace in their community. 

At present HMP Ranby has the most advanced Conflict Resolution in both HMPPS and the private sector. 

The success of the Conflict Resolution model has been through the constant collaboration between staff, prisoners and Resolve Consultants in building the operational delivery. The added value of InsightBox to HMP Ranby has been to have a purpose-built monitoring and information system to identify trends and evaluate practice. 

The InsightBox Software also acts as an aide memoir post-training to enhance integrity of practice through explicitly taking practitioners through the conflict resolution process. 

In conclusion the journey of HMP Ranby has been exciting and challenging in understanding the range of benefits both intended and unintended from developing this model. The major risk remains the fragility of sustaining Conflict Resolution, however the following recommendations should address this issue. 

1. HMP Ranby to use InsightBox to inform operational delivery with practitioners to enhance practice.

2. HMP Ranby to review trends in InsightBox to assess strategic development of Conflict Resolution model in line with wider organisational development.

3. HMP Ranby to review development potential of InsightBox to capture new data and allow for cross tabulation of data point to address specific issues e.g. emotions experienced when self-isolating. This would then support advanced practice specifically for officers and long-term prisoners to address conflict issues with high emotional impact. 

4. HMPPS to support HMP Ranby through the development of partner prisons to share learning and build an eco-system of adult conflict resolution prisons in the geographical area to support ongoing collaboration. 

Contact:

Dr Luke Roberts 

luke@insightbox.co.uk

lukeroberts@resolve-consultants.co.uk