Accommodation Project

This project is aimed at providing better accommodation prospects to prisoners who are leaving prison and reintegrating back into the community. The project is in the early stages and a PhD student is conducting scoping research within this area. Details are below.

PhD research

Homeless not houseless: Exploring the role of adequate accommodation in sex offenders’ desistance from offending

This PhD is exploring the rehabilitation needs of person who has committed a sexual offence on release from prison, with a particular focus on the role of accommodation in the resettlement and desistance of ex-prisoners. The PhD is part of a collaborative project between the Sexual Offences, Crime and Misconduct Research Unit in the Division of Psychology at Nottingham Trent University, the Safer Living Foundation and HMP Whatton (one of the largest sex offender prisons in Europe).

It will (i) examine the current accommodation prospects (and their relative strengths and challenges in terms of individual desistance, mental and physical wellbeing of ex-prisoners, and reduced risk of re-offending), (ii) seek to understand the experiences of individuals who have been released into a variety of settings (approved premises, not released at all due to difficulties finding suitable accommodation, home or rented accommodation) and (iii) examine the experiences and understanding of the relevant authorities (including police, accommodation staff, offender managers and supervisors) as they manage what may be complex tensions and needs between risk and protection (for offenders, accommodation staff and the public). The programme of research will be predominantly qualitative, but will include some quantitative components. The PhD will have several practical aims of providing advice and recommendations to the Safer Living Foundation, and the PhD student will be expected to play an active role in developing this SLF project through the course of their PhD.