This study examined the impact of Geese Theatre’s Re-Connect program on a sample of offenders who attended it. This program used theatre performance, experiential exercises, skills practice role-plays, and metaphors such as the masks to invite a group of offenders to consider and explore issues connected with their release and reconnecting with a life outside prison. Pre- and postprogram psychometric tests, behavior ratings, and interviews were completed to assess the effectiveness of the program. Significant changes were observed from pre- to posttreatment in terms of self-efficacy, motivation to change, and improved confidence in skills (i.e., social and friendship, occupational, family and intimacy, dealing with authority, alternatives to aggression or offending, and self-management and self-control skills). Improved behavior and engagement within the program was observed over the 3 days of the program. Interviews also revealed the positive impact the program had on the participants. This provides evidence supporting the short-term effectiveness of the Re-Connect program.
Antonowicz, D., & Ross, R. ( 1994). Essential components of successful rehabilitation programs for offenders. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 38, 97-104.
2.
Baim, C. ( 2004). "If all the world’s a stage, why did I get the worst parts?" Psychodrama with violent and sexually abusive men. In M. Balfour (Ed.), Theatre in prison: Theory and practice. Bristol, UK: Intellect .
3.
Baim, C., Brookes, S., & Mountford, A. ( 2002). The Geese Theatre handbook. Winchester , UK: Waterside Press.
4.
Bandura, A. ( 1977). Social learning theory. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
5.
Bandura, A. ( 1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior (Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York, NY: Academic Press.
6.
Bandura, A. ( 1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman.
7.
Bandura, A., & Locke, E.A. ( 2003). Negative self-efficacy and goal effects re-visited. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 87-99.
8.
Blacker, J., Watson, A., & Beech, A.R. ( 2008). A combined drama-based and CBT approach to working with self-reported anger and aggression. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 18, 129-137.
9.
Blatner, A. ( 1991). Role dynamics: A comprehensive theory of psychology. Journal of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, 44, 33-40.
10.
Blatner, A. ( 1997). Acting-in: Practical applications of psychodramatic methods (3rd ed.). London, UK: Free Association.
11.
Chandler, M. ( 1973). Egocentrism and antisocial behaviour: The assessment and training of social perspective skills. Developmental Psychology , 44, 326-333.
12.
Cohen, J. ( 1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
13.
DiClemente, C.C., & Hughes, S.O. ( 1990). Stages of change profiles in alcoholism treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse, 2, 217-235.
Goffman, E. ( 1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York, NY: Doubleday.
16.
Haskell, M.R. ( 1960). Group psychotherapy and psychodrama in prison. Group Psychotherapy, 13, 22-23.
17.
Heatherton, T.F., & Polivy, J. ( 1991). Development and validation of a scale for measuring state self esteem. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 60, 895-910.
18.
Hewish, S. ( 1992). Geese theatre company. In M. Cox (Ed.), Shakespeare comes to Broadmoor: The performance of tragedy in a secure psychiatric hospital (pp. 216-219). Worcester, UK: Billing.
19.
Hollin, C.R., & Bloxsom, C.A.J. (2007). Treatments for angry aggression . In T. A. Gannon, T. Ward, A. R. Beech , & D. Fisher (Eds.), Aggressive offenders’ cognition: Theory, research and practice (pp. 215-229). London, UK: Wiley.
20.
Howell, D.C. ( 2004). Fundamental statistics for the behavioral sciences (5th ed.) Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole-Thompson Learning.
21.
Jennings, S. ( 1992). Dramatherapy: Theory and practice II. London, UK: Routledge.
22.
Jerusalem, M., & Schwarzer, R. ( 1992). Self-efficacy as a resource factor in stress appraisal processes. In R. Schwarzer (Ed.), Self-efficacy: Thought control of action (pp. 195-213). Washington, DC: Hemisphere.
23.
Jones, L. ( 2002). An individual case formulation approach to the assessment of motivation. In M. McMurran (Ed.), Motivating offenders to change: A guide to enhancing engagement in therapy . London, UK: Wiley.
24.
Judge, T.A., Erez, A., Bono, J.E., & Thoresen, C.J. (2002). Are measures of self-esteem, neuroticism, locus of control and generalized self-efficacy indicators of a common core construct?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 693-710.
25.
Langley, D. ( 1998). The relationship between psychodrama and dramatherapy . In M. Karp, P. Holmes, & K. Bradshaw Tauvon (Eds.), The handbook of psychodrama (pp. 263-274). London, UK: Routledge.
26.
Maas, J. ( 1966). The use of actional procedures in group psychotherapy with sociopathic women. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy , 16, 190-197.
27.
Martinson, R. ( 1974). What works-Questions and answers about prison reform . Public Interest, 35, 22-54.
28.
Matarasso, F. ( 1997). Use or ornament? The social impact of participation in the arts. Stroud, UK: Comedia.
29.
McGuire, J. ( 1995). What works: Reducing reoffending. London, UK: Wiley.
30.
Melnick, M. ( 1984). Skills through drama: The use of professional theatre techniques in the treatment and education of prison and ex-offender populations . Journal of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, 37, 104-116.
31.
Miles, A., & Clarke, R. ( 2006). The arts in criminal justice: A study of research feasibility . University of Manchester, UK: Centre of Research on Socio Cultural Change.
32.
Miller, W.R. & Rollnick, S. ( 2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people to change addictive behaviour. New York, NY: Guilford.
33.
Moreno, J.L. ( 1959). Psychodrama (Vol. 2). New York, NY: Beacon House.
34.
National Offender Management Service. (2007 ). How we manage offenders: Attitudes, thinking and behaviour . Retrieved from http://noms.justice.gov.uk/managing-offenders/reducing_re-offending/reducing_re-offending_pathways/attitudes/
35.
Phillips, L. ( 1997). In the public interest: Making art that makes a difference in the United States. Stroud, UK: Comedia.
36.
Poole, L. ( 1996). Evaluation of the clever project: A drama project in Hindley Young Offender Institution. Manchester, UK: PDU, GMPS.
37.
Prochaska, J.O., & DiClemente, C.C. (1982). Transtheoretical therapy: Towards a more integrative model of change. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 19, 276-288.
38.
Prochaska, J.O., Velicer, W.F., Rossi, J.S., Goldstein, M.G., Marcus, B.H., & Rakowski, W. ( 1994). Stages of change and decisional balance for 12 problem behaviours. Health Psychology, 13, 39-46.
39.
Reiss, D., Quayle, M., Brett, T., & Meux, C. ( 1998). Dramatherapy for mentally disordered offenders: Changes in levels of anger. Criminal Behaviour and Mental Health, 8, 139-153.
40.
Ross, R.R., Fabiano, E., & Ewles, D. ( 1988). Reasoning and rehabilitation. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 32, 29-35.
41.
Stallone, T.M. ( 1993). The effects of psychodrama on inmates within a structured residential behavior modification program. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama and Sociometry, 46, 24-31.
42.
Thompson, J. ( 2000). Bewilderment: Preparing prisoners for "real" work in the fictional world of prison. Community, Work and Family , 3, 241-260.
43.
Tuckman, B. ( 1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63, 384-399.
44.
Vennard, J., Sugg, D., & Hedderman, C. ( 1997). The use of cognitive-behavioural approaches with offenders: Messages from the research (Home Office Research Study171). London, UK: Home Office.
45.
Walsh, S. ( 1996). A review of philosophical paradigms and methodological views expressed in psychodramatic and allied literature. British Journal of Psychodrama and Sociodrama, 11.
46.
Ward, T., Day, A., Howells, K., & Birgden, A. ( 2004). The multifactor offender readiness model. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 9, 645-673.
47.
Wilkinson, D.L., & Fagan, J. ( 2001). A theory of violent events. In R. F. Meier, L. W. Kennedy, & V. Sacco (Eds.), The process and structure of crime: Criminal events and crime analysis (Vol. 9, pp. 160-195). New York, NY: Transaction.
