Prisons & Young Offenders
Mobile Team Challenge equipment is being used in over 40 HMP, G4S and YOI establishments with excellent results and is being used in the following ways to generate more constructive and positive behaviour.
MTC’s Kits and Concepts are being used across 40 Prisons and Young Offender Institutes to deliver Behaviour-Changing Games which create Game-Changing Behaviour in individuals, teams and organisations. From working with PRU’S with those at risk of offending or with Prisons and YOT’s with those who have offended, Case Studies prove MTC’s outstanding results in totally eliminating re-offending in a re-settlement group within a Prison and Home Office Sponsored projects working with Street Gangs, Hate Crimes and Knife Crimes across the UK. Whether the Group are looking to develop their Social Skills, such as; Respect, Self-Awareness, Other Awareness, Empathy, Self Confidence or Self Belief etc or are preparing for resettlement, MTC’s principles and concepts are making a huge impact.
“Behaviour-Changing Games delivering Game-Changing Behaviour in Individuals, Teams and Organisations”
Emotional Intelligence interventions lead to zero re-offending in prisoners
In this article, we look at how EBW Certified Partner, Mobile Team Challenge Ltd (MTC),
successfully used insights from the EBW Emotional Intelligence assessment tools to
prevent reoffending in prisoners.
Specifically, we will examine what made the MTC pilot programme, which was sponsored
by the Ministry of Justice, different from previous interventions. The pilot focused on 15
prisoners who were chosen to participate in MTC programme during their 6 months of
resettlement.
Click Here to read how Emotional Intelligence
interventions lead to zero re-offending in prisoners
The main outcome from this pilot programme was realised 3 years after release –
none of the now ex-prisoners have re-offended (statistics that have been verified
by the Home Office and Detention Centre).
MTC proposed a series of experiential learning workshops to help prisoners with their
rehabilitation as part of their 6 month resettlement programmes.
Using Emotional Intelligence interventions to
measurably increase empathy in prisoners
MTC used the EBW Business Emotional Intelligence assessment and development report to conduct accurate ‘personal profiling’ of all attendees’ Emotional Intelligence levels at the beginning of the resettlement period.
Research had previously suggested that women prisoners may have lower levels of empathy than people who are not part of the prison system, so MTC organised a sample of prisoners to complete the EBW Emotional Intelligence assessment. The results from this activity supported previous research that and showed that many prisoners in the sample had significantly low empathy scores (2 or 3 out of 10). However, it is important to note that this study only looked at a small sample of women prisoners, and more research is needed to confirm these findings. Additionally, it is possible that the lower levels of empathy in women prisoners are due to the trauma and abuse that they have experienced in their lives, rather than to any inherent lack of empathy.
Barry Bailey, Executive Director of Mobile Team Challenge said:
“The EBW Development profiling was critical in the ‘measurement’ of the development of the prisoners. As the first profiling showed all prisoners had a VERY low empathy score. The prisoners underwent a series of MTC experiential learning interventions which, specifically, targeted the low empathy scores.”
Although the consistency of these low empathy scores worried me initially – considering that the women prisoners were servicing a sentence due to GBH, bullying and physical attacks etc – once I had analysed the results and considered their reason for being arrested – it became clear that they thought ‘nothing’ of harming other individuals (for which they had been im-prisoned) due to their low empathy / respect / compassion for other individuals.”
After the initial Emotional Intelligence profiling of all prisoners using the EBW assessment, a series of MTC experiential games and activities were designed in order to increase their empathy within this cohort of prisoners. These activities delivered, twice a month, strongly focused on building respect and empathy during their 6 month resettlement training prior to their release.
At the end of the 6 month period of bi-monthly interventions involving MTC activities – MTC repeated the EBW Emotional Intelligence assessment profiling for all prisoners, and found that their individual scores for EMPATHY had increased significantly – the delegates’ Empathy scores had risen from 2 or 3 out of 10, to 7’s and 8’s out of 10. There was a 55% increase in Empathy across the whole cohort.
Why Mobile Team Challenge chose the EBW Emotional Intelligence Assessment for this project
They were a number of reasons why MTC chose the EBW assessment:
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It is a reliable and valid assessment, that has been rigorously researched over the last 20 years.
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It is easy to use – The EBW assessment was designed with DEI focus and is relatively short, taking about 20 minutes to complete.
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It provides actionable feedback on a person’s business emotional intelligence that enabled MTC focus their unique learning solution to maximise their impact and boost individuals’ emotional intelligence.
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It is relevant to the workplace. The EBW assessment is designed specifically for the workplace and to help user develop skills that are important for success in the workplace.
Outstanding results – zero reoffending cases 3 years following Emotional Intelligence Interventions
Upon release, all attendees to the programme were monitored. Three years after the prisoners’ release, the results were astounding – NONE of the cohort of 15 prisoners had re-offended.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) confirmed to MTC that this result was “unprecedented” because the usual re-offending rate for all prisoners is “around 55%”.
Barry Bailey, Executive Director of Mobile Team Challenge said:
“The MoJ wanted to know what we had done to prevent this group from re-offending.Once we explained the content of our interventions i.e. the EBW Emotional Intelligence profiling and MTC Experiential Learning Activities, the MoJ asked if the same content and interventions would help in preventing vulnerable people and groups from offending in the first place.
As a consequence, MTC is now working with the MoJ and the Home Office on a number of Community Projects around the UK where we are seeing amazing results in the reduction of ASBO’s, Behaviours and Attitudes of Young People (pre-offenders) and those tempted by Drug Abuse, County Lines, Knife and Hate Crimes with Schools, Colleges, Universities and Communities. MTC are also active within 50 Prisons and Offender Units across the UK”
Pre-Offenders
MTC have secured Home Office funding for Groups or Organisations who develop programmes who can positively impact Hate Crimes, ‘County-Lines Projects’, Street and Gang Knife Crimes, Community Crime Prevention Projects etc.
Our programmes are eligible for 100% funding in most situations and we have several joint projects where we are working with groups in partnership with the Home Office where lasting, behavioural and attitudinal change is making incredible impact in individuals and communities.
Whether the Young People are looking to develop their Social Skills, such as; Respect, Self-Awareness, Other-Awareness, Empathy, Self Confidence or Self Belief etc., MTC’s principles, interventions and concepts are making a huge impact and are, quite literally, changing lives and are restoring individuals and communities.
Offenders
Mobile Team Challenge is seeing some outstanding results in its “Behavioural and Attitudinal Change” Programmes in Young and Adult Offenders and in prisons and detention centres across the UK. (See above Case Study) – 15 offenders were released over 3 years ago and NONE of the group have re-offended since.
Click Here to read more of our Behavioural and Attitudinal Change Techniques and Interventions
Click Here to read HMP Parc’s White Paper on
“The 10 Steps to Reducing Re-Offending with MTC”
Post-Offenders
Working with the DWP, MTC have created a programme of workshops (face to face and online) which are focussed on increasing the employability skills, social skills, emotional intelligence and confidence levels through positive psychology. These workshops are seeing great success in the placement of attendees into full-time jobs. (This training can also commence during resettlement whist still the offenders are still in detention.)
We also deliver a wide range of Personal Development Online Workshops for HMP Staff. Our 90 minute online CPD accredited workshops include:
- Transformational Leadership
- Emotional Intelligence
- Performance Management
- Difficult Conversations
- Organisational Efficiency with Lean Thinking
- Conflict to Collaboration
- Wellbeing and Stress Resilience
- Appreciative Inquiry – Strengths Based Coaching
Click Below to browse our CPD accredited Online workshops for the Development of Prison Staff
Testimonials
“The most enjoyable and thought provoking course I have ever attended” (Prison Officer – HMP Bullingdon)
“The MTC approach shows that the glass is “half full” and not “half empty”. It will work within most organisations” (Prison Officer – HMP Featherstone)
“There are many valuable aspects to the MTC approach that develop communication, flexibility, trust, teamwork, etc. This can all be related and the lessons learnt transferred to work and life in general”(Prison Education Officer, HMP Low Newton)
“The MTC Training course was very professional, great fun and packed full of great information” (Prison Education Officer, HMP Frankland)
“I would highly recommend your equipment and training to anyone interested and would be glad to answer questions about our experience. Thank you again for your work in providing us with the tools and the knowledge to positively affect the world through the children we serve.” (Drug Action Council)
“What a great way to teach valuable life lessons – by doing enjoyable activities and then discussing how to relate the learning from them back to real life.” (Carey Counselling Centre)
Why not see for yourself and book a free Demo of these life-changing techniques or enrol on an online CPD Master Facilitator “Train the Trainer” Workshop
Benefits of MTC Interventions with Offenders and Prison Staff
- Improved skills in decision-making, problem-solving, planning, assertiveness or self-control can reduce the chances of further offending.
- Enhanced thinking, personal and inter-personal skills.
- Development of positive self-esteem and self-confidence.
- MTC Activities provide more opportunities for positive assessment.
- Greater levels of fitness and variety in Physical Education programmes.
- A growing number of organisations within the HM Prison Service are using MTC effectively as part of E.T.S, S.O.T.P. AND CALM courses.
- Increased Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing
One detention centre is measuring the offenders emotional intelligence behaviour in empathy and is charting the increase in the offenders empathy levels and HMP & YOI Parc have written a White Paper proving that the MTC interventions are reducing Re-Offending.
Click here to read the White Paper written by HMP & YOI Parc on how MTC is Reducing Re-Offending
For further information on how MTC can positively impact your Groups- in Schools, Colleges, Universities or Detention Centres please email us on"> and we will gladly forward to you further information.
Click here to see a Video Clip of the Mobile Team Challenge activities in action
10 Steps to Reducing Offending Behaviour with Mobile Team Challenge
- MTC Activities assists group functioning and development, which in turn improves the quality of group discussions about offending.
- MTC Activities provide many more opportunities for positive assessment, and often surprise individuals about their own and others capabilities and good nature. This can result in reversing the ‘labelling’ effect: damaging labels such as ‘troublemaker’ get replaced by more optimistic ones, which in turn builds self-esteem.
- Experiences of success in activities also helps to greatly develop self-esteem. This directly affects offending behaviour in which low self-esteem is almost always a contributory factor.
- The reviewing of positive experiences in activities helps to establish reviewing itself as a positive experience. Reviewing skills are then applied to offending issues so that significant changes in behaviour can be achieved. The reviewing of negative experiences which arise during activities also provides useful insights into difficulties that are related to offending.
- Activities can be used as part of the physical education programme, whilst also offering numerous development opportunities for enhancing thinking skills and developing more constructive behaviour. Creating a “winning attitude” upon successful completion of an MTC activity creates a “natural high” with the participants.
- Activities can be set up as skills training exercises. Improved skills in, for example, decision-making, problem-solving, planning, assertiveness, or self-control can reduce the chances of further offending.
- Choosing and introducing activities in ways that highlight connections with offending situations before doing the activity creates fresh insights so that alternative courses of action and possible solutions can be found.
- Doing activities with prison or police officers or other authority figures, can change attitudes all round. This can help to reduce offending and helps to avert or defuse any future confrontations.
- MTC Activities can help to develop better relationships between staff and offenders as well as amongst the staff and establishments target population.
- Taking part in MTC activities can be linked to easing the transition during the resettlement process.
- Conflict to Collaboration – This course is available for MTC Clients who have purchased the Conflict to Collaboration Upgrade Kit.
- 2 Day Course Content – Delegates will:
- Learn and practice behavioural change triggers
- Learn the Causes and Triggers of Conflict
- Complete a personal Conflict Style psychometric profiling (Thomas & Kilmann)
- Learn how individuals address Conflict
- Learn the Emotional Intelligence response to Conflict
- Learn and practice the advanced principles of Appreciative Inquiry Coaching techniques
- Learn how to understand the 4 temperament basics
- Familiarise themselves with the MTC Conflict to Collaboration activities
- Learn how to apply Restorative Justice with MTC activities
- Learn how to use the Lencioni Conflict Resolution model
- Undergo a personal bio-rhythm test to demonstrate brain patterns under stress and conflict: HeartMath / FreezeFramer
- Learn how to re-frame Conflict
- Explore and demonstrate the 10 Steps of Reducing Offending Behaviour with Mobile Team Challenge
This is a 2-Day CPD Accredited workshop
Cost for up to 12 delegates = £1,940.00
Costs cover all materials, preparation and Trainers expenses, but exclude VAT
Developing Emotional Intelligence and Reducing Re-offending Behaviours
Mobile Team Challenge is the largest provider of experiential learning equipment in the UK and we are seeing significant impacts on behavioural and attitudinal change in individuals who ‘learn through doing.’
Our success in these areas comes from our in-depth understanding of emotional intelligence and the 8 behaviours creating self awareness, and our appreciative inquiry coaching techniques.
Accredited by the British Psychological Society, we use a short psychometric profiling tool to assess a person’s strengths in all 8 behaviours and this creates a 15 page assessment which recognises strengths and also identifies areas for development.
Significant research in emotional intelligence in the U.S. amongst Prisons and Young Offender Institutes has seen that by researching the Emotional Intelligence of their inmates, they have found that molesters, rapists and murderers commit their crimes because their EMPATHY scores are low or non-existent – this is a proven correlation.
They are also finding that by developing empathy in their inmates, the offenders are changing their attitudes towards people and the cases of re-offending are dropping
dramatically. Previously, the offenders ‘utter lack of empathy’ for their victims led to them committing the crime but now their empathy for, and with others, has been developed, they are starting to feel remorse, respect, accountability … AND… EMPATHY for others.
Restorative Justice is starting to work with the better understanding of behavioural and attitudinal change brought about by Emotional Intelligence experiential development programmes.
Mobile Team Challenge is at the heart of these developments and we are seeing re-offending rates reduce in many areas, from Young Offenders to male and female adult inmates through exposure to Mobile Team Challenge experiential learning activities.
Appreciative Inquiry facilitation looks at the appreciative – or the positive – and builds success stories from seeds of hope rather than from a critical and negative viewpoint. These experiences are applied and transferred to “life” and then we start to see the attitudinal and behavioural change in delegates.
There are numerous articles which have been published recently regarding the impact or E.I. Training with prisoners please contact us for the very latest research information.
The Home Office have provided funding applications for any Group or Organisation who develop programmes who can positively impact Hate Crimes, ‘County-Lines Projects’, Street and Gang Knife Crimes. MTC programmes are eligible for 100% funding in most situations and we have several joint projects where we are working with groups in partnership with the Home Office where lasting, behavioural and attitudinal change is making incredible impact in individuals and communities.
Contact us now at to see if your project is eligible for Home Office funding or to enquire about a FREE, in-house, demonstration of these life-changing and life-saving concepts .
Honured and privileged to work with Dr Mark Prince OBE from the Kiyan Prince Foundation in knife crime, addiction and anti-social attitude seminars.
Opinions on Correctional Education Programs
Emotional Intelligence in Prison
According to theorist Daniel Goleman emotional intelligence is a combination of factors. It is the ability to know what you are feeling and managing those feeling while making good decisions. For example, being emotionally intelligent means “calming yourself when you’re anxious and handling your anger appropriately. It’s maintaining hope in the face of setbacks, having empathy and being able to get along with people” (Brown, 1996, para. 4). Several studies have shown by teaching prisoners these abilities and the skill to stop and think before they react resulted in fewer conflicts which are important for the safety of other prisoners, prison staff, and the public once released (Vacca, 2004, p. 297). With the rapid increase in offender populations and high rates of recidivism should an emotional intelligence training program be implemented to help reduce violence in prison and reduce reentry rates?
In Nevada, approximately 24% of prisoners released reoffend within 36-months of their release date (Livingston, 2009, p. 20). The key to any prisoner’s success after release is determined by the offender’s ability to integrate back into the community and by avoiding further convictions after release. There have been several studies conducted on the effectiveness of educational programs and how they contribute to reducing recidivism rates. These studies have shown that prisoners who attend educational programs during their sentencing are less likely to reoffend after being released. Additionally, having the right kind of educational programs available will reduce prison violence, create a positive prison environment and reduce recidivism. Emotional intelligence training is important to the overall prison atmosphere because it will develop the prisoner’s self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills which in turn will reduce recidivism (Livingston, 2009, p. 21).
As Goleman points out in his book Social Intelligence (2006) the majority of prisoners seldom get to learn how to correct the behaviours and conditions that keep them repeating the cycle of release, relapse, and prison again (p. 293). This same majority suffer from a short circuit in their social brain which is essential in expressing empathy and for regulating emotional impulses. In the Nevada prison system approximately 25% of prisoners are under the age of twenty-five which in perfect for transforming this short circuit into a more law-abiding pattern. Evaluations of current prison rehabilitation programs have found that by targeting the younger and first time offenders is more successful in preventing future criminal activity after released and reducing recidivism (Goleman, 2006, p. 293). All educational programs in the prison system have one goal in common they all want to help offenders learn to be better people, not better criminals. Emotional intelligence training is the first step in this transformation (Goleman, 2006, p. 297).
References
Brown, S. A. (1996, May 13). Talent for living. Success, says Daniel Goleman, requires skill in handling emotions, not just being smart. People, 45 (19). Retrieved from Talent for Living : People.com
Goleman, D. (2006). Social intelligence: The new science of human relationships. New York, NY: Bantam Book.
Livingston, A. (2009). Nevada Department of Corrections fiscal year 2009 statistical abstract. Retrieved from http://www.doc.nv.gov/stats/annual/fy2009.pdf
Vacca, J. (2004). Educated prisoners are less likely to return to prison. Journal of Correctional Education, 55(4), 297-305. Retrieved from Educated Prisoners Are Less Likely to Return to Prison
Hope in Prison?
By Dr. Ira Katz, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor, Department of Mental Health, Salinas Valley Psychiatric Program in Soledad, California.
We have a population of severely psychiatrically impaired inmate patients with long histories of violent, self-injurious, or suicidal behaviours that have often led to disciplinary problems in prison. The majority have life sentences and/or have returned to prison over and over again. Typically for these patients, intense emotions of anger and dyscontrol build up and play out externally or internally.
Externally means fighting with other inmates or staff. Internally means they decide it’s just not worth it anymore and attempt to harm themselves. So a major goal of our program is to address these emotions and behaviours so that the patients can be returned to regular prison or, for some, to life outside.
In the case of most inmates who come into a prison psychiatric program, if you asked them what they would want to change about themselves, they’d answer, “I want anger management.” In reality, with the HeartMath techniques and also the Freeze-Framer® program, they wind up getting that and much more. They are getting in touch with their feelings and learning how to be in their heart instead of their head. As a psychologist, I believe that’s very important because when a person can feel, they can begin to heal.
With the help of two assistants, I introduced the Freeze-Framer Interactive Learning System here in June 2003, and in one year, we’ve had over 250 male patients use the program.
The majority of the inmates had very few skills to deal with their emotions in an appropriate manner, and this is largely behind the reasons that most are in prison.
What the HeartMath System* has done in a fun, but definitely educational way is to give our inmates an opportunity to reduce their impulsivity, manage their emotions, feel their feelings, increase their behavioural choices, and be able to see their progress right on the computer screen.
Patients like watching their heart rhythm waves change on the Freeze-Framer*, practicing downshifting from the head to the heart. They are really experiencing that shift and what managing their emotions feels like.
One of the things that I think is so successful is not just the software, it’s the philosophy. The philosophy about using the power of feelings is so strong, when taught correctly, that the men continue using their HeartMath skills after their computer sessions are over. When the lights go out, many practice the Freeze-Frame* technique.
They play anger games to practice managing their emotions, for example asking each other, “What makes you the most angry?” or telling each other situations where they have used the technique. I also give them exercises, for instance, a form that says, “Imagine this situation: somebody disrespects you, and you’re ready to knock this guy out. Hold that feeling; now down shift from 5th gear… shift it down to Neutral. Now let’s examine what powers and choices you really have to deal with this situation, using the Freeze-Frame* technique.” They also write down on cards the people they appreciate. If they’re having a bad day, they pull out their cards and start to transform their anger into something more suitable.
We tend to measure the success of our program in the number of suicide attempts, the number of fights, and the number of self-injurious acts. I can tell you that in this last year we haven’t lost anyone to suicide and in terms of violence, there have been maybe five or six incidents in which someone got out of control, but no one got hurt. This is at a level of success beyond what normally occurs in a prison psychiatric program. In addition, of every patient who has been returned to life outside the prison, none has returned. It will be a year or two before I can look at the results of using the Freeze-Framer program on a statistical analysis basis, however, I’m very pleased.
I call this “hope for the hopeless” because men who’ve never really stopped long enough to feel their feelings are now realizing they can make choices, they can handle their feelings differently, and things seem to work better when they do.
The HeartMath System* represents a really fresh approach to getting our patients engaged in taking more responsibility for their lives.
“It is a very stressful time for me, but the tools, especially, are really helping me through it. After an explosive situation yesterday, I did a Freeze-Frame®. Though it took longer, I did change and I did feel better.” — Anonymous Prisoner
*N.B. HeartMath / Freeze Framer Software is integral in the MTC Conflict to Collaboration Kit and is also used in the Emotional Intelligence Workshops
Click Here to see a short video explanation of HeartMath at Work
Behavioural and Attitudinal Change – Reducing Re-Offending with MTC
Click here to download the Behavioural and Attitudinal Change PDF
Cost for up to 12 delegates = £ 1,940.00 + £40 per delegate for a full BPS E.Q. Profile
Costs cover all materials, preparation and Trainers expenses, but exclude VAT
This course is a “Train the Trainer” Course which enables the delegate to deliver E.I. training.
Testimonials
“The most enjoyable and thought provoking course I have ever attended” (David Jordan, Prison Officer)
“The MTC approach shows that the glass is “half full” and not “half empty”. It will work within most organisations” (Dennis Griffiths, Prison Officer)
“There are many valuable aspects to the MTC approach that develop communication, flexibility, trust, teamwork, etc. This can all be related and the lessons learnt transferred to work and life in general” (Stuart Cooper, Prison Education Officer, HMP)
“The MTC Training course was very professional, great fun and packed full of great information” (Simon Folger, Prison Education Officer, HMP)
- Improved skills in decision-making, problem-solving, planning, assertiveness or self-control can reduce the chances of further offending.
- Enhanced thinking, personal and inter-personal skills.
- Development of positive self-esteem and self-confidence.
- MTC Activities provide more opportunities for positive assessment.
- Greater levels of fitness and variety in Physical Education programmes.
- A growing number of organisations within HM Prison Service are using MTC effectively as part of E.T.S, S.O.T.P. AND CALM courses.