The Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund commissioned its first independent impact study in 2007 to support the imminent Bicentenary Appeal, with over 75% of participants confirming that the Fund’s work helped prison leavers find employment or voluntary work and reduced the risk of re-offending.
In 2013, the Fund commissioned an updated independent evaluation which was undertaken by The Fenix Foundation and sponsored by The Clothworkers Company. This research concluded that:
“The Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund is regarded as a highly valuable resource by the practitioners interviewed by Fenix. The value lies in its ease of access, the responsiveness and professionalism of the secretariat, its non-judgemental nature and its wide applicability. The Fund is generally regarded as having a positive impact on offending behaviours with the impact felt to be disproportionately great to the relatively small sums involved.”
To see the detailed findings of this research click here.
In 2024, an updated independent impact assessment was undertaken by Bean Research. Of the probation officers and other practitioners using the Fund, 71% of those researched said the Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund’s grants reduce the likelihood of reoffending, 67% said the grants increase the chances of employment and 67% said the Fund’s grants enable access to education and training.
To see the detailed findings of this research and download the report, please click below.