Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) was introduced in June 2004. It is intended to integrate the prison and probation services and to provide an operational framework for the 'end-to-end management' of offenders throughout custodial and community elements of their sentences. It also introduces a 'purchaser-provider split' in the delivery of correctional services.

The main objective of this mixed methodology study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of frontline prison staff regarding the transition to NOMS. Semi-structured interviews with prison officers and governing staff were carried out in 23 prisons, and demographic and other quantitative data collected. As well as documenting this key development in the history of the prison service and its perceived impact on practice, the research was focused on issues of interest to senior managers and those responsible for implementing change.


Main Topics:

This mixed methodology dataset comprises qualitative semi-structured interviews with 64 prison officers and 23 prison governors, drawn from 23 prisons (spread over seven Prison Service Areas), and one quantitative data file.

The quantitative data comprise (non-identifying) descriptive information about participants and categorical answers to interview questions. The qualitative interview transcripts cover five main areas: personal and professional identity; communication regarding the introduction of NOMS; knowledge of NOMS; perceived implications of NOMS; local and personal experiences of prison policy.

The quantitative data and qualitative interview transcript data can be linked by ID number. The data have been anonymised to disguise the prisons and Prison Service Areas respondents work in.