Translating Research into Practice: An Evolution of Looking Forward, Offender Motivational Programme in Singapore (PID037)

3.30pm – 3.52pm BST, 14 May 2025 ‐ 22 mins

Parallel Workshops

Over the years, the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has transformed itself from a traditional custodial prison service to a correctional agency with a significant focus on evidence-informed offender rehabilitation. The roles of officers have shifted from purely custodial duties to a dual function that emphasises their role as change agents whilst ensuring the safety and security of offenders in custody. One of their key rehabilitation roles now includes facilitating a motivational programme called Looking Forward (LF), designed to support offender rehabilitation.

In this presentation, we will share the journey of adopting evidence-informed practices, from programme design and implementation to evaluation and review, using LF programme as a case study since its inception in 2014. The presentation will illustrate how at the individual and interpersonal level, there is considerable evidence that offenders have improved their motivation to change through frequent engagements and encouragement from officers. This has had a positive impact on their interpersonal relationships with fellow inmates and with their families. The presentation will highlight as well how consistent research and evaluation has informed changes in organisational policy to accelerate the adoption of the LF programme SPS-wide and buttress its impact on creating a rehabilitative culture within the prison ecosystem.

Essentially, the presentation will emphasize how research and evaluation processes have served as a guidepost for the SPS in developing an integrated approach for improving correctional effectiveness that strives to address personal, interpersonal, community and organizational factors. We will also share key lessons learnt to enhance future practice in corrections.