Evidence That Matters: Launching the HMPPS Statement of Operational Evidence Needs (SOEN) 

We are excited to launch the inaugural HMPPS Statement of Operational Evidence Needs (SOEN).

The SOEN sets out our priority evidence gaps across key operational areas — from public protection and rehabilitation to youth custody, and estates. It’s designed to guide and align research that directly supports better outcomes across the justice system.  

HMPPS has developed the SOEN in support of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)  Areas of Research Interest (ARI) 2025. While the ARI focusses on medium to long term policy-relevant evidence priorities across the department’s full remit, the SOEN focuses on short to medium term operational evidence gaps across prisons, probation and youth custody. 

One of the SOEN’s key aims is to strengthen collaboration between HMPPS and the research community. By clearly identifying where evidence is most needed, we hope to inspire and guide academic partnerships that lead to meaningful, evidence-informed change.   

Interested in getting involved? 

We are keen to collaborate with the research community to co-design research that results in actionable insights to support decision making. We will be hosting engagement events in the new year and welcome engagement from academics, researchers and institutions who want to align their work with our operational priorities. 

To download a copy of the SOEN, please enter your email address below. For further information and to register your interest in the engagement events please contact: ICF-analysisdata@justice.gov.uk 

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