# data[].attributes.body
https://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html

https://cyfar.org/qualitative-or-quantitative-data

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/26/prison-violence-in-england-and-wales-hits-record-levels

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prison-officers-ae-inmates-prisoners-accident-emergency-poa-a8521206.html

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-prison-jail-crisis-officers-quit-violence-harassment-a8507951.html

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/25/staff-cuts-prison-leadership-crisis

https://www.theguardian.com/society/datablog/2016/nov/18/fewer-prison-officers-and-more-assaults-how-uk-prison-staffing-has-changed

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/26/prison-violence-in-england-and-wales-hits-record-levels

# data[].attributes.body
Finally, all the data I collect from my questionnaire will be analysed, counted and collected into a document, this will then help me to use that data to create tables and graphs, which will then be used in my further study to explain what the questionnaire has taught me. More so, I will then be able to see any trends created within my study. The answers given by people who maybe want a career in the prison service may all be very similar in how they see the way the prisons work and how violence is getting more and more abrupt as the years go on, and then the answers from the people who don’t want a career within the prison service will be very different to the people who want to be.

# data[].attributes.body
During my research and investigation I will be using a range of different types of data, these can be split into two different types; quantitative and qualitative data. Qualitative data can be defined as ‘Qualitative data consist of words and narratives. The analysis of qualitative data can come in many forms including highlighting key words, extracting themes, and elaborating on concepts. Quantitative data are numerical information, the analysis of which involves statistical techniques. The type of data you collect guides the analysis process.’ (https://cyfar.org/qualitative-or-quantitative-data). Qualitative data can give a nuanced understanding of the perspectives and needs of program participants it also can help support or explain results indicated in quantitative analysis.

Quantitative data is very easy to display the information in a format that it can be given to anyone and they would be able to understand it. This means that my questionnaire will be accessible to anyone who answers it as my questions will be very basic. Quantitative data is collected by focusing on numbers and mathematical calculations. More so, quantitative data is clear and specific, accurate and reliable if properly analysed, it can also be easily communicated via charts and graph and many large datasets already exist that can be analysed.According to (https://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html)

During my research I will be using a range of both types of data, the reason I am going to use both is because I will be able to form a stronger report at the end. One reason for this is because if I use quantitative data, I will be able to see what percentage of the group think one way compared to the rest of the group. I will then be able to present the data in graphs and tables. However, the reason I will use qualitative data is because I will get a range of different answers but more than this, I will get personal opinions so this will help me decide which side my argument could go.

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Introduction/ Literature Review (for proposal)

Research has shown that there were 29,485 assault incidents in jails in England and Wales last year, an increase of 13% on 2016, according to the quarterly Ministry of Justice (MOJ) report. The focus of my research will be as to whether this affects the amount of prison officers walking out of prisons each year within the UK. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/26/prison-violence-in-england-and-wales-hits-record-levels) Of the attacks on officers, 864 were classed as serious, such as those requiring medical treatment or resulting in fractures, burns or extensive bruising. Reading and looking at these statistics is quite astonishing to think that this is happening to prison staff every day, when the prison officers are there to help rehabilitate the inmates, so when the inmates do get out of prison they are rehabilitated and hopefully therefore they won’t commit any kind of crime again. This has therefore made people question that what is the point in prisons, if prisons are there in order to punish people who have done wrong in life and to make inmates know they have done wrong, and hopefully prison is going to make them a better person for getting out. However, criminals are in prison for doing wrong, but whilst they are in prison, they are still hurting people, and nothing is being put in place in order to stop this. Studies show, the total number of full-time staff was cut by more than 10,000, to 23,746, reducing the number of prison officers, supervising officers, custodial and other managers. By the end of 2015, there were 3.6 inmates for each operational prison staffer, 1.1 more than in 2010. In addition, the number of assaults on staff per 1,000 increased from 34 to 58 in the same time, according to figures from the MOJ. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/datablog/2016/nov/18/fewer-prison-officers-and-more-assaults-how-uk-prison-staffing-has-changed). More so, other research has shown me that many prison officers left prisons within UK, Scotland and Wales, but the amount of prison officers who left were not replaced with the same number of officers. Research shows. Between 2012 and 2016 a total of 7,387 prison officers have left but only 2,497 have joined. That's a shortfall of 3,066 officers. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/aug/25/staff-cuts-prison-leadership-crisis). So as we can see within these figures that shortfall of 3,066 prison officers this shows here that there are more and more prison officers leaving because of the way the officers are treat within the prisons. What I want to find out is, whether prison officers are leaving prisons only just because of the assaults or is there more to the job? The independent states a third of prison officers who leave the service quit within a year of starting, new figures show, prompting concerns that the crisis in UK jails is being exacerbated by dwindling retention rates.  Chaos in the wings, lack of respect from management, and absence of support are among the reasons cited for the surge in officers resigning within months of starting. (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-prison-jail-crisis-officers-quit-violence-harassment-a8507951.html).

My final subject for my research will be how many prison officers are assaulted daily and how many end up in A&E because of this. From an independent report ‘an average of two prison officers need to go to A&E every day after being attacked by inmates, new figures show, amid soaring levels of violence in jails and mounting pressures on staff.’ (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/prison-officers-ae-inmates-prisoners-accident-emergency-poa-a8521206.html). The Guardian states and shows figures that there was 8,429 assaults on prison staff from inmates in the 12 months to December 2017, so this works out around 23 assaults per day this was an increase of 27% from the year before. Of the attacks on officers, 864 were classed as serious, such as those requiring medical treatment or resulting in fractures, burns or extensive bruising. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/26/prison-violence-in-england-and-wales-hits-record-levels).

Overall, I believe that these stories are the best sources to help me in my investigation into prison officer assaults. I can find clear statistics from each one and I can also link a few stories together to create a more stable argument.

# data[].attributes.body
To research my subject, I will first find information on the topic by reading online news reports and investigation into the reasons why more and more staff are leaving UK prisons and is it really because of the inmates they are doing this?

I will also make sure to look at both sides of the argument in order to make a non-bias assessment on the situation. More so, I will then be conducting a questionnaire which I will control by making sure every person that does the test does it the same way and has the same questions. I will use this test to discovers what people think about violence in prison and whether they think it is acceptable. I also want to find out whether my audience feel that prison staff should retaliate in a different way as what they do. Furthermore, this then means that everyone gets the same assessment, it also means that I can collect the results easily. Once I have performed my questionnaire, I will use these findings, along with my information to discuss the possibility whether having more, or less staff matters with the assaults caused by inmates on staff. I can also find out how much information people know around the topic of assaults on prison staff and how frequent it is happening. If the tests show that people didn’t know or heard of these findings, then this shows that maybe it isn’t being put forward as much as it should with it being such a serious subject.

Once I have my findings, I will present them in a report type fashion which will allow the reader to see how I found the information and how I came to my conclusion. It will start with me first explaining my research and what taught me, I will then follow by explaining my conclusion and any other results I found along the way. Finally, I will present my findings using graphs, charts and tables to show and prove evidence to support my conclusion.

Furthermore, once I have all my data and findings, I am hoping to be able to come to a justified conclusion for my research subject. I am also hoping to have clear evidence to support my conclusion by using realistic sources and by making sure I study my data carefully so I understand it fully and so it makes sense to me. Overall, once I have come to a conclusion, I am hoping I come to a non-bias conclusion by looking at both sides of the argument and using all my information to the best of my ability.

From my research I am wanting to achieve a settled conclusion as to whether the amount of prison staff which are leaving UK prisons is due to the fact of prison staff being assaulted by inmates. I want to find out if there is anything UK prisons can do in order to reduce or stop the amount of assaults conducted on prison staff from inmates. I want to discover whether having less prison staff causes more issues within the prison walls and why so many assaults are taking place as they are.

# data[].attributes.body
The focus of my research will be to understand why prison officers are getting assaulted and what the main causes of these assaults are based on. I am also wanting to discover whether staff are leaving prisons due to the fact of the inmates becoming violent towards them and why inmates are becoming more violent in UK prisons.

# data[].attributes.body
The reason I have chosen this research theme is because I am interested in the prison service and at some point, within my life I would like to have a career within the service itself.  However, I believe the prison service officers don’t get payed enough for the work they do and every day they step foot into work they are putting their lives at risk, so many statistics prove this with how many officers are assaulted everyday by inmates. Also, I wouldn’t want to work within the prison service if there was a shortage of staff as this gives the inmates more of an advantage to assault prison officers. Within my research I am hoping to find that prison officers are leaving and going on strike because of the amount of assaults which take place within the prison walls.

A mass walkout by prison officers in protest at conditions in jails in England and Wales could lead to an increase in violence rather than help address the crisis. The guardian

I think action of this sort does nothing to help that process and locking prisoners up for 24 hours a day, which may be the consequence of what the POA are doing, only increases the risk of violence, it doesn’t help us address it.” The guardian

When the high court ordered up to 10,000 striking prison officers back to work on Tuesday, it put an end to a 24-hour walkout organised by the Prison Officers’ Association (POA). The officers were protesting about chronic staff shortages and growing levels of violence and self-harm in prisons. The guardian.

The officers’ concerns are backed up by the data, which shows declining staff levels and an increase in assaults on staff. The prison population in England and Wales remained relatively stable between 2010 and 2015, at around 85,000, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The guardian

# data[].attributes.headline
Should there be more prison officers in UK prisons to reduce assault on officers from inmates? 

# data[].attributes.subject
Should there be more prison officers in UK prisons to reduce assault on officers from inmates? 