The Research Request
Researchers who wish to conduct research in the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) may email a research request to SPS_research_requests@pris.gov.sg. Please include the following information in your research request:
- Brief overview of your study (max 500 words): background, research question, methodology, sample
- Contact details: Name, institution.
After preliminary approval, you’ll be required to submit a full research proposal. For more information on conducting research in SPS, please refer to the following documents:
- Research Request Process (PDF, 217KB)
- Research Proposal Guidelines (PDF, 347KB)
Basic Requirements
Research conducted within SPS should fulfil the following:
Research Aims and Methodology
- The aims of the research study must adhere to the Vision, Mission and Objectives of SPS.
- The research study must uphold the rights, safety, and well-being of research participants.
- The research study must be methodologically sound with a clear and logical design.
- Findings from the research study must benefit SPS or further academic knowledge.
Professional Ethics
- Researchers must understand the limits of confidentiality. The researcher’s disclosure of official information may be mandated to prevent known danger to participants or to others or due to legal requirements.
- Researchers must store all data securely and ensure that the data is coded in a way that maintains the confidentiality and anonymity of research participants.
- Illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential information to inmates must be avoided.
Considerations for Conducting Research in SPS
- The researcher must be aware of and accommodate the constraints of conducting research in a prison/forensic setting.
- Researchers must abide by the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and maintain the confidentiality of all information acquired through the course of research with SPS. Releasing confidential information without the prior approval of SPS is considered a breach of the OSA and is a chargeable offence.
- SPS holds the right to restrict circulation of the final research report if it is found to contain sensitive information. If the removal/rectification of such information is not possible or affects the intellectual contribution of the researcher, SPS will place an embargo on the research paper. Under the embargo, the researcher must not publish or disseminate the research paper through any platform without the expressed approval of SPS, other than the distribution of a thesis for grading purposes.