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In the criminal justice system, there are reports, and acronyms, coming out of your ears. One of the most important, especially when it comes to the difference in receiving a custodial sentence or a non-custodial sentence, is the pre-sentence report or to give it its typical name, a PSR. WHAT IS A PRE-SENTENCE REPORT FOR?A … Continue reading Pre-sentence reports →

I posted the same image I've used for today's blog on social media and said, "An old thought process but one that shows punishment becomes the reward when it becomes habit. Prison can be, and is, subjective to the individual, so, if punishment becomes the reward, then what is the use of prison? #dodifferent In … Continue reading me again! →

The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. Maya Angelou Home is where we should feel secure and comfortableCatherine Pulsifer I'm not suggesting that my childhood home caused me problems. I'm confident in saying that without my childhood home I'd … Continue reading Home sweet home →

I read a story on Kent Online's website titled 'What life is really like behind bars - Day in the life of a prison officer at Swaleside, Elmley and Standford Hill' (https://www.kentonline.co.uk/sheerness/news/a-former-dancer-is-now-locking-up-prisoners-263602/) and it got me thinking. Initially about 'What life is really like behind bars'. As well as my own experiences, I have seen … Continue reading What is prison really like! →

Over this weekend I once again dipped into my Open Learn account to improve my knowledge on everything criminal justice, or at least the areas I am most interested in. I do so for several reasons. The obvious is that it improves my knowledge but there are many more benefits for me to gain from … Continue reading love2learn →

 'That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet’.(From Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet.)  When we are born, we are given a first name, a surname, and some may have one or more names in the middle of those two. As we grow up, going through the education system, it is our surname which dominates and is used to identify us. It would sound a bit silly being … Continue reading What’s in a name? →

One subject I hadn't given much thought to, or a question more than a subject, is what's it like to work in prison. I hadn't given it much thought because, technically, I never did and I'm sure the question wasn't asked to find out what it was like to sew mailbags. In the main, people … Continue reading Working in prison! →

It's usually around this time when things begin to wind down in the build-up to the Christmas holidays I start to reflect on the year, and what an incredible year it has been for me personally. Occasionally, whilst reflecting on the year my thoughts go back further. Nothing wrong in reflecting to see how far … Continue reading Don’t Quit! →

"What's going on 'ere then?" I'll tell ya! It was another surreal day for me on Friday, and who provided it, once again? Yup! Revolving Doors Agency. So, on Friday, I was invited up to Birmingham by Sean from Revolving Doors to take part in the West Midlands Police Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Training, looking … Continue reading ‘ello, ‘ello →

Prison can be and is traumatic for some, for others it can also be retraumatising. You can say the same for being released from prison. However, those are negatives of prison that most of us are aware of. I would also assume most are also aware that prison can be, and is to some, criminogenic. … Continue reading What did you learn? →