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The Good Prison Officer
This book offers a solution-focused and strengths-based guide to becoming an effective Prison Officer. Written and developed by a collection of ex-prisoners who are all now professionals, practitioners, and educators in the criminal justice field, the book draws on lived experience and the diverse literature on prisons and penal policy to explore good and bad examples of professional practice. The book is informed by the belief that those with direct experiences of custody and incarceration offer a vital perspective on the efficacy of penal practice. While these voices are often accessed through research, it is rare they are seeking to lead the conversation. This book seeks to reset this balance. Drawing on themes such as discretion, respect, relationships, and legitimacy, it offers recommendations for best practices in developing a rehabilitative culture in prison. This book will be of interest to practitioners, researchers, and educators alike. It is essential reading for all those engaged with prisons, punishment, penal practice, desistance, and rehabilitation.
140 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2023
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May 24, 2023Review of The Good Prison Officer – Inside Perspectives
Edited by Andi Brierley
Routledge ISBN 978-1-032-39439-8
This is a book written by several past prisoners who are all now professional practitioners and educators in the criminal justice field. They draw on lived experience and the diverse literature on penal policy to explore good and bad examples of professional practice.
The premise of the book is that those with direct experience of custody and incarceration offer a vital perspective on the efficacy of penal practice. It is rare that such voices lead the conversation. The value of this perspective is clear when we recognise that we cannot change what happens in prison until we help those who are the structure of the prison system. The crucial relationship for most people in custody is the one they have or don’t have with prison officers.
Referring in detail to themes such as using discretion, showing respect, supporting relationships, and exercising legitimacy it develops recommendations for best practice in developing a rehabilitative culture in prison.
Our training and support for prison officers has been functional rather than developmental and inspirational, as it could be. The resulting turnover of newly recruited staff is evidence of the limited expectations there is about the role. Several European countries seek entry prison officers with relevant degrees. This book looks in detail about how the role and context can be transformed. This insider perspective is detailed and valuable.
One of the contributors Daniel Whyte has established with a partner Ruth McFarlane a company, Doing What Really Matters, working through the gate to support and develop those in prison educationally. There is good progress taking place. He confirms that the little acts of kindness and encouragement within a harsh system can have the biggest possible impact on people in prison.
Those who help self-change are remembered with connection often made when something that is personal has an effect. Working with people not doing it to them reflects the restorative justice approach to communication and relationships.
The Norwegian experience of reducing crime has focused on job training programmes, encouraging employment, and discouraging crime with a focus on desistance. In the 1980s they had a reoffending rate of 80% but now it is reduced to 25%. The contrasting ideology in England and Wales is that with the planned increase of the prison population the same level of staffing is planned, with a culture of control.
The authors make some strong recommendations
1 Recognising that those in custody have been traumatised by ACEs implies that the use of force is kept to a minimum with enhanced communication skills.
2 Staff should be trained to degree level – whilst on the job.
3 Clinical supervision should be standard practice with at least one hour per month
4 Those with lived experience should be enabled to transition to support those in prison
5 Educational opportunities should be expanded
6 There should be a transition to one officer for every two prisoners.
These recommendations challenge our expectations but result from those who know what it’s like to experience the inadequacy and risks of the present prison experience. This is an important challenge from those who have survived the present damaging system with remarkable resiliency.
Tim Newell
Prison Governor 1964 - 2002
Edited by Andi Brierley
Routledge ISBN 978-1-032-39439-8
This is a book written by several past prisoners who are all now professional practitioners and educators in the criminal justice field. They draw on lived experience and the diverse literature on penal policy to explore good and bad examples of professional practice.
The premise of the book is that those with direct experience of custody and incarceration offer a vital perspective on the efficacy of penal practice. It is rare that such voices lead the conversation. The value of this perspective is clear when we recognise that we cannot change what happens in prison until we help those who are the structure of the prison system. The crucial relationship for most people in custody is the one they have or don’t have with prison officers.
Referring in detail to themes such as using discretion, showing respect, supporting relationships, and exercising legitimacy it develops recommendations for best practice in developing a rehabilitative culture in prison.
Our training and support for prison officers has been functional rather than developmental and inspirational, as it could be. The resulting turnover of newly recruited staff is evidence of the limited expectations there is about the role. Several European countries seek entry prison officers with relevant degrees. This book looks in detail about how the role and context can be transformed. This insider perspective is detailed and valuable.
One of the contributors Daniel Whyte has established with a partner Ruth McFarlane a company, Doing What Really Matters, working through the gate to support and develop those in prison educationally. There is good progress taking place. He confirms that the little acts of kindness and encouragement within a harsh system can have the biggest possible impact on people in prison.
Those who help self-change are remembered with connection often made when something that is personal has an effect. Working with people not doing it to them reflects the restorative justice approach to communication and relationships.
The Norwegian experience of reducing crime has focused on job training programmes, encouraging employment, and discouraging crime with a focus on desistance. In the 1980s they had a reoffending rate of 80% but now it is reduced to 25%. The contrasting ideology in England and Wales is that with the planned increase of the prison population the same level of staffing is planned, with a culture of control.
The authors make some strong recommendations
1 Recognising that those in custody have been traumatised by ACEs implies that the use of force is kept to a minimum with enhanced communication skills.
2 Staff should be trained to degree level – whilst on the job.
3 Clinical supervision should be standard practice with at least one hour per month
4 Those with lived experience should be enabled to transition to support those in prison
5 Educational opportunities should be expanded
6 There should be a transition to one officer for every two prisoners.
These recommendations challenge our expectations but result from those who know what it’s like to experience the inadequacy and risks of the present prison experience. This is an important challenge from those who have survived the present damaging system with remarkable resiliency.
Tim Newell
Prison Governor 1964 - 2002
May 25, 2023
Lived experience leads the way of change
This is a must-read for anyone working within the criminal justice system. Everyone can ensure that those who navigate their way through this system are treated with fairness, kindness, and compassion. We are social creatures and need relationships to grow and develop. The authors who have shared a part of their lives have shown bravery in their hope for a better outcome for those who suffer from childhood trauma.
This is a must-read for anyone working within the criminal justice system. Everyone can ensure that those who navigate their way through this system are treated with fairness, kindness, and compassion. We are social creatures and need relationships to grow and develop. The authors who have shared a part of their lives have shown bravery in their hope for a better outcome for those who suffer from childhood trauma.
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