Nathan Monk

This article presents an analysis of the main themes from the media debates around the Government’s plans to privatise 70% of Probation Trusts’ work. The themes which were identified revolved around the effectiveness, aims and rationale of the reforms. The article argues that opponents to the reforms have played a defensive game presenting a picture of probation which simply mirrors the last ten years of the new Labour era in which managerialism and micro-management characterised the service and have neglected to put forward a more positive argument in terms of what a public probation service can achieve. On the other hand, supporters of the reforms appear to have made considerable use of the tendency of the media to simplify complex issues and appear to have taken heed of the research into the public’s attitudes towards rehabilitation in order to garner support for the reforms. The article concludes by considering some alternative strategies and arguments that might have been put forward by opponents in order to mount a more successful case against the reforms.

Although partnership working has been consistently recommended for the treatment of drug dependency, such working practices often remain both fractured and limited (Heath, 2010). Through the analyses of drug policy and guidance documents developed since the publication of the 1998 UK Drug Strategy and interviews with practitioners from the field, this paper seeks to identify the possible origins of such problems. The author illustrates how the reframing of drug policy, as documented by Duke (2013), has resulted in the articulation of inconsistent messages that not only provide opportunities for the development of varying interpretations but may have reinforced the polarised reatment ideologies observed in professionals working with dependent drug users, acting as a potential barrier to the achievement of ‘collaborative advantage’ (Huxham & Vangen, 2005).

It is acknowledged that many young offenders disengage with education. The need to reduce the numbers of young people that are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) has crept up the policy agenda for education and youth justice agencies in England and Wales. This paper reflects on one alternative education initiative (AEI) that sought to re-engage young offenders with the learning ladder by equipping them with basic skills in order to progress into mainstream education, training or employment (ETE). The responses from the young people highlight outcomes and tensions about the role that learning has in their lives and implications for social justice. The framing of education in the youth justice context relates closely to key theoretical models including community protection, pro-social modelling and compliance. By locating the young people’s responses in these ways it is possible to identify important policy tensions and subsequent implications for practice that arise from educational treatment.

My experiences within the Criminal Justice System have helped me to become a feature
author on Criminal Law & Justice Weekly and a copywriter and translator currently
working on the key areas in the Criminal Justice System regarding rehabilitation,
employment and housing. I have previously had a suspended sentence supervision order
and am currently subject to a second suspended sentence, this time without any orders
attached. After a period of homelessness, I successfully picked up my business,
approaching clients and being honest about my situation. After living on my mother’s sofa
for three months, I worked and was able to save up enough money for my own
apartment. I am now in the process of registering a foundation to help those who slip
through the net of the Criminal Justice System. There are gaping chasms in the CJS and
there is not enough concentration on those who do make a success of their rehabilitation
period. I am working and writing for the oldest law journal within the UK and have good
support in the setting up of my foundation. With James Timpson of Timpson (a wellknown employer who is actively involved with the employment of ex-offenders) as Patron,
and UKCriminalLaw blog as ambassador to the foundation, I have made the most of my
rehabilitation period and continue to do so