Honest Politician's Guide to Prisons and Probation

The Honest Politicians Guide to Prisons and Probation provides an authoritative account of the crisis that has engulfed the prison and probation services since 1991, through an analysis of legislative and organisational changes and interviews with key players.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Honest Politicians Guide to Prisons and Probation is a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the crisis that has gradually engulfed the prison and probation services since 1991. Through a rigorous analysis of legislative and organizational changes, as well as extensive interviews with all the key players, the book provides an authoritative account of the events and factors that have contributed to this crisis.

The authors, King and Willmott, begin by setting out the nature and extent of the crisis, highlighting the overriding of the Woolf agenda through a process of political churn. They explore the Conservative government from 1991 to 1997, New Labour from 1997 to 2010, and the Coalition and Conservative governments since 2010. Uniquely, the book includes interviews with all surviving Home Secretaries and Justice Secretaries of the period, offering insightful and candid reflections on their time in office and their views on the future.

In addition to interviews with government officials, the book also includes perspectives from both inside and outside the prisons and probation services. Interviews with the Director Generals of the Prison Service and the new National Probation Service, Chief Inspectors of Prisons and Probation, and the four most recent Lord Chief Justices, including Lord Woolf himself, provide valuable insights into the challenges and issues faced by these organizations.

The conclusion of the book draws on this collective wisdom, offering recommendations for an effective and sustainable future. It is essential reading not only for those in Westminster but also for practitioners in criminal justice, advocacy organizations, think tanks, and scholars and students in Criminology, Criminal Justice, British Politics, and Public Policy.

The Honest Politicians Guide to Prisons and Probation is a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about criminal justice reform and provides a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the prison and probation services.

Weight: 422g
Dimension: 241 x 268 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367773069