Justice

In this week’s episode, Edwina focuses on the UK’s criminal record system. She speaks to two supporters of the Fair Checks campaign led by Transform Justice and Unlock, which is calling for a fresh start to the UK’s outdated criminal records system. Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin, discusses why no one should be judged by their worst moment, and the commitment of Virgin companies around the world to offering employment opportunities for those with a criminal record. As well as building Virgin from the ground up, Richard has spent his life speaking up globally about the issues he is passionate about, including ending the failed war on drugs, and abolishing the death penalty. Paula Harriott, Head of Prisoner Involvement at Prison Reform Trust then speaks from first-hand experience about the adverse impact excessive criminal record checks can have, and why she supports the Fair Checks campaign. Paula has huge insight into the impact current legislation has on the ground through her wo

This week Edwina speaks to Natasha Finlayson, Chief Executive of Working Chance. Working Chance is the UK's only employment charity solely for women with convictions. In this episode Natasha explains the support they provide to women and the impressive outcomes they achieve, including 90% of women using their employment service securing a job. Natasha also outlines recent research by Working Chance which shows just how much stigma still exists from employers towards people with past convictions, and their important work to tackle this. Working Chance also work with policymakers, politicians and employers to share knowledge about what helps women with convictions to secure employment, and to dismantle the systems and barriers that hold them back. You can find out more about Working Chance here: https://workingchance.org/ Follow Working Chance on Twitter @WorkingChanceRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by 

This week Edwina speaks to Charlie Taylor, Chief Inspector of Prisons. Independent from Government, the role of Chief Inspector of Prisons reports directly to the Secretary of State for Justice on the conditions in prisons and detention centres, and the treatment of those inside them.  In this episode Charlie explains more about what his role entails, and why independence from Government is so important. He also reflects on the challenges and issues raised in his recently published annual report such as long lock up times, issues with staff recruitment and retention, and concerns for the wellbeing of women in prison. You can read Charlie’s latest Annual Report here: www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/annual-report-2021-22/ You can find out more about the work of HM Inspectorate of Prisons here: www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/ Follow HM Inspectorate of Prisons on Twitter @HMIPrisonsnewsRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitt

Please note this episode contains discussion of traumatic births and infant mortality that some listeners may find upsetting.In this week’s episode, Edwina speaks to Naomi Delap, Director of Birth Companions, and Sam who is part of their Lived Experience Team. Birth Companions is a women’s charity dedicated to tackling inequalities and disadvantage during pregnancy, birth and early motherhood. Founded in 1996 to support pregnant women and new mothers in Holloway Prison, they’ve become experts in meeting the needs of women living in the most challenging situations in prison and in the community. In this episode Sam and Naomi shed light on the experience of pregnancy and birth in the criminal justice system, and what needs to change to improve the lives of women and babies who experience inequality and disadvantage. You can find out more about Birth Companions here: www.birthcompanions.org.ukFollow them on Twitter @BrthCompanionsRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter -

In this week’s episode, Edwina speaks to Sofia Buncy MBE, the pioneering Founder and Director of the multi-award-winning Muslim Women in Prison Project. Established in 2013 to document and research the experiences of Muslim women in criminal justice system, the project delivers a community-based culturally appropriate service for Muslim women returning to communities. In this episode, Sofia sheds light on the challenges these women face, and shares how her ground-breaking project is giving voice to the experiences of Muslim women in the criminal justice system. Follow Sofia and the work of the Muslim Women in Prison Project on Twitter @MWIPproject See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week’s episode, Edwina speaks to Sarah Beresford, Prison Reform Trust Associate and Churchill Fellow. Sarah is also the author of ‘What about me?’, a report which explores how children’s lives are impacted when their mothers are involved in the criminal justice system. In this episode Sarah describes how children are so often invisible to decisionmakers, and explains how her recently developed Child Impact Assessment can equip adults and services to listen more closely to the needs of those with mothers in the criminal justice system. You can read more about why Sarah feels Child Impact Assessments are so important in this blog, and there is further information about Sarah’s project here. Follow the Prison Reform Trust on Twitter @PRTuk and the Churchill Fellowship @ChurchillFship.Read more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out info

In this week’s Justice episode, Edwina speaks to Professor Taj Nathan, a consultant forensic psychiatrist for the NHS. He holds honorary academic posts at the University of Liverpool, University of Chester and Liverpool John Moores University, and provides independent expert opinion to courts in England and Wales. Taj is also the author of Dangerous Minds: A Forensic Psychiatrist's Quest to Understand Violence. Taking us from secure hospital wards to high-security prisons to courtrooms, Dangerous Minds offers compelling and deeply compassionate accounts of ten people whose lives have been shaped by violence, and asks its readers to re-evaluate all that they think they know about the people society deems most dangerous. In this episode, Taj discusses the origins of his book, and sheds light on the complexity of working in the field of forensic psychiatry.  To learn more about the work of Professor Taj Nathan:www1.chester.ac.uk/departments/chester-medical-school/staff/taj-nathanTo

In this episode Edwina speaks to Hannah Shead, the CEO of Trevi. Operating since 1993, Trevi is an award-winning women’s charity in Devon. Their mission is to provide safe and nurturing spaces where women in recovery can heal, grow and thrive. Set up to support women experiencing alcohol and drug misuse issues and their children, Trevi runs the only UK residential rehabilitation centre exclusively for mothers and their children. In the 27 years they have been operating, they have helped transform the lives of thousands of women and their children. Hannah discusses Trevi’s beginnings, and shares how the charity has continued to develop to meet the needs of women in their community. To learn more about the work of Trevi:www.trevi.org.ukFollow on Twitter: @TreviWomenRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode I speak to Peter Sullivan from the organisation Chess in Schools and Communities who facilitates chess clubs in Wandsworth prison and has recently been expanding this to the women’s prison estate.Peter also trained and organised the England team that participated in the World Prison Chess Championship. 43 teams from 31 countries took part in the competition and England scored a huge 19/20 in the preliminaries and finished 7th in the final stages, read more here.Peter discusses how chess can be a therapeutic activity, create a calm environment and bring staff and residents together. To learn more about the work of the Chess in Schools and Communities see: https://www.chessinschools.co.uk/Follow on Twitter: @schoolschessRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Please note this episode contains discussion on domestic abuse, including fatal domestic abuse, that some listeners may find distressing.In this episode Edwina speaks to Nicole Jacobs, the first Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales. Nicole explains her statutory powers, as set out in the Domestic Abuse Bill, to raise public awareness and hold both agencies and government to account in tackling domestic abuse. Listen to Nicole describe her important work to shine a light on good practice and the practices that fall short, to end the postcode lottery of domestic abuse services in England and Wales. Nicole outlines a range of initiatives she is working on with her team, including improving the response of Family Courtsto Domestic Abuse. To learn more about the work of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner see: https://domesticabusecommissioner.uk/Follow Nicole on Twitter: @CommissionerDARead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is crea

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion on child sexual abuse and other forms of sexual offending. In this episode Edwina speaks to Riana Taylor, CEO of Circles UK, who are the national organisation which oversees Circles of Support and Accountability (Circles), an innovative model that uses groups of volunteers in the community, working alongside criminal justice agencies to reduce sexual offending. Riana explains that a Circle of Support and Accountability is a group of trained volunteers from a local community that provides a social network to someone who has committed sexual offences or engaged in harmful sexual behaviour, whilst also requiring them to take responsibility for their own ongoing risk management. The Circle can also provide practical guidance in things such as developing social skills and finding suitable accommodation. In so doing the Circle serves to reduce the risk of reoffending associated with social exclusion and the attendant risk of harm to existing and potential

In this episode Edwina speaks to Sue McAllister, Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. Sue explains her work to carry out independent investigations that aim to make custody and community supervision safer and fairer. Sue talks about her important work, including recent high-profile reports on the deaths of babies in custody. She outlines how she has developed the work of the Ombudsman during her time in post, including a focus on increasing the impact of investigations, and making sure changes are made as a result of the work of her team. Follow Sue McAllister and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman on twitter: @sue1mcallister @PPOmbudsmanRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode Edwina speaks to Pavan Dhaliwal CEO of Revolving Doors Agency who work to end the revolving door of crisis and crime. The organisation creates and shares research, influences policy and evaluates services, making sure the voices of those with lived experience are central to their work. Pavan explains their belief that justice system reform cannot be achieved without the voices of those who have had direct experience of the system themselves. Examples discussed in the podcast include their New Generation Campaigners - young people who designed and led their own campaign called ‘Divert don’t arrest’ calling for police reform. Follow Revolving Doors Agency on Twitter: @RevDoorsRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode Edwina speaks to Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and National Lead for Victims for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Donna talks us through her work to hold local criminal justice partners to account and ensure delivery of Hampshire’s Policing and Crime Plan. Donna outlines important areas of her work including tacking Violence against Women and Girls and crime prevention work with children and young people. Follow Donna Jones on Twitter: @HantsPCC @DonnaJonesPCCRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Edwina talks to The Right Reverend Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester, the first female diocesan bishop in the Church of England. We talk about her role as Anglican Bishop for HM Prisons and her important work in the House of Lords, raising the need for justice system reform, particularly for women. Listen as Bishop Rachel describes her unique role, and the insights she has gained into many areas of the justice system that inform her passion for advocating for change.Follow Bishop Rachel on Twitter: @BishGloucesterRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Please note this episode discusses harm towards children that some listeners may find distressing.In this episode, Edwina talks to Mark Bramah, Director of Corporate Safeguarding and Chair for Hampshire Children’s Services about what safeguarding really is and why we need it. He highlights particular gaps in child safeguarding in the business environment. Mark unpacks complex language associated with safeguarding to help us better understand its importance. Edwina and Mark talk about how the internet and social media have affected children’s safety and changes we can make to ensure children are better protected.Read more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this final episode of the JUSTICE Podcast for 2021, Edwina talks to Dr Simon Fox, Head of Law at Solent University and Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Legal Education. Simon talks about what it means to study criminology and compares varied approaches to criminology and the context of crime across different countries.If anyone is interested in a career in criminology or law, please get in touch with Dr Simon Fox as he is happy to discuss this.Read more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Please note this episode contains description of reporting on issues such as rape and cruelty to children that some listeners may find distressing.In this episode, Edwina talks to Danny Shaw, Head of Strategy and Insight at Crest Advisory and previously Home Affairs Correspondent at the BBC. Danny shares what it really means to cover court cases where people’s lives hang in the balance and the need to be very careful not to prejudice the proceedings. Listen as Danny talks about the challenges of reporting on prisons, a place which the public do not really understand nor have access to, and the importance of self-care when reporting on difficult issues.Follow Danny on Twitter: @DannyShawNewsRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Edwina talks to a panel comprising of Jamie Morrell, Communications and Engagement Officer at the Criminal Justice Alliance, David Cohen, Campaigns and Investigations Editor at the Evening Standard and the Independent, and Jodie Jackson, Journalist and author researching the impact of the news on mental health. Edwina speaks to the panel about the notion of responsible journalism in the context of criminal justice as they break down what the role of journalism is, and the different types of reporting, such as solutions-focused journalism. The Criminal Justice Alliance’s Report, launched today, highlights how reporting can be improved, including best practice when hearing from people with lived experience of the justice system. Read the report hereFollow the panel on Twitter: @jmorrell_ @cjalliance @JacksonJodie21 @cohenstandardRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast

In this episode, Edwina talks to Gethin Jones, founder of Unlocking Potential and inspirational speaker, trainer and coach. He talks about how the justice system has been a part of his whole life and drawing on his own experiences of prison, Gethin now dedicates his time to reforming the justice system and making it fit for purpose. Gethin shares that a prison under his leadership would place a strong emphasis on human-to-human relationships, have a real community feel and give people in prison a sense of ownership. Follow Gethin on Twitter: @GethinUnlocksRead more about the One Small Thing charity here.Twitter - @OSTCharityThis podcast is created and produced by The London Podcast Company.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.