Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice

In this episode, we are joined by Jennifer Walmsley, Co‑Director of BearFace Theatre, a Hampshire‑based organisation working exclusively in the local area through applied theatre. BearFace’s work supports people on probation, women in the justice system, and criminal justice practitioners within Hampshire.  Jennifer discusses how creative and participatory theatre approaches can open up new ways of understanding identity, agency, and change. The conversation explores how creativity can support desistance, build confidence and resilience, and create space for reflection, not only for people on probation, but also for the practitioners who work alongside them.
This inspiring episode shines a light on the human side of rehabilitation and the value of locally rooted, creative practice. It invites PQiPs, probation practitioners, and local justice professionals to consider how creativity can support meaningful change and help people imagine more positive futures.

Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice is a podcast exploring the world of probation, rehabilitation, and community justice. Hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the University of Portsmouth, this series delves into key issues affecting probation practice, featuring expert insights, research, and real-world experiences.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Probation Perspectives
02:01 Jennifer Walmsley's Journey into Applied Theatre
06:41 Understanding Applied Theatre in Probation Settings
11:31 The Role of Creativity in Desistance
14:39 Transformative Moments in Creative Activities
20:16 Supporting Probation Practitioners through Creativity
26:07 Reflection, Self-Care, and Vicarious Trauma in Practice
36:06 Cultural Shifts for Better Rehabilitation

Show notes and readings:
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice possible.
Freddie Hunt – Podcast producer

Jill Dealey – Podcast development and content support

Lauren Meredith – Logo and jingle development

Jenn Grant & Michelle McDermott – Management and support

All of our guests for sharing their expertise and experiences

Here are the details of the resources and readings that were referred to within the episode:
Bearface theatre website - https://www.bearfacetheatre.org/ 
Brene Brown - details about her books and podcasts on this website https://brenebrown.com/ 
Maté, G. (2022). The myth of normal: Trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. Knopf Canada.
Walmsley, J., & Haggar, L. (2025). Creating space for reflection and connection: learning from the creative arts and the third sector. In Reflections on Probation (pp. 134-154). Policy Press.
Waite, S., & Rutter, N. (Eds.). (2026). Women, Relationships & Criminal Justice: The Personal and Professional. Policy Press.
National Criminal Justice Arts Alliance website: https://artsincriminaljustice.org.uk/
Geece Theatre Handbook, details available here: https://www.geese.co.uk/the-geese-handbook/ 
Kasia Urbaniak (2021) Unbound: A Woman’s Guide to Power. Penguin
Thompson, J. (2012) Applied Theatre, Bewilderment and Beyond. Peter Lang

Most prison officers and probation practitioners overlook a simple truth: trust and genuine human connection are the real keys to reform. Andi Brierley, a former youth justice worker turned academic and editor of The Good Prison Officer, reveals how the most effective practitioners build trust not through protocol or robotic routines, but through empathy, authenticity, and understanding how their own behaviour impacts others. This episode challenges you to rethink the way justice professionals form relationships, because the difference is in how you make people feel.

Andi’s own life story, rising from substance addiction and multiple prison sentences to becoming an influential voice in community justice, shapes his bold perspective on reform. He shares powerful insights on how lived experience deepens practice, why trust is the foundation of desistance, and how bureaucratic systems can hinder genuine connection. Discover practical ways to foster compassion in challenging environments, from prison corridors to probation meetings, and how small shifts in practice can reshape outcomes at every level of the criminal justice system. If you want to see systems through the eyes of those they serve and lead with compassion, this episode is for you.

Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice is a podcast exploring the world of probation, rehabilitation, and community justice. Hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the University of Portsmouth, this series delves into key issues affecting probation practice, featuring expert insights, research, and real-world experiences.

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro to Probation Perspectives
01:45 - Andi Brierley's Youth Justice Journey
06:47 - Building Trust in Probation Practices
13:30 - Challenges in Developing Trust
17:37 - Impact of Prison on Individuals
20:52 - Insights into Justice Systems
27:04 - Adversity, Change, and Growth
32:58 - Reflective Practice in Probation

Show notes and readings:
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice possible.
Freddie Hunt – Podcast producer

Jill Dealey – Podcast development and content support

Lauren Meredith – Logo and jingle development

Jenn Grant & Michelle McDermott – Management and support

All of our guests for sharing their expertise and experiences

Here are the details of the resources and readings that were referred to within the episode:
Brierley, A. (2019). Your honour can I tell you my story?. Waterside Press.
Brierley, A. (2023). The good prison officer. New York: Routledge.
Brierley, A., & Dennehy, M. (2025). The rehabilitation industry: Lived experience and performance. Probation Journal, 72(3), 317-324.
Brierley, A. (2026). ‘I sit somewhere in that sort of sweet spot’: Liminal legitimacy in criminal justice practice. Punishment & Society, 14624745261436432.
Brierley, A., & Best, D. (2025). Desistance habitus: Strategically Using experience in practice. Incarceration: An International Journal of Imprisonment, Detention and Coercive Confinement, 6.https://doi.org/10.1177/26326663241310603
Foucault, M. (2019). Discipline and punish: the birth of the prison. Penguin
Johns, D. (2017). Being and becoming an ex-prisoner. Taylor & Francis Group.
van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books

Most discussions about AI in probation focus on automation, but what if the real opportunity lies in enhancing human connection and ethical practice? In this episode, we uncover how technology like electronic monitoring and generative AI can support, not replace, the vital relational work that defines probation. Join Professor Mike Nellis and Louis Allgood as they explore the evolution of probation technology, from GPS ankle bracelets to speech AI, and reveal how the future of community justice hinges on balancing innovation with moral responsibility.
You'll discover the origins and limitations of electronic monitoring, and what lessons Europe offers for ethical implementation. Learn how generative AI like ChatGPT can support professional judgement, active listening, and relationship-building. We discuss practical frameworks for evaluating AI tools to ensure they serve public safety and human dignity, and why meaningful human control is critical in a rapidly digitalising environment. This episode argues that the most effective, ethical probation practice in the digital age remains rooted in human connection, professional judgement, and thoughtful implementation.

Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice is a podcast exploring the world of probation, rehabilitation, and community justice. Hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the University of Portsmouth, this series delves into key issues affecting probation practice, featuring expert insights, research, and real-world experiences.

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
00:51 – Technology’s Role in Probation
04:02 – Electronic Monitoring Explained
07:54 – Artificial Intelligence in Probation
09:58 – The Human Element
12:54 – Ethical Concerns and Risks
29:21 – Challenges of AI and Monitoring
47:28 – Envisaging the Future of Probation Technology

Show notes and readings:
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice possible.
Freddie Hunt – Podcast producer

Jill Dealey – Podcast development and content support

Lauren Meredith – Logo and jingle development

Jenn Grant & Michelle McDermott – Management and support

All of our guests for sharing their expertise and experiences

Here are the details of the resources and readings that were referred to within the episode:
Alegre (2024) Human rights, robot wrongs: Being human in the age of AI
Nellis, M. (2022). From electronic monitoring to artificial intelligence: technopopulism and the future of probation services. In Reimagining Probation Practice (pp. 207-224). Routledge.
AI Action plan for Justice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ai-action-plan-for-justice/ai-action-plan-for-justice 
Justice AI Unit website: https://ai.justice.gov.uk/

Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice is a podcast exploring the world of probation, rehabilitation, and community justice. Hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the University of Portsmouth, this series delves into key issues affecting probation practice, featuring expert insights, research, and real-world experiences.

In this episode, we are joined by Professor Matthew Millings, who shares insights from his recent project, Rehabilitating Probation, and Associate Professor Matt Tidmarsh from the Probation Institute. Together, they explore what it means to rehabilitate not only those supervised by Probation, but the Probation Service itself. The conversation examines the evolving identity of Probation as a profession, the impact of continual organisational change, and the challenges facing practitioners working within a complex and pressurised system. Matthew and Matt reflect on the role of research, professional values, and collective voice in shaping Probation’s future, and consider how Probation can reclaim a sense of purpose, coherence, and legitimacy.

This rich and reflective episode invites PQiPs, Probation practitioners, and anyone interested in Community Justice to think critically about Probation’s past, present, and future and what it means to imagine Probation as a values‑led profession with a clear and confident identity.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:50 - Matthew Millings & Dr Matt Tidmarsh
05:03 - Impact of Organisational Change
12:06 - Motivations for Rehab Project
25:50 - Defining Rehabilitation in Probation
37:30 - Continuous Learning & Reflection
45:23 - Building Relationships & Engagement
54:38 - Reimagining Probation: Health View

Show notes and readings:
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice possible.
Freddie Hunt – Podcast producer

Jill Dealey – Podcast development and content support

Lauren Meredith – Logo and jingle development

Jenn Grant & Michelle McDermott – Management and support

All of our guests for sharing their expertise and experiences

Here are the details of the resources and readings that were referred to within the episode:
You can find out more about the Rehabilitating Probation project on their website here: https://rehabilitating-probation.org.uk/
The Probation Institute offers professional membership, leadership, and evidence‑based resources for the sector. Find out more or join here: https://www.probation-institute.org/

Tidmarsh, M. (2025). Probation Governance, Identity, and Practice: Making, Unmaking, Remaking. Taylor & Francis.

Dominey, J. (2019). Probation supervision as a network of relationships: aiming to be thick, not thin. Probation Journal, 66(3), 283-302.

Public Health England (2020). Health and social care needs assessment of adults under probation service supervision in the community. A guidance document. London: Public Health England. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adults-on-probation-health-and-social-care-needs-assessment

Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice returns for its second series, continuing to explore the world of probation, rehabilitation, and community justice. Hosted by Megan Thomas and Ceri Halfpenny from the University of Portsmouth, the podcast brings together voices from practice, research, and lived experience to reflect on the realities of probation work and the values that underpin it.

In this trailer, Megan and Ceri introduce what’s ahead for Series 2, building on the reflective, practice‑focused conversations of the first series while widening the lens to consider some of the major developments shaping probation today. This season will explore topics such as the rehabilitation of the Probation Service itself, the opportunities and risks of emerging technologies and AI, the role of lived experience in professional identity, and how the service learns from serious incidents and public protection work.

With contributions from leading researchers, practitioners, and thinkers, Series 2 invites listeners to reflect on probation’s past, present, and future and to engage with honest, thoughtful conversations about how the profession continues to evolve. Whether you’re a practitioner, PQiP, educator, student, or simply interested in Community Justice, we’re excited to welcome you back.

We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made Probation Perspectives: Insights into Community Justice possible.
Freddie Hunt – Podcast producer

Jill Dealey – Podcast development and content support

Lauren Meredith – Logo and jingle development

Jenn Grant & Michelle McDermott – Management and support

All of our guests for sharing their expertise and experiences

For more information about PQiP training at the University of Portsmouth, visit: https://www.port.ac.uk/study/studying-while-working/probation-officer-training.