The Forensic Psychology Podcast

Fiona Williams is a Psychologist with over 30 years of experience in HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS).  She is the Head of Interventions Services, a team of specialist staff who are responsible for the design of accredited programmes.  Her remit also includes responsibility for accredited programmes staff training and the quality assurance of all programme delivery across over 200 prison an...

Last week we very sadly lost Erwin James, who was a champion of prison reform through his journalism - a career he started while still serving a life sentence in prison. In 2021, we were honoured to welcome Erwin as a guest on the Forensic Psychology Podcast, and we wanted to repost that interview to remind ourselves of his thoughts on the role forensic psychologists played in his time in prison....

Jane Read has over 25 years experience of working within the High Security prison estate.  In that time she has worked in the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme (DSPD) and was closely involved in the development of the assessment & treatment models for this programme. For 15 years Jane was the director of psychological services at HMP Wakefield and since January 2018 she has been...

Professor Huw Williams is a professor of Clinical Neuropsychology. He has pioneered research focusing on traumatic brain Injury in those involved in the criminal justice system, and neuro-rehabilitation and crime. He and colleagues have shown that a substantial number of people in contact with the law have traumatic brain Injuries. Findings have influenced screening and assessment for TBI national...

R. Karl Hanson, Ph. D., C.Psych., is one of the leading researchers in the field of risk assessment and treatment for individuals with a history of sexual offending. Originally trained as a clinical psychologist, he was a researcher and research manager in the area of corrections and crime policy for Public Safety Canada between 1991 and 2017. Dr. Hanson has published more than 175 articles, inclu...

Adrian Turner joined the prison service 1988 as a prison officer, working at Ashford Remand Centre. He subsequently worked at HMP Full Sutton, HMP Norwich, HMP Whitemoor, PSC Newbold Revel, HMP Lindholme, HMP Channings Wood, HMP Gloucester, HMP Eastwood Park, HMP Bristol, HMP Sudbury and currently works as the Senior Operational Lead for the open estate. Prior to working in headquarters he was Gov...

Martine Ratcliffe has worked as a forensic psychologist for HM Prison and Probation Service for 20 years. She’s currently the national diversity and inclusion (D&I) lead for the Psychology Services Group. Her passion for D&I has been amplified through her work with men, women and children in custody and from personal experience as a mixed-race woman working within HMPPS. Dr Tansy Warrilow is a cli...

In this special mini-series of the Forensic Psychology Podcast, Sally and Kerensa talk to people who work as psychologists across the five directorates of the prison service, to get an idea of what their jobs entail and the environments they work in. Rebecca Ministro and Harriet Chapman both work in the directorate that covers prisons in Wales. For more information about careers in prisons, visit...

In this special mini-series of the Forensic Psychology Podcast, Sally and Kerensa talk to people who work as psychologists across the five directorates of the prison service, to get an idea of what their jobs entail and the environments they work in. Poppy Marston and Rebecca Young both work in the directorate that covers women's prisons. For more information about careers in prisons, visit https:...

In this special mini-series of the Forensic Psychology Podcast, Sally and Kerensa talk to people who work as psychologists across the five directorates of the prison service, to get an idea of what their jobs entail and the environments they work in. Alex Bonas and Mel Lewis both work in the Youth Custody Service with children and young adults. For more information about careers in prisons, visit...

In this special mini-series of the Forensic Psychology Podcast, Sally and Kerensa talk to people who work as psychologists across the five directorates of the prison service, to get an idea of what their jobs entail and the environments they work in. Lucy Nuttall and James Bourton work in the directorate for the highest security prisons within the prison estate. For more information about careers...

In this special mini-series of the Forensic Psychology Podcast, Sally and Kerensa talk to people who work as psychologists across the five directorates of the prison service, to get an idea of what their jobs entail and the environments they work in. Elizabeth Kelly and Angelika Guttman both work in the directorate that covers men's prisons. For more information about careers in prisons, visit htt...

Sally and Kerensa are joined by Zak and Jules, the hosts of the Prison Radio Association's brand new podcast Life After Prison. At the age of 20, Jules was convicted and sent to prison. During her time behind bars she developed a passion for exercise and achieved her professional gym qualifications. Since her release she's worked as a personal trainer, and through this work she got involved with N...

This episode features a forensic psychologist who worked in Broadmoor secure hospital for nearly three decades. Derek Perkins, Ph. D. is a UK Consultant Clinical & Forensic Psychologist at West London NHS Trust, and Honorary Professor of Forensic Psychology at Royal Holloway University of London. He is the co-director of the online Protect research group on internet-related sexual offending, and a...

Sally and Kerensa will be presenting a brand new series called Behind the Crime on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesdays at 8pm. Starting on Wednesday 3 August, they'll be talking to three people who have committed criminal offences, putting those offences into the context of the lives they've led. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0019r5b These are powerful, emotional, dramatic conversations. They're also co...

This episode features two forensic psychologists working within the Youth Custody Service. Alisa Purton is a registered Forensic Psychologist and an Associate Fellow and Chartered Scientist of the British Psychological Society. Alisa joined the prison service in 2001 and has worked with children in custody since 2008. She is currently the lead psychologist for HMPPS Youth Custody Services which in...

Dr Jo Wood is a Registered Forensic Psychologist who has worked for the probation service for over 20 years. She is the lead psychologist for the Manchester division and works with a range of agencies as part of her work within Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). She specialises in work with individuals who commit sexual or violent offences and also individuals who have learning d...

Erwin James has been a Guardian columnist and contributor since 1998. Currently he is Editor in Chief of Inside Time, the national newspaper for people in prison. He became a writer in prison where he served 20 years of a mandatory life sentence. He has been a consultant for Iain Duncan Smith MP on prisoner rehabilitation and a Commissioner on the panel of the Westminster Commission on Miscarriage...

Martin Jones has been Chief Executive of the Parole Board since October 2015. He has spent the majority of the past 30 years working in the justice system in a range of delivery or policy roles. In the summer of 2021 Martin was awarded a CBE for services to victims, transparency and diversity in the parole system. Fiona Ainsworth is a Chartered Forensic Psychologist and associate fellow of the BPS...

Gillian Sutcliffe is Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist. She has worked for HMPPS since 2001 and in women’s prisons for 3 years, currently based at HMP Low Newton. Gillian is national lead for safety of women, and an interest in developing practice for women convicted of sexual offences.  Becky Day is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist and has worked for HMPPS for over 12...

Professor Paul Gilbert is a Clinical Psychologist at the University of Derby and honorary visiting Prof at the University of Queensland. He retired from the NHS in 2016 after over 40 years as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. He has researched evolutionary approaches to psychopathology with a special focus on mood, shame and self-criticism in various mental health difficulties for which compassi...

Professor Jane L. Ireland PhD is a Chartered Psychologist, Forensic Psychologist, and Chartered Scientist. She has a background in both psychology and law. She holds a professorial chair at the University of Central Lancashire and is clinical lead for violence therapies at a secure forensic psychiatric unit. Jane regularly provides expert witness services in family, criminal and personal injury ca...

Martine Ratcliffe has worked as a forensic psychologist for HM Prison and Probation Service for 20 years. She’s currently the national diversity and inclusion (D&I) lead for the Psychology Services Group. Her passion for D&I has been amplified through her work with children, becoming a mum and from personal experience as a mixed-race woman working within HMPPS. Further Reading: The Lammy Review (2...

Working as a psychologist can be thrilling, rewarding and challenging – and HM Prison and Probation Service are looking for trainees right now! In this special bonus episode, Neil Gredecki from HMPPS Psychology Services explains what they’re looking for, and how to apply. There are 150 traineeships available, and full details are here: https://bit.ly/3ep8nCU Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

David S. Prescott is an award-winning, internationally recognised expert in the field of offending behaviour. A mental health practitioner of 36 years and the Editor of Safer Society Press, he is the author and editor of 20 books in the areas of understanding and improving services to people at risk of offending. He is best known for his work in the areas of understanding, assessing, and treating...