The Transform Justice Podcast

Should ‘gut feeling’ be used to make decisions in drugs policing? In this episode, Rob and Penelope are joined by Dr Bisi Akintoye, lecturer at the University of Roehampton, and Professor Alex Stevens, University of Sheffield, to discuss how we police drugs. They cover stop and search, different options for dealing with drugs offences, and the impact of over-policing on community relations. Dr Bis...

In England and Wales, children can be remanded to custody before they have been found guilty of any crime. But are too many children being locked up unnecessarily, and at what cost? In this episode, hosts Penelope and Rob are joined by Angus Jones, HMI Prisons Team Leader for Children and Young People, and Mel Stooks, solicitor, to examine the use of remand for children in the youth justice system...

In July 2024, a tragic attack in Southport claimed the lives of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice da Silva Aguiar and irreparably harmed the local community. Almost two years later, an inquiry has been published to try to understand what led Axel Rudakubana to commit these crimes. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Professor Lynn Davies, ConnectFutures, and Selina Wallis, University...

Are court staff welcoming? Can defendants participate effectively? How is anyone supposed to follow legal jargon? We're back with more insights from our volunteer courtwatchers! In the latest wave of observation, volunteers recorded reflections on more than 2,000 cases and the findings are out now. Rob and Penelope are joined by courtwatcher Rosemin Najmudin and Jessica Jacobson, Professor of...

When someone commits a sexual offence, the punishment often extends far beyond the sentence—shaping their lives, and the lives of those around them, for years to come. In this episode, hosts Penelope and Rob are joined by Eppie Sprung, Chief Executive of Next Chapter Scotland, and Belinda Winder, Professor of Forensic Psychology at Nottingham Trent University. Together they explore why sexual offe...

Restorative justice is one of the most powerful - and least understood - parts of the justice system. Proven to satisfy victims and slash reoffending, it’s justice that’s shaped around the needs of those involved, creating space for accountability, repair, and understanding. Sounds ideal…so why is it so underutilised? In this episode we unpack restorative justice - what it is, how it works, and wh...

2025 was a busy year in justice policy. In this episode, Penelope and Rob reflect on the reforms, debates and missed opportunities that shaped the past year then look ahead to how current policy work and political priorities are likely to influence the justice landscape in 2026. We talk prisons, courts, criminal records and more. Further Resources Read David Gauke's Independent Sentencing Revi...

Sharing a cell built for one, fearing for your safety, and freezing through the winter—are these really the right conditions for rehabilitation? In this episode, our hosts are joined by Andi Brierley, Senior Lecturer at Leeds Trinity University, and Andrea Coomber, CEO of the Howard League. They discuss what prison life looks like today, whether our prisons doing more harm than good, and what peop...

What happens when the government turns protest into a crime? New laws aren’t just tightening the rules, they’re redefining who gets to speak out and even who has the right to a defence in court. With thousands of protesters waiting to hear if they’ll be charged with a crime, the message seems clear: dissent now comes at a cost. In this episode, Penelope is joined by Sarah Lunnon, an organiser with...

The sentence of imprisonment for public protection was outlawed in 2012, but more than 1,000 people are still serving indefinite sentences in prison. Andrew Morris, former IPP prisoner, and Matthew Parris, journalist, join us to discuss why people are still being held under IPP, what impact this sentence has on those who receive it, and what must be done to rid us of the legacy of IPP once and for...

Women are the fastest-growing prison population globally, but most offend to survive or to protect their children. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Dr Sarah Waite, Leeds Beckett University, and Lucy Campbell, founder of Flip of the Coin CIC, to discuss how the prison system is failing women and what could be done to improve how society responds when women are in crisis. Dr Sarah Waite Find...

Please note that this episode discusses suicide and self harm. Should someone with schizophrenia stand trial? Can they be held responsible for their actions if their behaviour isn't rooted in reality? Our hosts are joined by Dr Bradley Hillier, forensic psychiatrist, and Rhona Friedman, solicitor, to discuss how people with serious mental illnesses are treated in the justice system; the legal...

Ten years ago, the Single Justice Procedure (SJP) was introduced to make the magistrates’ courts more efficient. Designed to handle minor offences swiftly and cheaply, it allows cases to be decided by a single magistrate behind closed doors, often without the defendant’s knowledge or participation. Guilty pleas and mitigation can be submitted online, and most cases are processed in weeks rather th...

Custody is supposed to be used as a last resort when a child gets in trouble. But that's not always the case. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Dr Anne-Marie Day, youth justice researcher at Manchester Metropolitan University, and Dr Laura Janes KC (Hon), solicitor. They discuss why children are detained, how they are treated in custody, and what the experience of imprisonment is like f...

The long-awaited final report of David Gauke's sentencing review was published on 22nd May 2025. In this episode, Penelope and Rob are joined by Rachel Sylvester, political editor of The Observer, to discuss its contents. From chemical castration to early release, the report covers a huge range of suggestions to reduce pressure on our prison system. But will it be enough to finally broker peac...

Does equality before the law mean treating everyone the same? Sparks have flown in recent weeks as Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood and Lord Davis, Chairman of The Sentencing Council, debate proposed guidelines that encourage judges to consider pre-sentence reports for certain groups, including ethnic and religious minorities. The Lord Chancellor has publicly criticised the proposals for creating a...

It's estimated that 50% of people in prison are neurodivergent, compared to around 15% of the general population. But why? In this episode, hosts Penelope and Rob are joined by David Breakspear, ambassador for ADHD Liberty, and Professor Stan Gilmour, former police officer and neurodisability researcher. Focusing on ADHD and brain injury, they discuss how neurodivergent people get caught up in...

More than 70,000 cases ranging from drug possession to rape are currently waiting to be heard in the crown court. This backlog is leaving victims without justice, defendants in limbo, and the public questioning if our justice system is fit for purpose. The backlog has been the subject of much discussion, but is it all just commentary? Hosts Rob and Penelope are joined by former Lord Chancellor Ale...

Prison is intended to punish wrongdoing. But all too often it's not just the person on the inside who's punished, but those on the outside too: their family. In this episode, Penelope and Rob are joined by Josie Cole, author of 'prison bag', a blog describing her experience navigating family life with a partner on the inside, and Dr Lorna Brookes, founder of Time Matters and Reader...

Though rare, children as young as 10 can be tried in criminal court in England and Wales. But are the courts up to the task of dealing with vulnerable children? In this episode Rob and Penelope are joined by Aika Stephenson, solicitor and co-founder of Just for Kids Law, and Danielle Manson, criminal defence barrister. They discuss what kind of cases involving children go to court, how children ar...

Louise Haigh recently stepped down from government after a decade-old fraud case resurfaced. She is one of the 1 in 4 working age people in England and Wales with a criminal record. Her resignation ignited debate around our criminal records system, leaving many asking: when can someone with a criminal record move on? In this episode, hosts Rob and Penelope are joined by Paula Harriott, CEO of Unlo...

The government has just announced an independent review of sentencing to be carried out by former Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, David Gauke, and an expert panel. But will it help solve our prison crisis? In this episode, our hosts are joined by Nicky Padfield, a member of the sentencing review panel, and John Bache, a magistrate and former Chair of the Magistrates' Association. They discu...

Lawyers and judges are the gatekeepers of our justice system. But the Post Office scandal has forced many to ask: are they the ethical backbone of society or enablers of injustice? In our second episode looking at the scandal, hosts Penelope and Rob are joined by Professor Richard Moorhead, University of Exeter, and John Hyde, Law Society Gazette, to discuss whether lawyers and judges were complic...

The criminal justice system is bursting at the seams. But why is it so hard to fix this system in crisis? In this episode, Rob and Penelope are joined by Tom O’Grady, associate professor at UCL, and Campbell Robb, CEO of NACRO to discuss how the voluntary sector can advocate for better justice. They discuss the impact of the media and public opinion and and ask the crucial question: if politicians...

England and Wales is one of a tiny number of jurisdictions worldwide in which lay people sit in judgement of their peers. Some argue that magistrates play a vital role bridging the courtroom and the community. But does this work in practice? In this episode our hosts are joined by Robin Fenwick, former magistrate, and Dr Kate Leader, senior lecturer at Queen Mary University. They discuss why we ha...