Blog

A much-valued contributor to the Insights festival, Shakespeare UnBard sees theatre companies and people in prison working together to adapt and perform Shakespeare plays. Richard Lakin visited Shakespeare UnBard at HMP Stafford as part of Insights 2023 and shares his experience watching the group rehearse for their upcoming production of Shakespeare’s tragedy, King Lear.  

Michele Glassup, Head of ROTL & Resettlement, HMYOI Feltham, thanks the staff and young men at Feltham for putting on a great event.

Flora Fitzalan Howard, Nicola Cunningham, & Dr Helen Wakeling (Evidence-Based Practice Team, Insights Group, HMPPS) and Jo Voisey (Evaluation & Prototyping Hub, Ministry of Justice) reflect on their joint research and its application.

A central theme of the Insights Festival is the importance of evidence and research in informing decision-making and operational practice. In this guest blog (originally published in 2023) Martin Jones CBE, the then Chief Executive of the Parole Board for England and Wales, explains why research is important at the Parole Board and points to some recent publications.

Helen Wakeling, from HMPPS Evidence Based Practice Team talks us through developing a measure for perceptions of Procedural Justice in Probation.

Insights Group’s Carmel George reflects on a well spent summer’s day in wellies after joining HMPPS (Rehabilitation Directorate) Sustainability Lead and volunteers, restoring a wildlife pond at HMP Send.

In this Insights guest blog, Tammie Burroughs informs us how professional curiosity can be used practically and effectively to enhance case management.

Beatrice Finch, HMPPS Rehabilitation Directorate Sustainability Lead, explains what is happening across HMPPS and explains how you can help support biodiversity.

In this guest blog (originally published in 2022) Gill Hunter and Suzanne Smith highlight how best to support both people in the Criminal Justice System who speak English as a second or additional language and the practitioners on the frontline assisting them.

Vikki Ryan, Young Adults, National Prison Lead and Jane Browne, Head of Youths & Young Adults, National Probation Lead, explain the work that has been progressed to improve how young adults transition between youth and adult custody, youth custody to the probation service and between youth justice and probation. This blog was originally published to support HMPPS Young Adult Awareness Week in February 2022 has been updated to signpost to the published policies.