Book review: Mental Health, Crime and Criminal Justice
| Author | Robert Foster |
| Published date | 01 March 2017 |
| Date | 01 March 2017 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0264550517695164 |
| Subject Matter | Book reviews |
Book reviews
The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
Probation Journal
Book reviews
2017, Vol. 64(1) 67–70
ª The Author(s) 2017
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DOI: 10.1177/0264550517695164
journals.sagepub.com/home/prb
Mental Health, Crime and Criminal Justice
Jane Winstone (ed.)
Palgrave; 2016; pp. 320; £24; pbk
ISBN: 978-1-137-45387-7
Reviewed by: Robert Foster, Probation Officer, NPS
Managing the complexities that accompany work with mentally disordered offen-
ders is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of offender manage-
ment; however, in my experience it remains one of the most misunderstood. A lack
of regular, substantive mental health training appears to have left many practi-
tioners with a degree of apprehension when dealing with mentally disordered
offenders, potentially leading to overestimated risk assessments and case man-
agement decisions based upon misconception, assumption and stereotype.
For those looking to expand their understanding of the multi-faceted world of
mental health responses, Mental Health, Crime and Criminal Justice is an excellent
place to start. Jane Winstone is the editor who has compiled this diverse selection of
15 easily digested essays and she has struck an excellent balance between aca-
demic insight and practical, accessible information.
Winstone, a former probation officer, sets the scene herself with a broad intro-
ductory chapter that touches on a range of social policy issues affecting mentally
disordered individuals. She pulls no punches when highlighting the detrimental
impact of ineffective government policy, distorted media coverage and cuts in
funding, all of which have played a role the disproportionate representation of
mentally disordered offenders that we see today. It soon becomes clear that Win-
stone’s goal is to provoke thought and seek progressive multi-agency solutions to
improve the way mentally disordered offenders are managed within the UK.
If I were to recommend...
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