Resources
| Published date | 01 June 2012 |
| Date | 01 June 2012 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0264550512438802 |
| Subject Matter | Resources |
Resources
Resources
Narratives of service user voices
Erwin James experienced a family lifestyle described as ‘brutal and rootless’ by a
prison psychologist following the death of his mother when he was seven. By aged ten
he was sleeping rough when he gained his first criminal conviction, for the burglary of
a sweet shop. This led to James being taken into care. He left the care home at 15 and
spent the rest of his teenage and early adult years drifting, living with extended family
members, and again often sleeping rough. During that time he worked in various
labouring jobs, but also committed relatively petty, mostly acquisitive, but occa-
sionally violent crimes (criminal damage, common assault.) His directionless way of
life continued until August 1984 when he began his life sentence for murder. During
his time in prison he engaged with part-time education and after gaining a degree he
developed an interest in writing and began writing a regular column fora broadsheet
paper entitled A Life Inside in 2000. Since his release he has worked as a full-time
freelance writer. Erwin Jamess, blog can be accessed at www.erwinjames.co.uk
Mark Johnson was a prolific offender and abuser of drugs and alcohol from
childhood. In the 1990s he became immersed in the drugs and music of the rave
scene, emerging addicted to heroin and crack. He finally left crime, drink and drugs
behind him in 2000. Since then he has set up his own business focusing on
employing ex-offenders and recovering addicts. Mark is now employed as a consul-
tant on the criminal justice system at national and international level. Johnson’s web-
site includes the opportunity to ask him questions. His site can be accessed at
www.mark-johnson.org.uk
Both websites have links to their publications and links to support groups and other
information about their other work and interests within the criminal justice field.
ex-offender.co.uk is a website being developed to highlight the issues of
rehabilitation from crime within society. The focus of the website is to bring together
opinion and news as well as information for those in the process or wishing to reha-
bilitate themselves or others. The website has been developed by an ex-offender,
Raymond Lunn, who actively uses his blog to discuss topical issues faced by prison-
ers and ex-offenders. The website also has other links to debates on desistance, pol-
icy and links to videos and presentations of rehabilitation, crime and desistance
including prisons, stories describing the rehabilitation of offenders and campaigns.
The site can be accessed at www.ex-offender.co.uk
Probation Journal
59(2) 191–192
ªThe Author(s) 2011
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DOI: 10.1177/0264550512438802
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The Journal of Community and Criminal Justice
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