Reviews: Ladies of Lost Causes: Rehabilitation, Women Offenders and the Voluntary Sector
| Author | Madeline Petrillo |
| Published date | 01 September 2007 |
| DOI | 10.1177/02645505070540030904 |
| Date | 01 September 2007 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
The book is a coherent whole but does not pretend to have unified the theor-
ists under one definition of RJ, nor to have established any kind of consensus on
the historical or moral origins or potential of RJ. The editors lay out their intention
of continuing a debate, within the spirit of RJ that reflects and perpetuates the fluid
and dynamic nature of Restorative Justice and identifies it as a key strength. Such
is the nature of RJ at present though that it is likely that aspects of the book will
age quickly. As new policies, practices and evidence unfold in the coming months
and years, updates will be required. Despite this I expect to return to the handbook
time and again for references and summaries.
There is one clear omission that might be remarked upon. In a book focused
on the theory of stakeholder ownership and participant involvement there is no
obvious sign of the voices of victims or offenders – as opposed to their represen-
tatives. Such an angle might have provided an interesting insight into the relation-
ship between the philosophy, theory, practice and experience of RJ.
In summary this book offers something for everyone. The target audience is
described as ‘students, practitioners, policy-makers, researchers – and indeed
anybody curious . . .’ (p. xxi) and I think that there is something in the handbook
for each of these. Among the contributions, as well as many useful and compre-
hensive surveys and references, lie a variety of new ideas and challenges and
succinct statements of current dilemmas.
Catherine McManus
PhD student, Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde
Ladies of Lost Causes:
Rehabilitation, Women
Offenders and the Voluntary
Sector
Judith Rumgay
Willan Publishing, 2007; pp 247, £25.00, pbk
ISBN 13: 978–1–84392–298–8
The Griffins Society is a voluntary organization working for
the care and resettlement of women offenders in prison
and in the community. Today, the society funds research into best practice for
women in the criminal justice system; yet at its conception, the Griffins Society
broke new ground, pioneering hostel provision for female offenders. Ladies of Lost
Causes recounts the story of the Griffins Society and, in so doing, tells the stories
both of the women with whom it worked and of the ‘Griffins’ themselves.
The development of the Griffins Society as a provider of supported accommo-
dation for female offenders is described in the chapter aptly entitled ‘The Philan-
thropic Phoenix’. In it, the remarkable achievements of the Griffins Society are
charted; from the initial purchase of a terraced house in Camden providing
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