The Good Prison Officer: Inside perspectives, edited by Andi Brierley

Author: Andi Brierley. Review by Tim Newell.

This book is written by past prisoners, all of whom are now professional practitioners and educators in the criminal justice field. They draw on lived experience, as well as diverse literature on penal policy, to explore examples of professional practice.

The premise here is that those with an experience of incarceration offer a vital perspective on the efficacy of penal practice. It is rare that such voices lead the conversation. But we cannot change what happens in prison until we help those who form the structure of the system. The crucial relationship for most people in custody is the one they have, or don’t have, with prison officers.

The book refers in detail to themes like ‘using discretion’, ‘showing respect’, ‘supporting relationships’, and ‘exercising legitimacy’. In so doing it develops recommendations for developing a rehabilitative culture.

Training and support for prison officers has been functional rather than developmental or inspirational. The resulting turnover of staff is evidence of these limited expectations. Several European countries seek prison officers with relevant degrees. This book looks in detail about how the role and context can be transformed.

One of the contributors, Daniel Whyte, established the Doing What Really Matters company to support and develop those in prison educationally. Good progress is being made. He confirms that little acts of kindness and encouragement can have a big impact.

Those who help self-change are remembered; something that is personal has an effect. Working with people, not doing it to them, reflects the restorative justice approach to communication and relationships.

The Norwegian experience of reducing crime has focused on job training programmes and discouraging crime, with a focus on desistance. In the 1980s Norway had a reoffending rate of eighty per cent, but it has now reduced to twenty-five. In contrast, in England and Wales, even with a planned increase of the prison population, the same level of staffing is planned.

The authors make some strong recommendations: people in custody have often been traumatised by adverse childhood experiences, so use of force should be kept to a minimum; staff should be trained to degree level, while on the job; clinical supervision should be standard practice, with at least one hour per month; those with lived experience should be helped to support those in prison; educational opportunities should be expanded; finally, there should be a transition to one officer for every two prisoners.

These recommendations challenge our expectations, but result from those who know what it’s like to experience the inadequacy and risks of the present prison experience. This is an important challenge from those who have survived the present damaging system with remarkable resiliency.

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