A Sense of Freedom

This book is the reason I became a Probation Officer.  I stumbled across it in Keele University library in 1996 during my first undergraduate semester studying criminology and psychology.  I can remember reading the first couple of pages standing between the shelves, and then lost a whole afternoon engrossed despite having an essay to write!  I remember feeling deeply moved at the account of how somebody can become ensnared within a criminal lifestyle, the damaging impact of prison on identity but ultimately the strength that can be found to affect change with the right levels of belief, support and opportunity.  It is only on reflection that I now realise that I was reading about a journey towards desistance. I now recommend it to my undergraduate students in the hope that it might inspire them too.