About us

Helen Mills

Helen Mills is a Head of Programmes at the Centre. Helen’s work here began in 2008 researching the impact of community sentences (then newly reformed) from which she developed a series of funded publications about strategies to reduce prison numbers and why, despite decades of committed work, there has been apparently very little progress in challenging the expansion of prisons.

Since then she has developed her expertise, first as a qualitative researcher then in leading a large number of funded projects for the Centre. How fresh evidence, bringing together knowledge, and being in dialogue with others can support well informed action underpins Helen's approach. Areas of work include challenging the use of joint enterprise, assessing new options in prison sentencing reform, establishing how anti-social behaviour powers are being used, sharing the experiences of those seeking answers about undercover policing, and examining the challenges of post-imprisonment resettlement for those with convictions for sexual offences. 

Helen can be contacted at helen.mills@crimeandjustice.org.uk.

Previously Helen held research positions at Barnardo’s and Victim Support.

Latest comment pieces by Helen

Helen’s publications include:

The Usual Suspects. Joint Enterprise Prosecutions before and after the Supreme Court ruling. 2022 with Matt Ford and Roger Grimshaw

Stopping short? Sentencing reform and short prison sentences. 2019

Anti-social behaviour powers and young adults: The data. 2018 with Matt Ford

Anti-social behaviour powers and young adults: Practitioners' accounts. 2018 with Matt Ford

The undercover policing of political protest. 2017

Empower, resist, transform. A collection of essays. 2015 with Rebecca Roberts and Laurel Townhead

UK Justice Policy Review. Annual series. 2012-2020 with various contributing authors

A life sentence really? The resettlement of ex-prisoners with a conviction for a sexual offence. 2012 with Roger Grimshaw 

Reducing the numbers in custody: looking beyond criminal justice solutions. 2012 with Rebecca Roberts

Community sentences: a solution to penal excess? 2011

Prison and probation expenditure, 1999-2009. 2010 with Arianna Silvestri, Roger Grimshaw and Felicia Siberhorn-Armantrading

Police expenditure 1999-2009, 2010 with Arianna Silvestri and Roger Grimshaw  

Policy, purpose and pragmatism: dilemmas for voluntary and community organisations working with black young people affected by crime. 2009 

The Community Order and the Suspended Sentence Order Three Years On: The views and experiences of probation officers and offenders. 2009 with George Mair

Selected articles by Helen: 

Joint enterprise and the need for transparency, accountability and proper data. Justice Gap. 2022

Women in the criminal justice system. Conference speech. 2022

England and Wales: short prison sentences, directions for future reform. ICPR /Prisoner Inside. 2021

Sentencing options. Video. 2021

Why it's time to dump our discredited drugs policy. Scottish Herald. 2016

The demonized other: Responding to ex-prisoners with convictions for child sexual offences. Probation Journal vol 62 issue 4. 2015

Justice Matters for Women. Speech. 2014

Difficult choices, Inside Housing, 2012

Is penal reform working? Community sentences and reform sector strategies, Criminal Justice Matters Vol 84, No. 1 2012

The alternative to custody myth, Criminal Justice Matters Vol 83, No. 1 2011

Community sentences: the way forward for penal reform, The Guardian, 2010