Probation

Having previously read with avid interest some of the rich ethnographic writings of criminologist Dick Hobbs, I spent a relaxed afternoon dipping into his latest book, The Business.

One of my abiding pleasures in recounting past accounts of my probation career is to read writers whose accessible scholarship offer fresh insights on the workings of the criminal justice system.

As a devotee of judicial memoirs, I recently read a refreshingly honest, lively and engaging biography of a maverick pioneer of US drug and problem-solving courts, Judge Jeffrey Tauber.

Having taken a few hours off from festive activities I reached for a richly original, challenging and accessible criminology book by Jason Warr that I had resisted picking up for some time. 

With the powerful momentum for enduring reform in criminal justice systems captured most recently by the Black Lives Matter campaign in mind, I was particularly moved on reading  Elliott Currie's timely analysis and policy blueprint for addressing the shocking levels of 'everyday' violence that besets many African American communities in the US.