Alice Dawnay’s lecture challenges the justice reform sector to step outside its echo chamber and reconnect with public sentiment on crime and justice. Drawing on her experience at Switchback and new research from the Common Ground Justice Project, Alice highlights the disconnect between justice sector professionals and wider society. Through conducting national polling and community conversations to understand how ordinary people view criminal justice, four broad principles emerge: swift and fair punishment, mutual accountability, sentencing clarity, and meaningful contribution from offenders. Contrary to polarised narratives, most people hold nuanced views that balance personal responsibility with systemic factors. Alice argues that reform must engage public values through grounded, credible alternatives to imprisonment. Genuine change requires deep listening and co-creation beyond ideological or institutional silos.
Finding common ground.
