The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and Napo are pleased to announce the winner of the 2026 Mike Guilfoyle Essay Prize.
This annual competition honours the legacy of Mike Guilfoyle, a dedicated probation officer and active Napo member, by encouraging reflections on all that is valuable and important in probation.
This year’s essay question was What needs to change for probation to be more effective?
We received many insightful and thought-provoking essays. The judging panel comprised of Anne Burrell (last year's winner and former probation officer), Simi O'Neill (Head of Probation Inspectorate Programme) and Paul Weatherstone (Probation Service).
After careful consideration by the panel we are delighted to announce the following results:
- Winner: Emily Beetham
- Highly Commended: Tombae Etheridge
- Commended: Marion Stevenson, Liam Zamudio
These four essays are due to be published on the CCJS website.
We wish to extend our congratulations to the winners and our gratitude to all participants for their thoughtful essays. Thanks to the strength and quality of the submissions, this second year of the competition has been a success—one we look forward to building on annually.
