Prisons

A fascinating memoir of a former sociologist/ criminologist with over 40 years of experience in criminal justice. Van Groningen’s experience includes working as a prison officer, juvenile corrections officer, researcher, policy analyst, lecturer, consultant as well as being in supervisory, management and executive positions in the United States and Australia. Rather than a chronological memoir, this book provides anecdotes and accounts, often serious, sometimes funny, about life in the prison system. ‘He always demonstrated a deep commitment to making prisons better. Early in his career he realised that treating prisoners with respect achieved much better outcomes than resorting to humiliation, the default prevailing method of maintaining control. The revolving door of recidivism is ample evidence of our ongoing failure to interrupt the trajectory of so many prisoners’ lives … John has never stopped trying to deliver dramatic change to our prisons.