Quakers in Criminal Justice

May 2019 Newsletter Download PDF

Editorial

Welcome to our May 2019 edition. Some of you got to meet me at the conference in Leeds this year, and I was so privileged to have had time with you. Having had spent time in custody I am aware for some of the issues around our Criminal Justice system, and you will have seen or heard media reports that the prisons are not in a good place right now. On the whole that is the truth, and yet we have some amazing staff within those high walls doing great jobs – all is not lost. Melanie Jameson, in her article, shares some of the current work happening within the system right now.

Legal regulation of the illegal drug issue was discussed at length at the conference. William Waddilove has written an overview of the conference, and that has been published here. And those who follow our speakers on social media will find that the conversation is being heard in the right places. There are moves to open drug administration rooms allowing those who use to do so in a safe place.

Steve brings us an article on life after death. He discusses his rehabilitation and how sometimes we can get carried away with questions we ask of ourselves. Having served a life-sentence I have had to ask myself these questions, and am pleased to say that life is much more valuable to me right now. The Lightless Sky brought to this newsletter by Adrian Smith. It is another book that has joined the ever-increasing list that I want to read.

Enjoy this edition, but remember, without your contributions we would not have this resource that we can turn to.

Mark Humphries
Editor

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