The Forensic Psychology Podcast

Prison Radio Association
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Sep 18, 2025 • 1h 6min

Accredited Programmes – a new approach | Nicky Herron, Aubrey Van Zyl and Amy Lawson-Mayhew

Nicky Herron is a Registered Forensic Psychologist with over 25 years’ experience. For 15 years she has worked within Intervention Services, leading the development of several Accredited Programmes. Nicky has been a key figure in the evolution of accredited programmes, seeing their development from being largely risk-focused towards the strengths based and trauma informed programmes we have today. Aubrey Van Zyl is a Senior National Specialist lead at Interventions Services. He started his journey with accredited programmes 20 years ago as a facilitator on various programmes. Since then, he has moved on to be a specialist trainer for accredited programmes and is now involved in the design of accredited programmes with a specialism in the review of underpinning theory, ensuring that evidence is translated into the design of accredited programmes. Amy Lawson-Mayhew is a National Specialist Lead within Interventions Services and a Registered Forensic Psychologist. Before her current role, Amy was a psychologist in the North-East and Yorkshire Psychology Services Team, delivering and supervising accredited programmes. Three years ago Amy joined Interventions Services to dedicate herself to the development and oversight of accredited programmes on a national level. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Sep 11, 2025 • 1h 2min

Organised Crime | Lucie Homer

Lucie Homer, a Chartered Forensic Psychologist with 25 years at His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, shares her insights on organized crime. She discusses the challenges in defining serious organized crime and its societal impacts. Lucie delves into criminal identity in prisons, comparing organized crime with gang behavior. She emphasizes the role of personal histories and social identity in rehabilitation. The conversation also touches on the complexities of desistance from crime and the importance of mentorship in promoting pro-social lives.
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Sep 4, 2025 • 1h 5min

The experience of working in probation | Jake Phillips

Jake Phillips is Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge where he is the director of the MSt in Applied Penology, a masters course for people working in managerial and leadership roles in the criminal justice system. Prior to moving to Cambridge he worked at Sheffield Hallam University for 12 years. Before doing his PhD – at Cambridge – he worked in various roles in the criminal justice system such as drug interventions worker and various roles supporting people on probation to find work and access drug treatment. His academic research focuses primarily on probation policy and practice although he has carried out research in prisons, the police, parole and youth justice. He has carried out research on the emotional labour of probation work, probation practitioner wellbeing, the impact of inspection on probation, people who die whilst under probation supervision, privatisation in probation and, more recently, the concept of hope in the probation context. He is editor of Probation Journal and co-chair of the European Society of Criminology’s working group on Community Sanctions and Measures.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Aug 28, 2025 • 1h 6min

Combining an academic and practitioner approach in forensic psychology | Theresa Gannon

Professor Theresa Gannon is a Professor of Forensic Psychology at University of Kent and has worked in forensic psychology practice for nearly two decades in NHS and prison settings. She has published widely in the areas of rehabilitation, sexual offending and fire setting and has make a significant contribution to advancing theory and practice.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Aug 21, 2025 • 1h 4min

Compassion Focused Therapy to intervene with anger | Russell Kolts

Professor Russell Kolts is a Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University. An internationally-recognized trainer in compassion-focused therapy (CFT), he has co-authored scientific articles on compassion, CFT, and various areas of psychology, as well as several books, including CFT Made Simple and Experiencing Compassion Focused Therapy from the Inside Out (with Tobyn Bell, James Bennett-Levy, and Chris Irons). Russell has specialised in applying CFT to problematic anger, reflected in his book The Anger Workbook, working with people in prison, and a TEDx talk entitled Anger, Compassion and What it Means to be Strong.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Aug 14, 2025 • 1h

Desistance | Shadd Maruna and Karen Johnson

Karen Johnson is a Registered Forensic Psychologist. She has worked for HM Prison and Probation Service for 17 years. She is currently the Regional Lead Psychologist in the South-East and East area, where she leads psychology services delivered across 10 Prisons, and the regional probation directorate for the East of England. Karen is completing a PhD through Queens University Belfast, supervised by Professor Shadd Maruna and Professor Michelle Butler, entitled Doing Justice to Desistance Narratives-Developing the Desistance Identity Tool. Professor Shadd Maruna is the Head of the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool, and the Past President of the American Society of Criminology.  He is a long-term member of the Correctional Services Accreditation and Advice Panel.  Previously, he has worked at the Queen’s University Belfast, University of Cambridge and Rutgers University where he was Dean of the School of Criminal Justice. He received the Howard League for Penal Reform’s inaugural Research Medal in 2013, and his book Making Good was named the Outstanding Contribution to Criminology by the American Society of Criminology in 2001.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Aug 7, 2025 • 1h 3min

Working as a forensic psychologist expert witness in the courts | Louise Bowers

Dr Louise Bowers is a HCPC-registered Forensic Psychologist, a BPS Chartered Psychologist, and the Director of The Forensic Psychologist Service, which she co-leads with her business partner, Emma Stevenson. With over 30 years of post-qualification experience, Louise has worked across a diverse range of settings, including HM Prison and Probation Service, the NHS and private practice. Louise is a national trainer for the British Psychological Society’s Expert Witness Training Programme and delivers postgraduate workshops on expert witness practice. Louise has acted as an expert witness throughout her career and, in 2003, was one of the first two forensic psychologists appointed to the Parole Board. Today, she is most frequently found giving evidence in Crown Court or before the Parole Board, involving individuals accused or convicted of the most serious offences.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 31, 2025 • 57min

Trauma-informed working in prisons | Jude Kelman

Dr Jude Kelman has worked as a forensic psychologist within HM Prison and Probation Service for 30 years. She is the Lead Psychologist for Women's prisons, leading a team of approximately 75 forensic psychologists working across the 12 women's prisons within England and Wales. She has recently completed PhD at King's College London, examining trauma-informed care within women's prisons, and has published the findings from her research. Jude is passionate about improving outcomes for women in contact with the criminal justice system, and works hard to influence changes to policies and practices within the organisation, in order to enable women to receive the most effective support and services whilst they are in prison, as well as whilst they transition into the community after release.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 24, 2025 • 1h 6min

Stalking and Intimate Partner Violence | Mads Smyth and Niki Henneberry-Ebb

Niki Henneberry-Ebb is a Registered forensic psychologist. She has worked as a psychologist in HM Prison and Probation Service for over 20 years and is a Principal Psychologist in the Midlands. Niki has specialised in the assessment and treatment of individuals who have committed serious violent offences in the context of intimate relationships and stalking, and has a particular passion for developing and promoting innovative practice with a focus on reducing violence against women and girls.  She is the national lead for stalking for HMPPS Psychology Services Group and leads the Early Awareness Stalking Intervention (EASI) which is a Home Office-funded project delivered in partnership with the West Midlands Police that offers psychological intervention at the earliest opportunity to individuals who have engaged in stalking behaviours after a relationship has ended. Dr Madeline Smyth is a Registered forensic psychologist. She has over 20 years of experience working in the prison service and is a Principal Psychologist for HM Prison and Probation Service in North Wales. Madeline specialises in the assessment and treatment of individuals who have committed serious violent and sexual offences. Her primary area of professional and research interest is Intimate Partner Violence, which was the focus of her doctoral dissertation. She is also interested in developing the knowledge base on treatment in forensic populations.  Madeline is an academic supervisor at Cardiff Metropolitan University supporting Trainee Forensic Psychologists through their qualifications.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Jul 17, 2025 • 1h 7min

Supervision in forensic practice | Jason Davies

Professor Jason Davies is a Chartered and Registered clinical and forensic psychologist and a Professor of Forensic and Clinical Psychology at Swansea University and a consultant with Swansea Bay University Health Board.  Jason has worked as a clinician and academic and he is a member of the Ministry of Justice Correctional Service Advice and Accreditation Panel and is the research and evaluation lead for the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway in Wales. He is widely published across a range of topic sand most relevant to this episode is his book Supervision for Forensic Professionals, which is currently being revised for a new edition. Jason was involved in developing the revised training that forms the basis for British Psychological Society Registration as an Applied Psychology Practice Supervisor.References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree.Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa HockenProducer: Andrew WilkieAssistant Producer: Richie MakepeaceYou can follow this podcast on LinkedIn by clicking here.The Forensic Psychology Podcast is a co-production between HM Prison and Probation Service and the Prison Radio Association charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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