1st Edition
Pracademics in Criminal Justice
Providing an in-depth interrogation of the practitioner/academic role within the context of criminal justice, this book outlines the benefits and challenges of different roles through exploring the lived experience of the contributing authors.
Arranged into three comprehensive sections, the book acknowledges the contribution pracademics make to criminal justice, conceptualises pracademia in the criminal justice context and explores what it means to be a pracademic in the criminal justice setting. Exploring the theoretical, methodological, philosophical, practice and pedagogic value that practical application brings to teaching, learning and research, the book collectively develops a pracademic model framed within the context of criminal justice, which challenges the established ‘historical/traditional’ wisdom of academia with the aim of disrupting traditional knowledge production, contributing to new discussions and highlighting the value of scholarship grounded in practice in criminal justice.
Written and edited by pracademics with extensive criminal justice experience, Pracademics in Criminal Justice will be of value to anyone with an interest in how practice and academia intertwine in a criminal justice setting, including pracademics, academics, practitioners, applied academics, those with lived experience of practice in academia, activists, practivists and students, particularly those undertaking professional programmes, in areas such as policing or probation, or seeking careers as practitioners in the criminal justice system.
Foreword
Hazel Kemshall
1 Introduction: locating pracademics in criminal justice
Di Turgoose, Victoria Knight, and Darren Woodward
PART 1: An anatomy of the pracademic in criminal justice
2 Applying anthropology to criminal legal cultures and stakeholder concerns
Caleb D. Sabatka
3 Intrapreneurship in justice settings: pracademia with purpose
Jason Morris
4 The never-ending barriers for the formerly incarcerated pracademic
David Honeywell
PART 2: Pracademic Transitions
5 Learning to live with liminality: reflections of a probation pracademic on joining the academy
Sam Ainslie
6 Forensic Psychologists as pracademics in public prison settings in England and Wales
Alice Bennett and Jenny Tew
7 From practictioner to pracademic – a discombobulating transition
Steve Christopher
PART 3: The application of pracademia
8 ‘When you have walked the walk…’ transitions from prison landings to Higher Education (HE)
Sarah Nixon
9 Operationalising theory: the role of the pracademic in the pedagogy of student police officers in the UK
Anne Eason
10 Filling in the gaps: Australian pracademics creating social justice impact in a criminal justice setting
Sara Kowal, Sally Andersen, Jeff Giddings, and Jennifer Paneth
11 The challenges of keeping it real: The role of storytelling and digital technology in probation training to explore risk and desistance
Sarah O’Neill
12 Exploring the potential of virtual environments in addressing domestic violence and abuse in the pracademic classroom
Di Turgoose
13 A foot in all of the camps: a personal reflection of the merging of lived experience, practice and academia
Lucy Baldwin
Biography
Di Turgoose is Associate Professor and National Teacher Fellow located in the discipline of Criminology and Criminal Justice at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Victoria Knight is Associate Professor of Research at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK.
Darren Woodward is Lecturer at the School of Criminal Justice, Arden University, Coventry, UK.
As a criminal justice manager and criminal justice professor, I have seen first-hand the challenges and rewards of navigating the complex world of criminal justice practice with academia. "Pracademics in Criminal Justice" captures these complexities with remarkable clarity and insight. The diverse perspectives offered by the contributors – from those on the front lines of law enforcement to those who have experienced the system first hand – paint a rich and nuanced portrait of the field. This edited collection challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about justice and rehabilitation, and what and who counts as a pracademic. This book is not just an academic exercise; it is a practical toolkit for anyone seeking to make a real difference in the lives of others.
Dr. Stephen A. Morreale
In an era where the boundaries between academia and practice are increasingly blurred, "Pracademics in Criminal Justice" emerges as an essential guide for navigating the complex landscape of criminal justice and academia. This edited collection, curated by Turgoose, Knight, and Woodward, brings together a diverse chorus of voices – from seasoned probation officers and police to formerly incarcerated individuals, forensic psychologists, and advocates for social justice. Each chapter offers a unique perspective, illuminating the challenges and opportunities facing pracademics in their field.
The book's strength lies in its unflinching honesty and its commitment to bridging theory and practice. Whether you are a seasoned criminal justice professional seeking new insights or a student eager to understand the real-world implications of your studies, this book offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.
"Pracademics in Criminal Justice" is not just a book; it is a call to action for a more just and equitable future. I wholeheartedly endorse it for anyone seeking to make a meaningful impact in the field of criminal justice and criminal justice education.
Dr.Stephen A. Morreale
