Lies Matter

Law and Philosophy -     

The Penal Voluntary Sector in England and Wales: Adaptation to Unsettlement and Austerity

This article draws on some findings from research which investigated penal voluntary sector adaptation to the mixed market in criminal justice services. The article firstly reprises the main trends for aligning state relationships with the voluntary sector from the 1980s to the present. We then outline some findings about adaptive experiences, situations and practices of the voluntary sector in criminal justice resettlement in the light of considerable upheaval. The research found that service providing voluntary sector organisations (VSOs) either outwardly comply with, or, in a minority of cases, actively embrace, competitive marketised models of service delivery. Secondly, the sector has normalised commercial approaches to organisational efficiency as well as aligned with bureaucratic practices common to the statutory sector. Despite charges that they are effectively co‐opted by both state and market interests, many have reported conflicts between prioritising long‐term financial viability with their founding ‘ethos and values’. We conclude that while many VSOs have successfully adjusted to market and bureaucratic norms, aspects of that repositioning have been at a cost to their traditions of relative autonomy, localism and distinctiveness, to the possible detriment of a vigorous civil society.     

High quality criminal justice education and the role of the community college

Summary We are entering a new era where the demands for quality will include higher expectations of faculty, students, and practitioners. Now is the time for action and decision. Criminal justice education has rapidly matured; rather than being complacent about the progress we’ve made, we should take the lead and become acknowledged as pacesetters for high educational standards. Recommendations for improving the quality of higher education must be considered with sincerity and diligence. The capability for excellence is present in the conscientious faculty residing in each and every criminal justice program. With proper nurturing and support, these faculty would flourish and this excellence come into full bloom. Furthermore, the task of achieving quality education in all fields will not and must not fall to one group for action. We are faced with the necessity of bringing all factions together—teacher, administrator, student, and practitioner—to develop and implement solutions to today’s education problems, not as a last resort, but in recognition of change as a constant reality. The time for change is always now.     

Low-Power Contributions in Multilateral Negotiations: A Framework Analysis

Negotiation Journal - How do low-power parties contribute to the resolution of complex, multiparty conflicts? The research reported here uses content analysis to capture evidence of the strategies...