Working with offending behaviour is complex, demanding and often emotionally challenging. While professional training provides the foundation, much of what practitioners truly learn comes through experience in the field.
Lessons From the Frontline is a six-part webinar series exploring the realities of criminal justice practice. Drawing on frontline experience across probation, community justice and behaviour change programmes, the series focuses on the challenges practitioners face when working with individuals involved in the justice system.
Across the six sessions, the series explores practitioner wellbeing, the lessons that emerge from real criminal justice work, psychological approaches to behavioural change, the role of grief within justice settings, career development beyond the sector, and the value of case formulation in understanding complex behaviour.
Designed for practitioners at all stages of their careers, the webinars combine practical insight with psychological theory to provide reflective, immediately applicable learning for those working in offender rehabilitation and criminal justice roles.
Jonathan Hussey
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Dr Comer
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Each session can be attended individually or as part of the full series.
Burnout is a common reality for many professionals working in probation, offender management and community justice. This session explores why criminal justice roles carry unique pressures and how those pressures affect practitioner wellbeing over time. Participants will learn how to recognise early warning signs of burnout and apply practical strategies to maintain resilience and professional boundaries.
Many of the most important lessons in criminal justice work only emerge through experience. This session shares five key insights drawn from frontline practice that shape how effective practitioners think, make decisions and navigate complex cases. It offers an honest reflection on the realities of the work and the professional judgement that develops over time.
Transactional Analysis provides a practical framework for understanding behaviour, communication and change. This session explores how TA concepts can be applied in criminal justice settings to strengthen engagement and improve behaviour change work with clients. Participants will gain tools to better understand communication patterns and respond more effectively during casework and interventions.
Many criminal justice professionals are told their skills are transferable, but rarely shown how to apply them outside the sector. This session provides a practical guide to identifying the strengths developed through probation and criminal justice work and translating them into opportunities beyond the system. It explores realistic career pathways and how to present your experience with confidence.
Grief is often present in the lives of people within the criminal justice system, yet it is rarely acknowledged in professional practice. This session explores how unresolved loss can influence offending behaviour and how grief can also affect practitioners over time. Participants will learn how to recognise grief in their work and respond with greater understanding and sensitivity.
Case formulation is a powerful approach used in clinical psychology to understand complex behaviour and guide effective intervention. In this session, Dr Comer explores how formulation can be applied within criminal justice practice to deepen understanding of offending behaviour. The discussion will show how formulation thinking can complement risk assessment and strengthen case management decisions.