Advertise on podcast: The Forensic Psychology Podcast

Dr. Deborah Lee is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Honorary Associate Professor at University College London. She has specialised in the field of trauma for 35 years and runs the Veteran Mental Health service and trauma services in Berkshire Healthcare. She is a founding board member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation, which is a charity set up to disseminate the science and practice of compassion in all areas of life including mental health, schools and leadership. Deborah has pioneered the development of one of the first in-house compassionate leadership training programmes for NHS staff which has now been adopted by several other NHS organisations. This programme has been rolled out over the past 10 years in Berkshire Healthcare and has been recognised as a contributory factor to high staff engagement scores on the annual NHS staff survey. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Dr Dominic Willmott is an Associate Professor in Legal and Criminological Psychology at Loughborough University in the UK and Adjunct Professor in Psychology at SWPS University in Poland. His research primarily investigates bias within criminal legal systems, with a particular focus on jury decision-making in rape trials and the influence (and prevalence) of rape myths on societal and legal judgements towards rape complainants. He has published his research widely, authoring more than 100 research outputs to date where he applies robust and innovative psychologically informed methods to evidence bias in legal decision making and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to address these biases. He has received more than £5 million in research funding to carry out this research and is Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Criminal Psychology as well as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Justice is Now, a charity that aims to reduce the bias towards victims of sexual violence. He formerly served as Research Advisor to the UK Victim Commissioner (Dame Vera Baird) and is currently course leader for the Masters degree in Criminology at Loughborough University. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

* This episode was recorded in March 2026, prior to Prime Minister Andy Burnham's announcement to the House of Commons that he intended to legislate to resolve IPPs before the end of the current parliament. Dr. Lisa Smith is a Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist and she leads the HMPPS Indeterminate Sentence Prisoner (ISP) team for psychology services. Her work focuses on providing advice and guidance across HMPPS on psychological services for complex and indeterminate sentence prisoners, including those serving Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences. She has recently completed her doctoral thesis titled Understanding the Barriers to Progression of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) Sentenced Prisoners: An Exploratory Qualitative Study. Her research involved in-depth interviews with individuals serving IPP sentences, HMPPS staff and Parole Board members, offering insights into the systemic and psychological challenges affecting IPP progression. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Jo Lishman-Cook is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist, Head of Occupational Psychology, Chief Occupational Psychologist for the Ministry of Justice and Deputy Head of the Government Occupational Psychology Profession across the Civil Service. She leads on strategic programmes that strengthen performance across MoJ and HMPPS, including the design of hiring strategies for senior and specialist roles, the application of psychological research and evaluation to inform high-stakes decision making, and the development of initiatives that enable positive cultural change. Antonia Dietmann is a BPS Fellow and Chartered Member, a Registered Occupational Psychologist and Head of the Government Occupational Psychology Profession. With over 20 years’ government experience in psychology, HR and policy roles, Antonia has used psychological and behavioural science to improve the organisational effectiveness of the military, courts and wider justice system, as well as delivery of welfare services. As DWP’s Chief Psychologist, she leads an expert advisory team providing evidence-based advice on human behaviour at work for public policy making. Antonia is also the professional lead for the ~85 psychologists working in Job Centres. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Dr Karen Thorne is a Principal Forensic Psychologist in HMPPS, working on the Community Pathway. She's also the Neurodiversity Lead for HMPPS Psychology Services. She has over 30 years’ experience working with complex, high-risk populations across custodial and community settings. Karen has a special interest in neuropsychologically informed assessment, formulation and risk management, with a focus on the impact of acquired brain injury, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions on offending behaviour and rehabilitation. Ryan Aguiar is Associate Director of Psychology at the Secure Care Division, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, and head of psychology at Ashworth High Secure Hospital. Ryan is a consultant clinical neuropsychologist with 30 years experience in the NHS. Ryan has a special interest in the neuropsychology of offending behaviour and is engaged in clinical practice, teaching and supervision in neuropsychology and offending behaviour. Ryan is also called upon to provide expert evidence and consultation on neuropsychological matters in criminal proceedings. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

David Prescott is an award-winning, internationally recognised expert in the field of offending behaviour. A mental health practitioner of 36 years and the Editor of Safer Society Press, he is the author and editor of over 20 books in the areas of understanding and improving services to people at risk of offending. He is best known for his work in the areas of understanding, assessing, and treating sexual violence and trauma.   References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Tony Ward is a professor of clinical and forensic psychology at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has published over 490 chapters, articles and books in the areas of male sexual offending and general rehabilitation and practice. Tony is the lead author of several books including The Good Lives Model of correctional rehabilitation, Theories of sexual offending , and Rehabilitation: Beyond the Risk Paradigm. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and won the 2021 Mason Durie Medal for excellence in research in social science. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Rasmus Rosenberg Larsen is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Epistemology and Philosophy of Science at the University of Toronto and an Affiliated Scientist at the National Center for Ontological Research. His work lies at the intersection of psychology, epistemology and law, with research published in top-tier journals such as The Lancet. Rasmus is the author of the book, Psychopathy Unmasked: The Rise and Fall of a Dangerous Diagnosis, which offers a critical review of contemporary research and the judicial use of the controversial diagnosis commonly known as Psychopathic Personality Disorder or “psychopathy”. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Dr. Jennie Bradbury is a BPS chartered and HCPC registered forensic psychologist who has worked in prisons and the community for almost two decades, specialising in assessing and addressing intimate partner violence and stalking, and has a passion for compassionate practice in forensic settings. Jennie's work as a therapist using therapeutic approaches which draw on evolutionary psychology theory, led to her interest in understanding the role of the physical prison environment on wellbeing and behaviour. This led to Jennie studying the impact of the physical prison environment on staff wellbeing and subsequent behaviour.  References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

Dr. Jo Bailey joined HM Prison and Probation Service in 1992 and has worked with a range of client groups in a variety of settings. Her career has spanned from Psychological Assistant to Head of Profession. In amongst this, Jo found time to complete a  PhD on the release and recall of indeterminate sentenced prisoners. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producers: Andrew Wilkie and Katie Stokes You 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.

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 Hocken Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Richie Makepeace You 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.

Lucie Homer is a Chartered and HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist and has worked for His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service for 25 years.  Lucie is currently the Regional Lead Psychologist for Wales, overseeing the operational delivery of psychological services across custody and community settings.    Lucie has a particular interest in service, environment and regime development, and was involved in the opening of a new prison project in north Wales. She has developed and implemented services around peer mentoring and staff support/supervision as well as introducing counselling and trauma-informed services for those in prison and developing and delivering bespoke interventions with people unable to access other services. It is this interest in working with ‘hard to reach’ individuals and offending behaviours which led her into her recent PhD study around criminal social identity including with individuals involved in serious and organised crime. References for all texts cited in this podcast are on our Linktree. Presenters: Dr. Sally Tilt and Dr. Kerensa Hocken Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Richie Makepeace You 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.

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 Hocken Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Richie Makepeace You 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.

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 Hocken Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Richie Makepeace You 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.

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 Hocken Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Richie Makepeace You 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.