Behind the Crime

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Factual: Crime & Justice

Is it possible to prevent crime by understanding the root causes of offending behaviour?

Two forensic psychologists talk to people who have received court sentences for their crimes to understand what drove them to offend, and crucially, what might help them change.

As a society, we send close to 100,000 people to prison each year. Criminal behaviour costs the country around £60 billion every year, according to Home Office research. 

Is it possible to prevent crime by understanding the root causes of offending behaviour?

Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken are forensic psychologists who work in prisons.

Their role is to help people in prison to look at the harm they've caused to other people, understand why it happened and work out how to make changes to prevent further harm after they've been released.

In Behind the Crime, they take the time to understand the life of someone whose crimes have led to harm and, in some cases, imprisonment.

BBC Radio 4 LW

Behind the Crime: David

David

BBC Radio 4 - Behind the Crime, David

The boss of Livingston FC talks crime, prison and being a top-flight football manager.

Sally and Kerensa talk to David Martindale, manager of Scottish league side Livingston FC, who went to prison before an astonishing journey to the Scottish Premier League.

David Martindale can remember the moment he turned his back on crime. The police were all over his front garden, and he was about to be arrested for his involvement in drug dealing in his home town of Livingston.
His childhood was violent – but it was also dominated by football. He was a gifted player, but didn’t have the sort of homelife that might have propelled him to football stardom. Instead he got involved with local rivalries and a lifestyle that led him to a young offender institution.
Years later, he was back inside, this time serving a long sentence for dealing cocaine.
Yet at his lowest moment, he found an inner resolve that led him to turn his back on crime, focus on his future and end up managing a top-flight football team. His first match in charge of Livingston FC in the Scottish Premier League was in front of 60,000 fans at Parkhead, home of Celtic FC.
This is an astonishing story about reaching the top against the odds.
Dr Sally Tilt and Dr Kerensa Hocken are forensic psychologists who work in prisons. Their job is to help people in prison understand the harm they’ve caused, identify why it happened and work out how to make changes to prevent further harm after they’ve been released.
In Behind the Crime, they take the time to understand the life of someone whose crimes have led to harm and prison.
For details of organisations that can provide help and support, visit bbc.co.uk/actionline

Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Editor: Clare Fordham  
Behind the Crime is a co-production between BBC Long Form Audio and the Prison Radio Association.

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