From the Publisher
This important, lucid book burns with compassion for those incarcerated in prisons, seeking to find authentic, realistic ways of enhancing humanity and hope in constrained, inadequate environments. Beedon’s well-researched text uniquely illuminates the situation of the many prisoners still held under indeterminate sentences in the UK, some of whom are encountered in their own words. It will be vital reading for prison chaplains and pastoral theorists as well as politicians, policy makers and those involved in justice systems around the world. Passion, analysis, realism and imagination meet here to create a salutary, inspiring read for anyone wanting to extend their understanding of prisons, criminals, pastoral care and sensitive research – together with our common human frailty and potential.
—Stephen Pattison, Emeritus Professor of Religion, Ethics and Practice, University of Birmingham, UK
This book is a work of profoundhumane regard. It takes the loss of hope as its starting point and finds its way through the dark to a place of possibility. The author bears witness to men serving indeterminate prison sentences for public protection. Using ‘found poems’, and his own compassion, he describes the men’s suffering, some ways forward, and a much-needed form of pastoral care.
—Alison Liebling, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Cambridge, UK
This book is an exemplary case of how to undertake practical theology as well as being a sophisticated inter-disciplinary study in the highly complex world of incarceration. Researching the tragic instance of prisoners in the UK who are given indeterminate sentences and thus delivered into ultimate despair and hopelessness, David Beedon listens to their voices and cries of anguish with deep humanity and Christian compassion. Beedon demonstrates the power of creating phronesis (practical wisdom) and poiesis (crafting art and artefacts from the data) as he represents their lived experience in a profoundly articulate manner. The principles and practices he advocates for arising from the case-study are applicable in many places where the so-called ‘prison-industrial complex’ dehumanises it’s inmates and, in my view should be required reading for all new prison chaplains (and even senior staff) as part of their induction. Beedon is never naïve and his principle of ‘custodial compassion’ has to be worth the price of the book alone. Beyond that any reader who journeyed with the author into ‘carceral space’ could discover in this book that the simple of act of being truly present as one human being to another is transformative, especially where there is a deficit of hope.
—Nigel Rooms, Editor – Practical Theology Journal; Honorary Research Fellow, The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham, UK
This book authentically captures the voices and experiences of people subject to an indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). The creative and reflective elements laced through Beedon's work make this a personal and touching piece of research, which reinforces the importance of hope, humanity and relationships within carceral spaces. Beedon ends with a comprehensive and informed set of principles and practices to assist practitioners in pastoral care. This is not only a book for those working in prison chaplaincy, but holds real value to anyone who wishes to understand those aspects of practice that hold real meaning. It paints a clear picture on how we might, as a collective, humanise incarceration in order to nurture growth.
—Sarah Lewis, Penal Reform Solutions, UK
As an accomplished practitioner-researcher, David Beedon invites us to glimpse the lived experience of prisoners held under indeterminate sentence and to share his journey of compassionate presence and accompaniment. In a blend of critical social enquiry and constructive theological reflection he gives voice to those often silenced and forgotten by the criminal justice system. Beedon challenges his readers to see beyond the pathology of the offender and recognise their essential and God-given humanity.
—Elaine Graham, Emerita Grosvenor Research Professor in Practical Theology, University of Chester, UK
Just as Beedon finds poetry in his interviews and interactions with the imprisoned, the reader will find poetry in this remarkable journey of a book. Part memoir, part pastoral care 'how-to', part immersive research study, Beedon's work is always fully engaged with the life stories and lived experience of those in prison.
—Shadd Maruna, Professor of Criminology at Queen's University Belfast and President Elect of the American Society of Criminology, Northern Ireland
This thoughtful, well-written and thoroughly researched book ought to be widely read by those involved in the Prison Service and by policy makers. David Beedon uses his direct experience of working with people on IPP (Imprisonment for Public Protection) sentences to bring a spotlight to bear on the development of penal policy in general. His humanistic and Christian values provide a basis for the critical evaluation of what is happening, and also for his research methods and the honesty with which he tells the story of his own difficulties as well as those of prisoners and staff. The principle of “custodial compassion” is used to combine realism about the crimes people have committed with regard for them as persons: subjects not objects. The ideas of the image of God, communion and the mutual African greeting “sawubona-sikhona” contrast with the culture of the Malopticon – all-seeing mass surveillance regimes whose reforming intentions are undermined by overcrowding, cuts, and the constant churn of prisoners and staff. The author’s vision of a better alternative depends on challenging the exploitation of public fears by some of the media. The more widely this book is read, the greater the chance of a better understanding.
—Michael Bourke, former Bishop of Wolverhampton, UK
In Pastoral Care for the Incarcerated, David Beedon provides insightful, theoretically-informed, reflections informed by research conducted with indeterminate-sentenced prisoners. His insights gleaned from research conducted with people sentenced to the English indeterminate IPP sentence are framed within a wider consideration of the importance of hope and humanity in relation to people serving any form of (indeterminate) prison sentence. An important, chastening, and insightful book.
—Harry Annison, Associate Professor in Criminal Law and Criminology at Southampton Law School and Co-Director of the Centre for Law, Policy and Society, UK
In this revealing book, David Beedon, a former prison chaplain, considers the lived experiences of those given indeterminate prison sentences for public protection, and asks what it means to be incarcerated and not know if or when you will be released. Beedon finds pain and despair; yet by drawing on practical theology, and exploring pastoral practice in prison, he also finds glimpses of hope, even if these can be fleeting. It is a book that needs to be read by practitioners and academics. What is offered is compassion for those in prison, belief in the person and their future, despite their circumstances.
—Andrew Millie, Department of Law and Criminology, Edge Hill University, UK
