A moment of calm before the final push of teaching responsibilities for the academic year. I’ll be here much more over summer I think.

I’m so sorry for your loss. He was the best boy and he was so lucky to have you both.

elmo from sesame street sitting at a table with a purple cup and straw ALT: elmo from sesame street sitting at a table with a purple cup and straw

When you’ve got 120 essays to mark and the government publishes their sentencing review tomorrow.

I adore #eurovision. Have done for years. But the inclusion of Israel and the, frankly insane, level of votes they received from the public last night is a massive blight on the competition. The only saving grace is that they didn’t win, and even that isn’t much of one.

Exactly this.

Gave the final lecture of the year to our first MSc Criminology cohort today. After the class, one of the students came and told me “you gave my very first lecture at Loughborough as an undergraduate, and now you’ve done my last ever lecture here”. Feeling both emotional and old right now.

councillor numbers throughout the U.K. pictured on podiums of declining size: Labour 6170 seats, Tories 4500 seats, Lib Dems 3009 seats, Greens 850 seats, Reform 676 seats

This clarifies the current situation re councillors in the U.K.

Spending the day doing final edits on a manuscript. Decided to go out for a spot of fresh air over lunch. Nice to get away from the screen for a while!

Why Do People Start to Commit Crime? Spoiler Alert: The Reasons Aren't What Most People Think

I had a two hour train trip back from London on Friday, so I wrote this to while away the time ... Please do send on to others interested in the aetiology of offending careers. Many thanks, Steve.

Why Do People Start to Commit Crime? substack.com/@stephenfarr...

Just out in the Brit. Jnl. Criminology

#probation #criminology

Please repost! Thanks!

academic.oup.com/bjc/advance-...

I’ve been lecturing for a while, and I’ve seen a lot in my time. Today, however, I was stumped by this mysterious squash in my lecture theatre. I was the first one in that room this week, which suggests it’s been there over the weekend.

This is the content I’ve been waiting for!

Fascist incompetency in 5 easy steps.

1) Trump freezes hiring of Air Traffic Controllers

2) Trump fires director of FAA.

3) Trump cuts $16 billion from transportation budget.

4) 1st US plane crash in 16 years occurs.

5) Trump: "I blame my predecessor!"

Beaumanor Hall in Loughborough

Not a bad setting for an away day!

This is going to be a fascinating project. Looking forward to reading more about it in due course.

two men are sitting on a couch talking to each other . one of the men is wearing a red shirt . ALT: two men are sitting on a couch talking to each other . one of the men is wearing a red shirt .

When you’re gutted but can’t help being impressed #thetraitors

🚨New episode out🚨 Can we call it fascism yet? @dorianlynskey.bsky.social and @iandunt.bsky.social respond to the disturbing displays at Trump's inauguration and the many similarities with fascist parties of the past.
Listen ⬇️
linktr.ee/originstoryp...

Pressures on new probation staff hamper retention - Russell Webster Probation inspectorate finds current pressures on new probation staff counterproductive to long-term retention.

Pressures on new probation staff hamper retention -
HMI Probation report on difficulties getting service back to proper staffing levels. www.russellwebster.com/pressures-on...

Blog: Lessons learned from the creation of the Youth Justice Board | Prison Reform Trust

Lessons learned from the creation of the Youth Justice Board
A new Women’s Justice Board has much to learn from the success of Youth Justice Board prisonreformtrust.org.uk?p=18447
Blog by John Drew for @prtuk.bsky.social

That’s next weeks reading sorted! Amazing, thanks so much.

Does anyone have any recommendations for sociology of punishment literature from non Anglo European/North American perspectives?

The brilliant Sleep Token in Manchester.

Many lines of wisdom in this for writers, new and old, keen and tired

For all my lovely new Bluesky friends. Whatever you do over the next few days, I hope it brings joy, however that looks for you.

I’m dog sitting for my sister while she’s on holiday. She said he might take a while to settle in. He arrived 2 days ago…

Well. So far this seems much nicer than the other place. I’ve been inspired by so much creativity and kindness on my timeline (plus pet pictures, which never hurt). What a relief!

Congratulations! Absolutely deserved.