Interview with Kieron Jones, MSt in Applied Criminology, Penology and Management

Can you briefly summarise your time at the Institute of Criminology so far?

It's been one of the best things I've ever done. I applied for it via a work scholarship, not thinking I would really get on it.

Since being successful, getting on it and coming down to Cambridge, the lectures and the learning have been one thing. But what I've been really impressed by the exposure to world-leading academics and criminologists. Having formal dinners down there, meeting other students and making friends has also been great. The grand surroundings of the colleges and gardens at Cambridge are wonderful as well, because it's a beautiful place.

But my time at the institute has been a real personal achievement too, as something I've done for myself.

What convinced you to study Criminology?

The fact that it’s been developed specifically for people who already work in criminal justice and see themselves as future leaders. I've trained as a probation officer, and during that I did an undergraduate in criminology. So, when I saw this, it made sense. It's an area that I'm interested in, because it's what I do for my work.

I’m also at a stage where I really want to think about my next steps in my career. The opportunity to study and gain a masters, while also being able to do academic research and apply it back into practice, seemed like a really good way of developing myself, but also furthering my career. My employer, being the probation service, can see my commitment to developing the services. Plus, it was a real personal achievement as well. I get a qualification out of it.

Why did you decide to come to Cambridge?

So, via my employer I've had a few opportunities really for further education studying sponsorships. This one stood out for me, because it was very much aimed at future leaders in my sector. It was a really good fit for what I was looking for.

But a large part of why I applied was definitely being a student at the University of Cambridge, the world-famous university. I grew up in North Wales, reading about various heroes of mine from recent and even more distant history, who studied at the university. So, having the opportunity to even apply for Cambridge was one thing, and then actually getting in was fantastic.

I've not been very academic previously. I didn't go to university when I was 18, and I got my undergraduate degree through work in my 20s via long-distance learning. The idea of applying for somewhere so prestigious was really appealing. So, I went for it, and here we are.

Can you briefly describe your thesis?

I'm at the end of Year One, going into Year Two, and I'm at the point where I’m starting to develop my thesis ideas. It's in its incubation stage, but I'm aiming to conduct research about how the risk of serious harm is assessed within prisons and the probation service. I want to know how the subjective and inconsistent nature of these risk assessments have an impact on resources and practice.

That’s where I am currently. I'm busy finishing my final assignments for Year One, so I need to coalesce my ideas into specific research questions. Then early next year, I'll be designing my research methodologies for how I answer those questions.

This is what I've done for my career for the past 20 years: risk assessment and risk management within probation. One of the amazing things about this MST course is that it's designed for people who work within criminal justice, and it feeds directly back into the work that we do. I want to research something that I know will have a direct application in my place of work.

What was the most important thing this course has taught you?

On a personal level, the fact that anyone from any background can come and study at Cambridge. It has this prestigious reputation, and it’s a high bar.

There is a lot of work to it, and it's definitely a challenge. But the support that I've got from the core supervisors, the professors, and the course director has been excellent. I've never felt out of my depth, or that I can't achieve it, so here I am doing it.

And I think that's the most important thing I've learned: that I'm capable of engaging in education at this level.

What advice would you give to somebody who was starting your course?

Some of the Year Two students gave me advice when we started, and one of the best bits of advice I would pass on is: don't panic about the reading lists.

Try and do as much of the essential reading as you can before each lecture. But you probably won't be able to read everything in advance. So, focus on the essential lists.

The other bit of advice that lots of people gave me, even the Course Directors, is never to feel like an impostor just because it's Cambridge. Don't feel like you don't belong there. If you're there, it’s because you've got there off your own merit. It's a great place to learn. Enjoy every minute, because it goes very fast.