Biography
I joined the Institute in 2025 as Associate Professor and Director of the MSt Applied Penology. Prior to coming to Cambridge, I worked at Sheffield Hallam University for 12 years and before that I undertook my PhD - in Cambridge – which explored practice and culture in the probation service. Before entering academia, I worked in various roles in the community supporting people on probation.
I am editor of Probation Journal, an academic journal published by Sage and Napo and was editor of Probation Quarterly, a magazine published for practitioners by the Probation Institute until December 2024. I am Associate Editor for the journal Criminology and Criminal Justice and a member of British Journal of Criminology’s editorial board.
I am the co-chair of the European Society of Criminology's Working Group on Community Sanctions and Measures which comprises over 100 researchers from around the globe who undertake research into all areas of probation and related sanctions. I am on the steering committee for the British Society of Criminology's network on Probation and Community Justice. I am a member of the Independent Probation Professional Register Panel, am on the ARNS expert advisory panel and sit on HMI Probation’s Expert Advisory Group.
Research
I have undertaken research across all areas of the criminal justice system including: prisons, probation, the police, courts and sentencing, youth justice and parole. This research has ranged from interviews with stakeholders and people in prison and on probation, observational research, quantitative methods and creative approaches. I have undertaken in-depth funded research into the emotional labour of probation practice, probation officer well-being, the impact of inspection on probation, how youth offending teams work with young people engaged in knife crime and people who die whilst under probation supervision.
I am currently involved in the following funded studies:
- Penal Supervision in Comparative Context, funded by the Leverhulme Trust
- A comparative study of parole oral hearings across remote and in-person settings
- An evaluation of the youth2adulthood transitions hub in Newham, funded by the Ministry of Justice
- An exploration of hope in probation, funded by Research England (via the University of Nottingham)
Penal Supervision in Comparative Context
The scale, diversity and intensity of penal supervision (people subject to community sanctions and measures such as probation) has greatly increased in recent years, leading to suggestions that we have entered an era of ‘mass supervision’. Three times as many people are supervised in the community as are imprisoned, yet there have been few in-depth attempts to understand the nature of supervision and its growth. This comparative research will explore supervision in situ across five nations (England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). Using innovative methods, the study will generate crucial knowledge about how supervision is experienced, practiced and governed, and the socio-political conditions that influence its forms and its development.
The research will involve interviews, experiential insights from digital ethnography and mobile diaries, policy analysis, and analysis of probation, justice social work and community justice statistics.
Publications
Publications: Articles, Books and Book Chapters
Peplow, D and Phillips, J. (2025, forthcoming) Held to Account: Comparing Adversarial Questioning in Remote and In-Person Parole Hearings. Language and Society.
Phillips, J, Farrall, S, Ali, A et al.(2025) Probation, Technical Compliance and the ‘Drowning’ of Hope. British Journal of Criminology.
Westaby C, Phillips J, Fowler A, et al. (2025) ‘You're trying to juggle everything’: understanding the consequences of emotional labour for senior probation officers in England and Wales. European Journal of Criminology.
Phillips J, Ainslie S, Fowler A, et al. (2025, forthcoming). Embodying the state in probation practice: emotional labour and self-alienation. In Ana Aliverti, Henrique Carvalho, Anastasia Chamberlen, and Simon Tawfic (Eds) The Embodied State: Emotions, State Power and Social Marginalisation. Routledge.
Phillips, J., Westaby, C., Ainslie, S., & Fowler, A. (Under contract, due for publication 2026). The Emotional Labour of Mass Supervision. Routledge.
Phillips, J., Novisky M., and Ricciardelli, R. (Under contract, due for publication 2025) Routledge International Handbook on Wellness in Criminal Justice. Routledge.
Peplow, D, and Phillips, J (forthcoming, 2025). “Why aren’t you learning anything?” Challenging questions in parole hearings involving prisoners serving IPP sentences In H. Ringrow & R. Piazza, (Eds.) The Language of Marginality and Subjectivity in a Global Context, Bloomsbury.
Phillips, J., Westaby, C., Ainslie, S., & Fowler, A. (2024). Burning out in probation: An exploration of organizational, operational, and personal stressors amongst probation workers in England and Wales. In R. Ricciardelli, J. C. MacDermid, & L. Ferguson (Eds), Occupational Stress Injuries: Operational and Organizational Stressors Among Public Safety Personnel, Routledge pp. 113–133.
Peplow, D., & Phillips, J. (2024). Communication repair in parole oral hearings: Comparing remote and in-person settings. Journal of Criminology, 57(3), 352–371.
Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2024). Lifting the lid on Pandora’s box: Putting professional curiosity into practice. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 24(2), 321-338.
Phillips, J. (2024). Regulating criminal justice: The role of procedural justice and legitimacy in the inspection of probation in England and Wales. Punishment & Society, 26(2), 283–303.
Peplow, D., & Phillips, J. (2023). Remote parole oral hearings: More efficient, but at what cost? Criminology and Criminal Justice.
Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., Phillips, J., & Westaby, C. (2023). COVID-19 and Community Sanctions. In Crime, Justice and COVID-19. Bristol University Press. pp. 50–75.
Phillips, J., & Bower, R. (2023). The role of language in probation: A creative conversation. Probation Journal, 70(4), 406–417.
Westaby, C., Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., & Fowler, A. (2023). ‘Pushed from above and pushed from below’: Emotional labour and dual identities amongst senior probation officers in England and Wales. European Journal of Probation, 15(1), 40–59.
Phillips, J. (2023). An analysis of inspection in probation and its impact on practitioners, practice and providers. Probation Journal, 70(2), 124–142.
Phillips J, Anna K and Greenslade A-M (2022) The significance of the judge within the choices and consequences and prolific intensive schemes: international lessons for England and Wales and back again. International Journal of Court Administration.
Ainslie S, Fowler A, Phillips J, et al. (2022) ‘A nice idea but....’: Implementing a reflective supervision model in the National Probation Service in England and Wales. Reflective Practice, 23(5), 525-538.
Phillips J (2022) The impact of the pandemic on probation: lessons for the future. Safer Communities 21(2), 112–122.
Badachha, S., Moore, R., & Phillips, J. (2022). Reimagining probation practice indirectly: how the work of the Inspectorate can support a reimagined rehabilitation. In Reimagining probation practice: re-forming rehabilitation in an age of penal excess. Routledge.
Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2022). ‘What does professional curiosity mean to you?’: An exploration of professional curiosity in probation. The British Journal of Social Work, 52(1), 554–572.
Albertson, K., Phillips, J., Fowler, A., & Collinson, B. (2022). Who owns desistance? A triad of agency enabling social structures in the desistance process. Theoretical Criminology, 26(1), 153–172.
Phillips, J., Westaby, C., Ainslie, S., & Fowler, A. (2021). ‘I don’t like this job in my front room’: Practising probation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Probation Journal, 68(4), 426–433.
Albertson Kevin, Corcoran M and Phillips J (Eds) (2020) Marketisation and Privatisation in Criminal Justice. Bristol: Policy Press.
Phillips J (2020) Understanding the Privatisation of Probation through the lens of Bourdieu’s Field Theory. In Albertson K, Corcoran M and Phillips J (Eds) Marketisation and Privatisation in Criminal Justice. Bristol: Policy Press.
Phillips J, Albertson K, Collinson B, et al. (2020) Delivering desistance-focused probation in community hubs: Five key ingredients. Probation Journal 67(3).
Phillips J, Waters J, Westaby C and Fowler (Eds) (2020) Emotional Labour in Criminal Justice and Criminology, Abingdon: Routledge.
Waters J, Phillips J, Westaby C, et al. (2020) The emotions and emotional labour of criminological researchers. Methodological Innovations 13(2).
Waters J, Westaby C, Fowler A, et al. (2020) The emotional labour of doctoral criminological researchers. Methodological Innovations 13(2).
Westaby C, Fowler A and Phillips J (2020) Managing emotion in probation practice: Display rules, values and the performance of emotional labour. International Journal of Law, Crime and Criminal Justice 62 (June 2020).
Phillips J (2019) What went wrong with attempts to outsource probation? Lessons from the Transforming Rehabilitation programme in England and Wales. Archbold Review.
Phillips J (2019) Deaths under probation supervision: what role for human rights legislation? Political Quarterly.
Ugwudike P and Phillips J (2019) Compliance during community-based penal supervision. In Raynor P, McNeill F, Taxman F, Trotter C, Ugwudike P and Graham H (Eds) The Routledge Companion to Rehabilitative Work in Criminal Justice. Abingdon: Routledge.
Phillips J, Gelsthorpe L and Padfield N (2019) Non-custodial deaths: Missing, ignored or unimportant? Criminology & Criminal Justice 19(2): 160–178.
Phillips J, Gelsthorpe L and Padfield N (2018) Suicide and community justice. Health and Justice.
Phillips, J., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2018). Self-Disclosure in Criminal Justice: What Form Does It Take and What Does It Achieve? International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62(12), 3890–3909.
Fowler A, Phillips J and Westaby C (2017) Understanding emotions as effective practice. The performance of emotional labour in building relationships. In: Ugwudike P, Raynor P, Peter and Annison J (Eds) Evidence-based skills in community justice : international research on supporting rehabilitation and desistance. Bristol, Policy Press: 243-262.
Phillips J (2017) Probation practice in the information age. Probation Journal, 64(3): 209-255.
Phillips J (2017) Towards a rhizomatic understanding of the desistance journey. Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 56(1), 92-104.
Westaby C, Phillips J and Fowler A (2016) Spillover and work-family conflict in probation practice: Managing the boundary between work and home life. European Journal of Probation 8(3): 113-127.
Phillips J, Westaby C and Fowler A (2016) ‘It’s relentless’ The impact of working primarily with high-risk offenders. Probation Journal 63(2): 182–192.
Knight C, Phillips J and Chapman T (2016) Bringing the Feelings Back: Returning Emotions to Criminal Justice Practice. British Journal of Community Justice 14(1): 45–58.
Phillips J (2016) Myopia and misrecognition: The impact of managerialism on the management of compliance. Criminology and Criminal Justice 16(1): 40–59.
Rokkan T, Phillips J, Lulei M, et al. (2015) How was your day? Exploring a day in the life of probation workers across Europe using practice diaries. European Journal of Probation 7(3): 201–217.
Phillips J (2014) Probation in the News: Transforming Rehabilitation. British Journal of Community Justice, 12(1).
Phillips J (2014) The architecture of a probation office: A reflection of policy and an impact on practice. Probation Journal, 61(2).
Phillips J (2013) Understanding ‘the relationship’ in English Probation Practice. In: Durnescu I and McNeill F (eds), Understanding Penal Practice, Abingdon, Routledge.
Phillips J (2011) Target, audit and risk assessment cultures in the probation service - European Journal of Probation. European Journal of Probation 3(3): 108–122.
Phillips J (2010) The Social Construction of Probation in England and Wales, and the United States: Implications for the Transferability of Probation Practice. British Journal of Community Justice 8(1).
Publications: Reports, Reviews and Conference Proceedings
Dockley A, Phillips J, Ali A et al. (2024) Hoping for more: Examining hope in the context of probation. The Magistrate. The Magistrates’ Association.
Phillips, J., Ward, J., Albertson, K., Cracknell, M., Duke, K., Fowler, A., & Riley, L. (2024). Process evaluation of the Newham Y2A Hub (Ministry of Justice Analytical Series). Ministry of Justice. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-the-newham-y2a-hub
Phillips, J. (2024). Book review: What Are Prisons For?: Themes and Perspectives For Policy and Practice (What Is It For?). Probation Journal, 71(3), 310–312.
Phillips J, Barry C, Padfield N, Gelsthorpe P, Mullin J. (2022) Probation staff experiences of working with people at risk of suicide and/or self harm. Manchester: HMI Probation.
Phillips J, Hamilton P, Coleman C, et al. (2022) Promising approaches to knife crime: an exploratory study. Manchester: HMI Probation.
Phillips J (2021) Understanding the impact of inspection on probation. Sheffield Hallam University.
Westaby C, Phillips J, Fowler A, et al. (2021) An evaluation of the implementation of reflective practice supervision standards in the national probation service. Sheffield Hallam University.
Phillips J (2021) Review: Desistance and Societies in Comparative Perspective. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice 60(3): 453–455.
Phillips J, Kawalek A and Greenslade A-M (2020) An evaluation of the Choices and Consequences and Prolific Intensive programmes in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Sheffield Hallam University. Available at: http://shura.shu.ac.uk/27269/
Phillips J, Albertson K, Fowler A, et al. (2020) The role of community hubs in helping to deliver probation services and support desistance. Manchester: HMI Probation.
Phillips J (2020) What should happen after the death of a probationer? Learning from suicide investigations in prison. Probation Journal 67(1).
Phillips J (2018) Review: Desistance from Crime by Michael Rocque. Probation Journal.
Phillips J, Gelsthorpe L, Padfield N, et al. (2016) Non-natural deaths following prison and police custody. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Phillips J (2016) Review: Delivering Rehabilitation: The Politics, Governance and Control of Probation. British Journal of Community Justice 14(1): 152.
Phillips J (2015) Review: What Works in Offender Compliance: International Perspectives and Evidence‐Based Practice. The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 54(4): 403–404.
Dominey J and Phillips J (2012) Complexity, realism and morality: consultations on probation reform. Criminal Justice Matters, 90(1), 28–29.
Gelsthorpe L, Padfield N, and Phillips J, (2012) Deaths on probation: an analysis of data regarding people dying under probation supervision; a report for the Howard league for penal reform. London, Howard League for Penal Reform.
Teaching and Supervisions
I teach on the MSt programme covering methods, academic skills and probation-related topics. I have taught across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes during my career.
I currently PhD students researching: peoples’ experiences of supervision following a sexual offence conviction; a comparative study of penal and asylum policy; the role of probation in the courts.
I am interested in supervising PhD students who wish to undertake PhD research in the field of probation and community sanctions.
