Bradley Read

Bradley is working towards a thesis entitled, "Looking for life: Exploring the parole process in England & Wales.”

His thesis, using four separate but connected articles, builds on his master’s research which explored prisoner perceptions of the parole process. The first article will be a qualitative systematic review of parole research in England and Wales since 1967. The second article is an exploration of the views and opinions of expert criminologists’ on the parole system and its formation and development between 1967 and 2007. The third article, which uses the research from his masters entitled, “The parole dossier and its negative impacts on prisoner identity.” Lastly a concluding article, built on new research to be undertaken, which details the findings of a new observational study of the Parole Oral hearings as they function today.

The thesis aims to explore questions, percolating throughout his current research interests. These interests include: the moral quality and impact of parole and its processes on prisoners; the power and impact of political decision making; and public perceptions on parole development in England and Wales. He is also interested in the role of ‘Human Vibrations’ in building connections which help sustain and develop prisoners’ identities leading to greater chances of rehabilitation, and how reduced connections or more automatic process can break the societal connections and frameworks needed to sustain the citizen contract within the framework of the parole system.

His other criminological interests include: criminal justice ethics; penology and penal theory; history and theory of punishment; community sentencing; history of crime; pains of imprisonment; and alternatives to prison.