The documentary The Road from Crime, is narrated by Allan Weaver, a Scottish ex-offender turned probation officer and author of the book “So You Think You Know Me?”. In the documentary Allan asks a simple question: What can we learn from those former prisoners who have successfully “desisted” from criminal behaviour or “gone straight?” Allan Weaver is also on Twitter and you follow him @Weaver_Allan

Allan discovered many things about desistance whilst making the documentary. These were as follows:

• Labelling and stigmatisation of ex-offenders often leads to further re-offending

• Rehabilitation by the criminal justice system does not always work and in fact keeps the offender trapped in a cycle of crime and punishment

• Desistance from criminality is an internal process which requires support from the outside

• Desistance for some is a realisation that one is more than just the sum of one’s crimes and rediscovering one’s humanity, potential and true self. (This is why I never view any of my clients as a crime. They are human beings, not crimes)

Anyone who follows me on twitter will know that I regularly promote this documentary. I do so because of a Twitter conversation I had with Allan. One of his goals for the documentary is for it to reach the target audience of school kids, prisoners, offenders and ex- offenders. The only way the target audience will become aware of this documentary is for professionals such as solicitors, social workers, health care professionals, teachers and those working with offenders to recommend and arrange for the target audience to view the documentary. Please watch and please share.

The Road from Crime