Samantha Ainslie FHEA, MSt., PgDip., BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)
Senior Lecturer
- Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice
- Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice
- Social and Economic Research Institute
Summary
I'm part of the Community Justice Learning Team and I teach undergraduate criminology and on the Professional Qualification in Probation. I joined Sheffield Hallam University in 2019 having previously worked as a probation practitioner and manager for 17 years. My research interests relate to desistance, probation practice and probation training. I'm currently involved in research with other members of the Law and Criminology Department relating to professional curiosity, emotional labour and burnout within the context of probation practice. I'm also working towards the Professional Doctorate in Education. My research relates to pedagogical approaches to enhancing critically reflective practice in probation practitioners.
Teaching
Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Criminology and Community Justice Learning
I currently teach and lead a number of modules on the Professional Qualification in Probation. This is the qualification required to practice as a Probation Officer in England and Wales.
I also teach on the BA (Honours) Criminology on modules that relate to punishment and rehabilitation of offenders.
I teach on Level 6 elective modules as part of the undergraduate criminology course as follows
Making desistance and recovery a reality.
Experiencing custodial and community sentences.
Research
My research interests relate to desistance, probation practice and probation training. I'm currently involved in research with other colleagues in the Law and Criminology Department relating to professional curiosity, emotional labour and burnout within the context of probation practice. I'm also working towards the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD). My research relates to pedagogical approaches to enhancing critically reflective practice in probation practitioners.
https://shura.shu.ac.uk/28842/1/SEEDS2%20RPSS%20Report%20Final.pdf
https://www.shu.ac.uk/research/in-action/projects/emotional-labour-in-probation
Publications
Journal articles
Westaby, C., Phillips, J., Fowler, A., & Ainslie, S. (2022). ‘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). http://doi.org/10.1177/20662203221144119
Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2022). Lifting the lid on Pandora’s box: putting professional curiosity into practice. Criminology and Criminal Justice. http://doi.org/10.1177/17488958221116323
Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., Phillips, J., & Westaby, C. (2022). ‘A nice idea but…..’: Implementing a reflective supervision model in the National Probation Service in England and Wales. Reflective Practice. http://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2022.2066075
Ainslie, S. (2022). Reunified Probation: An opportunity to finally progress a desistance paradigm of practice? Early Career Academic Network Bulletin, 50, 28-34. https://howardleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ECAN-Spring-2022-Themed-Issue-Reuniting-Probation.pdf
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), 426-443. http://doi.org/10.1177/02645505211050867
Ainslie, S. (2021). Probation: what next and who decides? Probation Quarterly, 21, 42-45. http://doi.org/10.54006/jlae1022
Ainslie, S. (2021). Seeing and believing: Observing desistance-focused practice and enduring values in the National Probation Service. Probation Journal, 68 (2), 146-165. http://doi.org/10.1177/02645505211005031
Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2021). ‘What does professional curiosity mean to you?’: an exploration of professional curiosity in probation. The British Journal of Social Work. http://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcab019
Ainslie, S. (n.d.). Book review of reimagining probation practice. Probation Quarterly, 26, 12-16. http://doi.org/10.54006/cvck4564
Ainslie, S., & Riley, L. (n.d.). Probation pracademics: protectors of the ‘honourable profession’? Probation Journal: the journal of community and criminal justice.
Book chapters
Ainslie, S. (2024). Learning to live with liminality: reflections of a Probation pracademic on joining the academy. In Turgoose, D., Knight, V., & Woodward, D. (Eds.) Pracademics in Criminal Justice. Routledge
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 Occupational Stress Injuries: Operational and Organizational Stressors among Public Safety Personnel. Routledge
Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., Phillips, J., & Westaby, C. (2023). COVID-19 and Community Sanctions. In Kay, C., & Case, S. (Eds.) Crime, Justice and COVID19. (pp. 50-75). Bristol University Press: http://doi.org/10.51952/9781447363187.ch004
Reports
Phillips, J., Westaby, C., Fowler, A., & Ainslie, S. (2022). Putting professional curiosity into practice. HMI Probation. https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/08/Academic-Insights-Phillips-et-al-v1.5.pdf
Westaby, C., Phillips, J., Fowler, A., & Ainslie, S. (2021). An evaluation of the implementation of reflective practice supervision standards in the national probation service. Sheffield Hallam University. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu.HKCIJ.07.21
Other activities
Probation Institute academic advisory panel.
Probation Quarterly editorial board.