Knowledge Exchange
Regular readers may well remember that four years ago the Butler Trust launched a new resource aimed at everyone who works in a criminal justice setting. The Knowledge Exchange is an online library of guidance and examples of best practice. The resource encourages users to suggest examples of best practice and guidance and allows users to search content by both source and sector. There are now over 600 resources instantly available for download. The resource is continuously curated and updated with any items which have now been superseded removed. I am delighted to announce that I am now working in partnership with the Butler Trust to manage and update the site.
How to use the site
The site has been designed to be simple to use. The front page includes both featured entries and recent additions but the two most useful ways of finding what you are looking for are the search box at the top of the page or the ability to browse by source, sector (custodial, probation or youth justice) or theme.
Recent additions
To give you a flavour of the resources are on offer, I am including links to some of the more recent additions on a wide range of topics.
Prisons
The Prison Inspectorate has published a report which focuses on what practical support officers and leaders can offer women in prison to reduce the likelihood that they will resort to self-harm.
Probation and Youth Justice
The Probation Inspectorate has published a report on how youth justice and probation work together to provide services to young people to ensure Transitional Safeguarding.
Of interest to all justice practitioners
Clinks has commissioned an article summarising the research evidence on Working with neurodivergent people in contact with the criminal justice system as part of its Evidence Library.
Send in your suggestions
Finally, there is also an option for practitioners to suggest their own additions to the resource. Next time you are looking for the latest information on a work topic, don’t forget to check the Knowledge Exchange.
Butler Trust Award Nominations open for 2025
The Butler Trust is best known for its awards programmes designed to celebrate and promote the best in UK prisons, probation and youth practice and its Hidden Heroes Day, an annual tribute to everyone working in UK prisons, IRCs, probation, escorts, and youth justice services.
Often described as the Oscars for the sector, the Butler Trust Awards are the only UK-wide awards specifically for people working in custodial and community justice settings. Launched in 1985 and presented each year by the Trust’s Patron, HRH The Princess Royal (Princess Anne), they are the original, and most prestigious, awards of their kind.
And beyond the Award Ceremony, the Butler Trust offers training and mentoring to all our Award Winners and Commendees, to help them learn from, and build on, their achievements.
If you have a colleague you’d like to nominate, this year’s nominations officially open today.
Just click here.
Thanks to Tim Mossholder for kind permission to use the header image in this post which was previously published on Unsplash
