In this episode we discuss a very emotive crime - people being violent or abusive towards police and NHS workers. Recent legislation has increased the maximum sentence for assaulting an emergency worker to 2 years - four times the maximum for assaulting anyone else. Penelope and Rob are joined by Caitriona Mclaughlin from Stokoe Partnership Solicitors and Mark Brown, former police officer and current PhD student at the University of Southampton to discuss whether harsher sentences will reduce violence and abuse towards police and NHS staff and what else could be done to prevent such incidents from happening.

Caitriona Mclaughlin @StokoePartners

View Caitriona’s profile here.

Mark Brown @UoS_Socio_Crim

View Mark’s profile and some of his writing here.

Read our report Protecting the protectors: Do criminal sanctions reduce violence against police and NHS staff? here.

Website: www.transformjustice.org.uk

The Transform Justice podcast is hosted by Penelope Gibbs and Rob Allen and produced and edited by Alexandra Kimmons and Sonderbug Productions. With thanks to Burges Salmon LLP for use of their space.