On JUSTICE
Marianne works and writes extensively on justice, providing ideas and mechanisms to improve the structures and values of the criminal justice system.
Photo by Brenna Duncan, 2022.
Highlights
Marianne has worked on prison and criminal justice reform in over 30 countries.
She has spoken about justice reform at conferences, panel discussions and on her podcast The Social Justice Salon.
Her clients include UNICEF, the Council of Europe, and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
She has provided high level technical expertise to governments in Turkey, Macedonia, and Albania, leading and designing the first ever Child Rights Act of Somaliland.
She has assessed and coached social workers in over 20 youth offending teams in the UK
Marianne designed, delivered and evaluated training for police, prison inspectors, and judges internationally.
She has an MA in Youth Justice, Criminology and Community Safety from Middlesex University. Her thesis won the Yvonne Heard Award.
Speaking
The Future of Politics and Law, Panel Discussion with Senator Michael McDowell, former AG and Minister for Justice, and Jim O'Callaghan TD, Chaired by Mary Carolan of the Irish Times, Kings Inn, Dublin, December 2023
The Justice Revolution, The Howard League for Prison Reform Conference, September 2022
Child Justice in Afghanistan, European Development Days, Brussels, 2016
Children in the UK Justice System, Chinese delegation, The Rights Practice, London, 2015
Auditing in Prisons, Public sector leaders and university lecturers, Wuhan, China, 2011.
The Age of Criminal Responsibility in the UK, The Social Justice Salon, forthcoming
Preventing High-Risk Sexual Abuse in the UK, The Social Justice Salon, May 2026
Women and Public Sexuality in the UK, The Social Justice Salon, January 2026
Eliminating Nuclear Weapons, The Social Justice Salon, November 2025
Podcast appearances
International Safeguarding Scandals, Justice Studio Sessions, May 2024
Near Deaths in Male Prisons in the UK, Justice Studio Sessions, January 2024
Child Rights in Somaliland, Justice Studio Sessions, December 2023
Women in Prison in Uganda, Justice Studio Sessions, December 2023
Articles
The criminal law was never meant to protect women - here’s why October 2025.
“We are doing the best we can with a very bad system” in Humane Justice: What role do hope, kindness and compassion play in the criminal justice system Rowles & Haji (eds) Khulisa 2021
An Abuser’s Best Friend: How the UK’s C-19 lockdown colluded with domestic abusers 1st June, 2020
99 Years by his name October 2019. Justice Studio
How Britian and Uganda have failed the LGBTQI+ community August 2019. Justice Studio
Stop experimenting and start caring: Children and Prison in England and Wales February 2017. Justice Studio.
Goodbye NOMs, hello HMPPS February 2017, Justice Studio.
Academic
Social Control or Protection of the Child? The debates on the Industrial School Acts 1857 - 1894 Journal of Family History, Vol. 33, No. 4 (2008)
Is it really so different for girls? Challenging misconceptions about young offenders and aggression The Community Safety Journal 6:3 (2007)
Should Young people involved in the sex industry be seen as victims? The Police Journal Vol.79 (2006)
Reports
“When I needed you to protect me, you gave him more power instead.” Covid-19 Lockdown & Domestic Abuse Justice Studio and Solace Woman’s Aid (2021)
“They helped me, they supported me”: Achieving Outcomes and Value for Money in Secure Children’s Homes Justice Studio and the Secure Action Network (2014)
Justice for Girls? Girls in conflict with the law and sexual exploitation in Sierra Leone Justice Studio, Advocaid, African Prisons Project, Defence for Children International Sierra Leone (2011)
Save money, protect society and realise youth potential The European Council for Juvenile Justice White Paper, International Juvenile Justice Observatory (2013)
Mental Health Resources for young offenders Volume II: MHYO Manual for Improving professional knowledge, skills and developing an advocacy programme Justice Studio for the International Juvenile Justice Observatory (2011)
Juvenile Detention in Uganda: Review of Remand Homes and the National Rehabilitation Centre Justice Studio and African Prisons Project (2010)
Afghanistan Child Justice Brief Justice Studio. (2012)
Evaluation of the Keppel unit at HMYOI Wetherby Cordis Bright for Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (2011)
Selected UK Consultancy
Evaluation of Long-term units Youth Justice Board, 2011.
Evaluation of the Keppel unit Wetherby Youth Offending Institution. Youth Justice Board, 2009-2010.
Review of Education and Skills in Cookham Wood YOI Youth Justice Board, 2010.
Assessment of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACS) Home Office Violent Crime Unit & the Research and Analysis Unit, 2010
Improving services for Black and Minority Ethnic Groups Essex Youth Offending Service, 2008.
Inquiry into the experiences of defendants with cognitive impairments and mental health difficulties in Great Britain Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2019.
Evaluation of outcomes for prisoners and prison officers in a Reform Prison RISE Mutal, 2017.
Experiences of older people as victims of crime in the UK Independent Age, 2015.
Outcomes and value for money study of 16 Secure Children’s Homes Secure Action Network, 2014.
Improving the perforamce of over 20 Youth Offending Services in England and Wales by increasing compliance with Youth Justice National Standards. Various Youth Offending Teams 2007-2010
Led an evaluation of Long-term units for young people on indeterminate, life and other long term sentences. The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) 2010-2011
Led an evaluation of the Keppel unit, Wetherby Youth Offending Institution a specialist custodial unit for children. The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB), 2007-2008
Led a review of Education and Skills in Cookham Wood YOI for the roll out across the youth secure estate. The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB), 2009-2010
Informed the re-design of the final warning (diversion) scheme across Essex, and improved services to black and minority ethnic groups across. Essex Youth Offending Service:
Designed a project to prevent young people becoming influenced by violent extremism. Newham Youth Offending Team:
Selected international consultancy projects
Technical assitance to the Government of Macedonia on Justice for Children, UNICEF 2021-2022
Ensuring and building the capacity of safeguarding in international aid Department for International Development, 2019 - 2021.
Developing a Somaliland Child Rights Act Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, UNICEF and Save the Children, 2014-2015.
Development of a global advocacy strategy on global youth justice between a group of NGOs: Penal Reform International, Defense for Children International, The International Juvenile Justice Observatory (OIJJ), Child Rights Action Network (CRIN), World Organisation against Torture (OMCT), the International Association of Youth and Family Judges and Magistrates (AIMJF) and Vivere. 2017
Strengthening the Albanian Ombudsman Child Rights Observatory Albania, 2016
Violence against Children in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan Penal Reform International, 2016.
Child Protection Case Management in Myanmar, Save the Children, 2014
Technical Asssistance to the Ministry of Justice, Turkey UNICEF Turkey, 2013 & 2017
Developed by-laws for roles of correctional officers, trained police personnel and developed standards to improve the rehabilitation of children in detention. UNICEF, 2013.
Diversion for Children in Afghanistan UNICEF, 2011-2012.