In England & Wales, the criminal justice system’s struggle to prevent reoffending is evident, with 33% of adults re-convicted within a year of release. Understanding the hopes of individuals post-sentence is crucial for effective rehabilitation. The Hope study (carried out by the University of Nottingham, Penal Reform Solutions and Justice Futures), aimed to delve into the concept of hope among those on probation, probation staff, and stakeholders. By employing innovative walking and photo elicitation methods, we wanted to understand how hope influences the process of desistance and how probation services can foster hopeful, crime-free futures.

Research has shown that hope plays a significant role in individuals’ efforts to move away from offending behaviour. However, there’s a lack of understanding regarding what people on probation or recently released from prison hope to achieve from their sentences. This study aims to fill that gap by exploring how hope is understood, aspired, and operationalised within penal supervision contexts.