Samantha Ainslie FHEA, MSt., PgDip., BA (Hons), BSc (Hons)

Senior Lecturer

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.

E-mail

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

Phillips, J., Ainslie, S., Fowler, A., & Westaby, C. (2024). Burning Out in Probation. In Occupational Stress Injuries. (pp. 113-133). Routledge: http://doi.org/10.4324/9781003424253-9

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.

Samantha Ainslie