Behind the Lines: Creative Writing with Offenders and People at Risk

Behind The Lines is the product of 14 years of working with offenders and people at risk, and based on Michael Crowley's endeavours at using creative writing as a method to improve thinking and behaviour. The book includes: Dozens of exercises and anecdotes Explanation of different approaches Examples of writing by prisoners, both inside and outside of jails. Behind the Lines represents a major contribution to rehabilitative work (in one sense it is the prison-writing equivalent of the highly successful Waterside Press publication, The Geese Theatre Handbook). A Key Resource For Writers in residence Offending behaviour group workers Youth workers Youth offending teams Community workers Psychotherapists Therapists and counsellors Special needs workers and teachers ...and people training or studying in these and related fields.

About the Author :
Michael Crowley is a youth justice worker and writer. His published works include poetry and plays. He has written for youth theatre and been writer in residence at a young offender institution for the past five years honing daily the methods now described in this practical and generous handbook.

Review :
'Creative writing is immensely important for prisoners - it helps unlock resources within them and enables them to make better choices and to change. This book Is essential reading for anyone interested in the real challenges of rehabilitation': Pat Jones, Director, Prisoners Education Trust 2008-12. 'Crowley shows how you can turn the lead of anger and despair in prisoners into the gold of insight and creativity, using self-expressive writing': Oliver James, author. 'Michael Crowley's work with young offenders shows a sceptical world that they are capable of reflection, of understanding what led them into the acts they have committed and the effects on other people and on themselves. These qualities form the basis for personal development and change - Read examples of the young offenders' writing and feel heartened and optimistic about their futures and ours': Alicia Stubbersfield, Poet and Koestler Award Judge. 'His book should be a wake-up call to the educational system, which allows so many young people to leave school in the parlous position that he describes, and which creative writers up and down the country are devoting so much time and effort to mitigate': David Ramsbotham.