Joe Smith
@joesmithcreative.bsky.social
"The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life." William Morris
Reposted by Joe Smith
erasmusresearch.com/historical-w... Official apologies come easy. Accountability doesn’t.
Read Professor Margaret Malloch on the long road to justice after Hillsborough and Allan Marshall.
Read Professor Margaret Malloch on the long road to justice after Hillsborough and Allan Marshall.
Historical Wrongs and Contemporary Rights: Memorialising Injustice - Erasmus Research
A Blog by Professor Margaret Malloch When injustice occurs at the hands of powerful institutions, it is rarely straightforward to have it acknowledged, let alone obtain redress. Institutional cover-up...
erasmusresearch.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:14 PM
erasmusresearch.com/historical-w... Official apologies come easy. Accountability doesn’t.
Read Professor Margaret Malloch on the long road to justice after Hillsborough and Allan Marshall.
Read Professor Margaret Malloch on the long road to justice after Hillsborough and Allan Marshall.
Reposted by Joe Smith
The new ICE song by Jesse Welles nails it.
ICE isn’t recruiting heroes, it’s recruiting the bitter, the rejected, the ones desperate for a badge to cover their failures.
Losers with power become the most dangerous kind.
(c/o Caroline Codsi)
ICE isn’t recruiting heroes, it’s recruiting the bitter, the rejected, the ones desperate for a badge to cover their failures.
Losers with power become the most dangerous kind.
(c/o Caroline Codsi)
August 29, 2025 at 12:18 AM
The new ICE song by Jesse Welles nails it.
ICE isn’t recruiting heroes, it’s recruiting the bitter, the rejected, the ones desperate for a badge to cover their failures.
Losers with power become the most dangerous kind.
(c/o Caroline Codsi)
ICE isn’t recruiting heroes, it’s recruiting the bitter, the rejected, the ones desperate for a badge to cover their failures.
Losers with power become the most dangerous kind.
(c/o Caroline Codsi)
Reposted by Joe Smith
PODCAST - Professor Margaret Malloch discusses her research looking at the contemporary movements memorialising the Scottish Witch Hunts. So many parallels between historical and contemporary forms of scapegoating... watch the podcast below 👇👇👇
erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...
erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...
Remembering Injustice - Erasmus Research
Podcast - Remembering Injustice: The Movement to Memorialize Scotland's Witch Trials with Dr Margaret Malloch Dr Margaret Malloch, Professor of Criminology at the University of Stirling (and integral ...
erasmusresearch.com
July 24, 2025 at 8:36 PM
PODCAST - Professor Margaret Malloch discusses her research looking at the contemporary movements memorialising the Scottish Witch Hunts. So many parallels between historical and contemporary forms of scapegoating... watch the podcast below 👇👇👇
erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...
erasmusresearch.com/remembering-...
Reposted by Joe Smith
Fear isn’t a by-product of authoritarianism. It is the strategy.
From war-footing propaganda to hostile welfare cuts, the UK is waging psychological warfare on its own people.
Read why fear is the system — and how we resist it:
erasmusresearch.com/the-politica... #politics
From war-footing propaganda to hostile welfare cuts, the UK is waging psychological warfare on its own people.
Read why fear is the system — and how we resist it:
erasmusresearch.com/the-politica... #politics
The Political Function of Fear: Why the Government Wants You Afraid - Erasmus Research
“There are two ways in which people are controlled: first of all frighten them, and secondly demoralise them... An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.” — Tony Benn https://www....
erasmusresearch.com
July 1, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Fear isn’t a by-product of authoritarianism. It is the strategy.
From war-footing propaganda to hostile welfare cuts, the UK is waging psychological warfare on its own people.
Read why fear is the system — and how we resist it:
erasmusresearch.com/the-politica... #politics
From war-footing propaganda to hostile welfare cuts, the UK is waging psychological warfare on its own people.
Read why fear is the system — and how we resist it:
erasmusresearch.com/the-politica... #politics
Reposted by Joe Smith
Reposted by Joe Smith
Why we stand with Kneecap - a short blog on being on the right side of history... erasmusresearch.com/being-on-the...
Being on the Right Side of History - Erasmus Research
This week, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh (AKA Mo Chara) of the Irish rap group Kneecap was charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a Hezbollah flag at a gig in London. The potential sentence? U...
erasmusresearch.com
May 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Why we stand with Kneecap - a short blog on being on the right side of history... erasmusresearch.com/being-on-the...
Reposted by Joe Smith
Many thanks to @joesmithcreative.bsky.social for an excellent write up of our session at the Paisley Book Festival last month paisleybookfestival.com/blog-buildin...
Blog: Building Hope: Art, Architecture, and the Possibility of Abolition - Paisley Book Festival
Dr Kirstin Anderson, lecturer in criminology at Edinburgh Napier University, and Professor Yvonne Jewkes, one of the
paisleybookfestival.com
May 16, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Many thanks to @joesmithcreative.bsky.social for an excellent write up of our session at the Paisley Book Festival last month paisleybookfestival.com/blog-buildin...
Reposted by Joe Smith
What if punishment isn't about justice—but about power, control, and unconscious desire? Judges as moral actors… or as performers of dominance? New blog: The Pleasure of Punishment 👇
erasmusresearch.com/the-pleasure...
erasmusresearch.com/the-pleasure...
The Pleasure of Punishment: Unconscious Desire and the Performance of Judicial Power - Erasmus Research
The punishment system, far from preventing harm, often exacerbates it. Despite efforts in Scotland and elsewhere to reduce prison populations, judges and sheriffs persist in handing down custodial sen...
erasmusresearch.com
April 15, 2025 at 8:43 AM
What if punishment isn't about justice—but about power, control, and unconscious desire? Judges as moral actors… or as performers of dominance? New blog: The Pleasure of Punishment 👇
erasmusresearch.com/the-pleasure...
erasmusresearch.com/the-pleasure...
Blooming fabulous Paisley 👌
April 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Blooming fabulous Paisley 👌
Paisley is blooming great 👌
April 2, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Paisley is blooming great 👌
Reposted by Joe Smith
The UN Special Rapporteur for Torture stated in 2023, indeterminate sentences create “levels of pain or suffering beyond those inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions. Yet, the Scottish Government persists in handing out the OLR #NOLR #HumanRights
March 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM
The UN Special Rapporteur for Torture stated in 2023, indeterminate sentences create “levels of pain or suffering beyond those inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions. Yet, the Scottish Government persists in handing out the OLR #NOLR #HumanRights
Reposted by Joe Smith
“The Scottish penal system has long been regarded as one of the most progressive in the world, but OLR discredits the nation yet, unlike IPP, has not been ended.” 2024- Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, then serving Chief Inspector of Prisons in Scotland. #NOLR #endOLRsentences
March 24, 2025 at 12:00 PM
“The Scottish penal system has long been regarded as one of the most progressive in the world, but OLR discredits the nation yet, unlike IPP, has not been ended.” 2024- Wendy Sinclair-Gieben, then serving Chief Inspector of Prisons in Scotland. #NOLR #endOLRsentences
Reposted by Joe Smith
Want to help? Go to nolr.org/how-you-can-..., where you can find a template letter to your MSP, make a donation or contact us and join us as a member.
How You Can help - OLR Campaign
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies published a report in 2022 which likened indeterminate sentences to psychological torture.
nolr.org
March 24, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Want to help? Go to nolr.org/how-you-can-..., where you can find a template letter to your MSP, make a donation or contact us and join us as a member.
Reposted by Joe Smith
Reposted by Joe Smith
279 OLRs have been imposed since 2006, but only 24 people have been released, with 8 recalled to prison. Source: www.rma.scot/olr/about-the-olr/ #NOLR #PrisonReform
About the OLR - RMA - Risk Management Authority
RMA - Risk Management Authority The Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR) is a unique sentence. The RMA oversee the administration.
www.rma.scot
March 25, 2025 at 7:30 AM
279 OLRs have been imposed since 2006, but only 24 people have been released, with 8 recalled to prison. Source: www.rma.scot/olr/about-the-olr/ #NOLR #PrisonReform
Reposted by Joe Smith
Scotland has one of the highest prison mortality rates in Europe, OLRs are creating toxic conditions that make this situation worse. 18 people on OLRs have died in custody and 6 in the community, with five people most likely having ended their own life. Source: FOI by #NOLR #ScottishPrisonService
March 25, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Scotland has one of the highest prison mortality rates in Europe, OLRs are creating toxic conditions that make this situation worse. 18 people on OLRs have died in custody and 6 in the community, with five people most likely having ended their own life. Source: FOI by #NOLR #ScottishPrisonService
Reposted by Joe Smith
Reposted by Joe Smith
The OLR was introduced to protect the public from “the most serious sexual and violent offenders.” However, 124 people have been given an OLR with a punishment tariff of less than 4 years – 29 of which are under 2 years. #NOLR #ScotJustice
March 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM
The OLR was introduced to protect the public from “the most serious sexual and violent offenders.” However, 124 people have been given an OLR with a punishment tariff of less than 4 years – 29 of which are under 2 years. #NOLR #ScotJustice
Reposted by Joe Smith
By 2029, it is predicted there will be 330 OLR prisoners and many will remain in prison for many years over their tariff. The bill to the Scottish taxpayer for one prisoner per year is over £47,000. This means the annual bill for just OLR prisoners in 2029 will be £15,510,000. #PublicCosts #NOLR
March 25, 2025 at 12:00 PM
By 2029, it is predicted there will be 330 OLR prisoners and many will remain in prison for many years over their tariff. The bill to the Scottish taxpayer for one prisoner per year is over £47,000. This means the annual bill for just OLR prisoners in 2029 will be £15,510,000. #PublicCosts #NOLR
Reposted by Joe Smith
RMA Guidelines say: ‘assessors should state clearly the limitations of making judgements about life course persistent risk in relation to children/young people’. Despite this, 38 OLRs have been handed out to under 25s, 13 to under 20s #NOLR #UNCRC #YouthJustice
March 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM
RMA Guidelines say: ‘assessors should state clearly the limitations of making judgements about life course persistent risk in relation to children/young people’. Despite this, 38 OLRs have been handed out to under 25s, 13 to under 20s #NOLR #UNCRC #YouthJustice
Reposted by Joe Smith
Want to help? Go to nolr.org/how-you-can-..., where you can find a template letter to your MSP, make a donation or contact us and join us as a member.
How You Can help - OLR Campaign
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies published a report in 2022 which likened indeterminate sentences to psychological torture.
nolr.org
March 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Want to help? Go to nolr.org/how-you-can-..., where you can find a template letter to your MSP, make a donation or contact us and join us as a member.
Reposted by Joe Smith
Reposted by Joe Smith
‘L’ was given an OLR for breach of the peace. Given a 6 month tariff, he has spent 12 years in prison, where he was diagnosed with autism. It will be at least 4 years before he is released, but he is already scared that one minor misstep once out will see him back in prison #NOLR
March 26, 2025 at 9:00 AM
‘L’ was given an OLR for breach of the peace. Given a 6 month tariff, he has spent 12 years in prison, where he was diagnosed with autism. It will be at least 4 years before he is released, but he is already scared that one minor misstep once out will see him back in prison #NOLR