Maurice Vanstone worked in the probation service for 27 years and is currently Emeritus Professor of Criminology at Swansea University, Wales. His research and writing has focused mainly on probation-related topics, in particular, the effectiveness of community sentences, and the history of probation.Philip Priestley has been a probation officer and academic. He helped pioneer services to victims, mediation, and probation day-centres as alternatives to prison. Has written on prison history, and developed cognitive-behavioural programmes, shown to reduce re-offending by up to 25%; which have been used in five countries.