IN-CJ Newsdesk 2025 – Carren Oluoch ‘Stress and Disruption Among Probation Officers’
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The IN-CJ Newsdesk has always sought to create space for contributors to articulate the realities of criminal justice work as it is experienced in practice rather than as it is imagined in abstract policy discussion. In this year’s contribution, Carren Oluoch offers a measured and thoughtful account of the day-to-day challenges she encounters in her role, placing particular emphasis on the need to remain connected with the communities most affected by criminal justice processes. Her account underscores why the values at the heart of the IN-CJ Development Model — accountability, inclusivity, respect, curiosity, and recognition — continue to matter so profoundly in international conversations about reform and professional practice.
Throughout her discussion, Carren describes the pressures faced by frontline practitioners when policy ambitions outpace the availability of resources or when organisational processes become detached from the lived experiences of staff and the public. She highlights the importance of maintaining open channels of communication, not only within institutions but also across wider networks of practice, where reflective insight can be exchanged without judgement or defensiveness. Her emphasis on shared learning echoes the original intention of the Newsdesk: to encourage forms of dialogue that are international in scope yet grounded in an appreciation of everyday working life.
What resonates clearly in Carren’s contribution is the idea of responsibility as a collective undertaking. Effective criminal justice practice relies on more than adherence to procedure. It depends on a willingness to acknowledge complexity, to recognise the emotional and ethical demands placed on practitioners, and to attend to the social conditions that shape both service provision and public expectations. Her reflections serve as a reminder that meaningful progress often begins with small, attentive acts: listening carefully to colleagues, engaging constructively with community partners, and questioning assumptions that no longer serve the needs of those involved in the justice system. This is the work of steady and practical change rather than grand declarations.
Carren’s contribution illustrates how the IN-CJ community benefits from diverse perspectives that remain rooted in lived experience. By sharing her observations, she strengthens the deliberative ethos that the Newsdesk continues to cultivate. This approach aligns closely with ongoing efforts to develop a reflective international community of practice, where ideas are tested against real-world conditions and where practitioners can articulate what is required to sustain effective, humane, and contextually relevant forms of justice.
As the 2025 Newsdesk continues, Carren’s voice adds depth to this unfolding conversation. Her reflections prompt us to consider not only what policies aim to achieve, but how they are enacted, adapted, and experienced on the ground. It is in this space — between principle and practice — that the international community can learn most from one another.
