Got the Winter Blues? Treat yourself by booking a summer writing retreat in Bath, 26-29 June. If you’ve been watching Agatha Christie’s ‘Seven Dials’ you’ll recognise the location. www.freedomtowrite.co.uk On Substack I reflect on the winter retreat… #bluemonday #freedomtowrite #writingretreat

I’m excited to be running a creative writing workshop at The Village in Larkhall, Bath on Weds 12th Nov 7-9pm. Cost is £25 which includes cheese and nibbles. It’s suitable for all experience levels, and it’s going to be a lot of fun. If you’d like to come along please DM me.

We had a fantastic time hosting our third creative writing retreat with a great bunch of people in Norway last week. I’m excited for the next retreat in my home town of Bath in January. See www.freedomtowrite.co.uk for details. DM me if interested…

‘Hare: The story behind the tattoo’ yvonnejewkes.substack.com/p/hare

Is there a more soul wizening phrase in the modern university than ‘mandatory online training’? (Other than ‘you need to now complete the mandatory online training refresher course’)?

Over on Substack I’ve written about why I write, why I love teaching creative writing in prisons and what my prisoner students say about it. Plus news of the #FreedomToWrite winter retreat, 9-12 January. #whyiwrite #creativewriting #writingretreat #teachinginprison open.substack.com/pub/yvonneje...

I wrote about how a friend in prison is making me appreciate small freedoms yvonnejewkes.substack.com/p/cutting-ha...

I wrote something on Substack about why I’m quitting my job & leaving academia. Five minutes later an email went round saying that the already brutal 21-day essay marking & feedback period is being reduced to 15 days. I’m so glad to be leaving it behind. Here’s why open.substack.com/pub/yvonneje...

It was great to do a keynote on ‘Trauma-Informed Design – An Aid to Recovery or Mere Window Dressing?’ followed by a book signing at the #DesignInMentalHealth conference in Manchester yesterday

Please share. The coroner is asking for help tracking down next of kin for five Ian Paterson patients whose inquests are ongoing: www.bbc.com/news/article...

I’m quoted in the FT and the Daily Mail this weekend - two articles which sum up the bifurcated prison crisis debate in the UK.

‘An Architecture of Hope’ has been non-fiction pick of the week in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Brisbane Times and WAtoday #australia

The book comes out of our collaborative research on the long afterlives of Britain's Victorian prison estate. The project is lead by Dominique Moran with @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social and Jennifer Turner and funded by the ESRC. It's been such a privilege to work with all of them.

In among the madness, I'm delighted to have submitted the manuscript for our forthcoming book Incarcerated: Contemporary Photography from the Victorian Prison to @bluecoatpress.bsky.social. Incarcerated brings together @andyaitchison.bsky.social powerful photographs of HMP Lincoln and Liverpool.

It was great to be at the Paisley Book Festival yesterday talking about ‘An Architecture of Hope’ and ‘The Barlinnie Special Unit’ with @kir-anderson.bsky.social.

32 of my publications stolen by Meta to train AI. It’s not ok. Sign the petition.

Next Sunday I’m at Paisley Book Festival talking about ‘An Architecture of Hope’ along with @kir-anderson.bsky.social. It’s sure to be a fascinating conversation about the importance of rebuilding lives in prison. paisleybookfestival.com/programme/bu... #paisleybookfestival #PBF25 #TheLivesWeLive

Very sad to hear about the passing of Clem Burke. Brilliant drummer, so integral to Blondie’s sound and success, and he always seemed like a thoroughly decent human being www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...

Spent an enjoyable afternoon at BBC Bristol being interviewed about my book #AnArchitectureOfHope

Well, it was a slight exaggeration to call me a prison architect - I merely advise - but it was great to speak to @emiledonovan.bsky.social @rnzrss.bsky.social this morning about my research and my new book An Architecture of Hope. Listen in www.rnz.co.nz/search/resul...

Finally got hold of this! Can’t wait to dive in. Gorgeous cover @brisunipress.bsky.social

It was fun to do a couple of events with Andy West at #curiousmindsfestival in #Bath last week.

I’m really looking forward to speaking @unlockedgrads.bsky.social conference tomorrow.

"My life has taken many unexpected and enriching turns since those dark times." Criminologist Prof Yvonne Jewkes shares her story in this month's Bath Life.

Happy Australian publication day to me! Thanks to everyone @scribepub.bsky.social

Went to the Pop Art exhibition @holburnemuseumbath.bsky.social today. Here is Frank Bowling’s Dan With Map (1967) and Pauline Boty’s ‘With Love to Jean-Paul Belmondo’ (1962). I’ll be watching the programme about Pauline on BBC4 this evening.

In 4 months time it’ll be the Summer Solstice! Which means long days, warm nights, good food, camp fires and starting on that book you’ve always wanted to write… Join us on the Freedom to Write Summer Retreat in the Wye Valley 20-23 June. Two vintage vans still available www.freedomtowrite.co.uk

Helios - an installation by artist Luke Jerram, currently at the Bath Assembly Rooms. It’s quite breathtaking, and very restorative on a grey day like today.

“I have spent many hours with those cats, and still I am amazed at how perfectly they reject everything it means to be in prison”. Every day is #Caturday prisonjournalismproject.org/2024/10/23/c...

Thanks @finolafarrant.bsky.social I like the idea that I dance at the edges of Criminology x

Delighted to be part of this year’s Curious Minds Festival organised by The Bath Arts Collective. 19th March at BRLSI. Tickets on sale www.batharts.co.uk/events/curio...

Lovely article about me, my new book, and my home in today’s FT Weekend on.ft.com/3PtDGxU

Am I the only one who found this almost unbearably tedious and infuriating?

All this time, Cristín, I’ve only known you as a brilliant art critic and memoirist, and it turns out you are a fellow door furniture aficionado. Do you think we could find a publisher for an illustrated guide to the world’s most beautiful knobs and knockers…?!😂

@andy8chi.bsky.social @cristinleach.bsky.social I wrote about the door knockers in Venice in ‘An Architecture of Hope’! Can’t believe it didn’t feature more prominently in the publicity material 😂

So delighted for my friend Sara Snell that she has been appointed as the new HM chief inspector of prisons for Scotland. www.scottishlegal.com/articles/sar...

Yvonne's latest book - 'An Architecture of Hope: reimagining the prison, restoring a house, rebuilding myself' can be found at the below link: https://buff.ly/3V44mZh

The book I’m currently working on is one of the most extraordinary projects of my career. It takes my breath away every day. harpercollins.co.uk/products/the...

A fine vintage.

The Institute of Criminology is advertising the position of an Associate Professor to lead the Master of Studies (MSt) programme in Applied Criminology, Penology & Management. This is a part-time role on a fixed-term basis for three years. Further information here: www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/49313/

Tomorrow eve I’ll be in conversation with my colleague Prof Joe Devine about my book ‘An Architecture of Hope’. Do come and join us if you’re in or around Bath @uniofbath.bsky.social. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-archite...

I love the Design Emergency podcast so it was an honour to be asked to record an episode with Alice Rawsthorn to share my thoughts on the design of prisons and talk about my research, my new book, and my next project. Available open.spotify.com/show/5csNyfo... or wherever you get your podcasts

Been feeling stressed and anxious lately so decided if ever there was a day to start running again this is it. If you’re feeling tired and/or strung out give it a go. I guarantee you’ll feel better for it 🏃

ICYMI an extract from my new book #AnArchitectureOfHope was published recently as a Guardian ‘long read’. Also available as a podcast read beautifully by Sara Powell. ‘Places to heal, not to harm’: why brutal prison design kills off hope www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

And breathe…!

Making a New Year’s resolution to write the story of your life? Or just write? Why not sign up for a Freedom to Write workshop or retreat? See www.freedomtowrite.co.uk for details

It was great to host our first Freedom to Write creative writing workshop at the Union Club in Soho on Thursday. If you’d like to know more about our writing events check out our website www.freedomtowrite.co.uk

I’m looking for a large cabin to rent for a writing retreat in Norway next summer. Must have at least 8 bedrooms, preferably some shared and some single. Anyone know of anywhere suitable?

It was great to talk with my longtime friend Thomas Ugelvik at Oslo #criminology about my work, my book, how I got into prison research and why I don’t consider myself a criminologist. Honoured to be the 1st international contributor to the kriminologene podcast podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/k...