Childhood trauma common theme in documentary - Frampton
"I'm not saying without boxing, I would've been a tearaway or in and out of jail. But I know that because I did have boxing, it certainly helped steer me away from that," says former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton, reflecting on his recent dive into the world of probation.
He was speaking ahead of the release of a new documentary series which sees him go behind the scenes with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland. Probation officers supervise more than 4,100 people who are subject to a range of court orders and licences at any given time.
For the series, Frampton spent time with officers and those on probation, as well as hearing the stories of victims of crimes. "I just wanted to find out for myself what it's all about," he told BBC News NI.
It is the first time television cameras have been given this sort of access and the result is BBC NI programme Carl Frampton: On Probation.
Mental health issues
The former boxer previously presented Carl Frampton: Men in Crisis where he investigated why so many young men in Northern Ireland struggle with their mental health. It's unsurprising that his new documentary also explores the issue.
"It sometimes affects the way they behave," he said, adding that the "vast majority" of the service users he spoke to "have had some sort of issues with their mental health". While meeting service users, Frampton found many to be "friendly".
"I think the common denominator that I noticed anyway was trauma during childhood for the majority of them and having bad upbringings and maybe parents who were abusive and maybe abandonment issues or whatever.
"When you hear their story and you hear everything that's gone on in their lives as they were growing up, it kind of makes you feel sorry for them," he added. "I felt a lot of sympathy for them.
"You're not really surprised that they have involvement in the judicial system afterwards as they grow up into adults." Working on the show highlighted the influence boxing had on him.
He said he came from a "rough area" in north Belfast with a lot of "bad influences around", but he was very lucky that he had good influences around him such as his parents and boxing coaches.
He said he thinks the documentary will "give people a bit more of an understanding actually what they do in the probation service, and what their aim is really".
Frampton added that probation was "obviously a lot cheaper" than a custodial sentence.
"So they're trying to change people's behaviour, try to get them on the straight and narrow and maybe get them back into work and just become a somewhat normal citizen."
Main object is 'rehabilitation'
Frampton said he got to know "some of the service users and some of the probation officers".
"Something that I noticed was the relationship that the service user actually has with the probation officer," he said. When there is a good relationship then the service user will "get the absolute most" out of it, according to Frampton.
"I just didn't really understand what a probation officer's role was. I thought they were maybe going to be kind of old battle axes and, cracking the whip all the time, but that wasn't the case."
"Obviously, if they stepped out of line, there was repercussions as well," Frampton added. "But the main objective is to rehabilitate people, and that's what they're trying to do."
The mental health of the probation officers is also highlighted in the documentary. "What they're having to deal with and the stories they're having to hear every time," explained Frampton.
While his professional career was boxing, Frampton said he enjoys presenting. "I'm not a reporter, I'm not a journalist, so I feel like I get a little bit more out of people, and they can maybe trust me a wee bit more and share more information a little bit freely, and I'm not gonna judge them. "I just wanna hear their stories, so I'll keep doing it as long as they keep asking."
The full series of Carl Frampton: On Probation will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 18 May.
"Obviously, if they stepped out of line, there was repercussions as well," Frampton added. "But the main objective is to rehabilitate people, and that's what they're trying to do."
The mental health of the probation officers is also highlighted in the documentary. "What they're having to deal with and the stories they're having to hear every time," explained Frampton.
While his professional career was boxing, Frampton said he enjoys presenting. "I'm not a reporter, I'm not a journalist, so I feel like I get a little bit more out of people, and they can maybe trust me a wee bit more and share more information a little bit freely, and I'm not gonna judge them. "I just wanna hear their stories, so I'll keep doing it as long as they keep asking."
The full series of Carl Frampton: On Probation will be available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 18 May.
This is what bbc does best when it puts its mind to it.
ReplyDeleteSocial work system
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect to Carl Frampton, he is an independent observer who states he knows little about the work of the probation service and yet he is able to identify causes and solutions which are employed and which make interventions work.
ReplyDeleteIf he can do this as somebody with no prior knowledge, how is it that ‘the leaders,’ remain blinkered.
Do they not see or do they claim to have a bigger vision?
If it is the latter, can they share it with the rest of us.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bridging-the-gap-omic-delivery-in-five-male-open-english-prisons
ReplyDeleteSocial work in NI not like the nonsense in England
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgrpdkevvnko
ReplyDelete"!Eleven members of staff have been sacked by an NHS trust for inappropriately accessing medical records of the Nottingham attacks victims....On Thursday, Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust confirmed it had dismissed 11 members of staff, while 12 had received final written warnings and two had first written warnings."
One of Ian Coates' sons said "Morbid curiosity and inappropriate voyeurism have become a huge issue, not just with the NHS, but with the Nottinghamshire Police force. The council, the mental health trust, the probationary and prison service amongst others. Unfortunately, the numbers continue to grow with each update we receive, and it is a huge kick in the teeth when we are already down,"
NHS draws a clear & umabiguous line. But what will happen to the probation staff who also accessed records without authorisation?
"The inquiry also heard seven probation service officers were identified as having accessed the information. HM Prison and Probation Service found four of those officers accessed files legitimately, but THREE did not have a legitimate reason to do so. However, it was deemed by the probation service and the Ministry of Justice's data protection unit that the breaches were not serious enough to warrant further action."
Oh.
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-15836573/Widow-taking-late-husbands-firm-tribunal-sell-family-home-pay-case-settle-estate-2029.html
ReplyDeleteJust imagine if there was a trades union in probation who decided to take the employers to court for the problems they caused due to stress related illness and mental health problems.
There are precedents, all it takes is the willingness.
Accessing any record outside of your own work is gross misconduct . Your not paid to look at cases outside of your own allocated time that your paid for . NHS acted properly and got rid and the probation has a high bar to match all staff access records for gawping at should be gone once understood it will cease as staff appreciate the penalty v the risk.
DeleteCivil Service 26/27 pay remit - 3.5%
ReplyDeleteSadly that is less than the 4.9% council tax rise, 4.5% food inflation, 30% fuel rise, average 5% utilities rise as well as a host of other increases which impact on what disposable income we have.
DeleteHowever, I'm heartened by the fact that higher management recognise and are grateful for the work we do and I'm going to get through the next year with only that as succour.
Thank you HMPpS xxxx
Yet the employer will point to inflation at 2.8% (how, exactly!?!) as an example of the remit being 'generous'.
Deletehttps://www.irishlegal.com/articles/probation-service-launches-five-year-strategy-to-boost-lived-experience-participation
ReplyDeleteThe Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) launched its Service User Involvement Strategy 2025–2030 at Clifton House, Belfast, setting out a five-year plan to embed co-production and participation across probation practice, policy, and service improvement.
DeleteThe strategy builds on nearly a decade of work to involve people with lived experience of the justice system, including those who have offended and those who are victims. It commits PBNI to inclusive and ethical service user involvement, aimed at achieving better outcomes and safer communities.
At the launch event, attendees heard a strategic overview and took part in a 20-minute panel discussion on the benefits of service user groups, featuring service user, practitioner, and partner perspectives.
Launching, the strategy director of operations Gillian Montgomery said: “Service user involvement isn’t an add on – it’s essential to developing effective, and responsive services. This strategy is about listening, learning, and engaging with people who know the system best from lived experience, so we can improve outcomes and help change lives for safer communities.
“We’re committed to authentic, safe and inclusive participation—moving beyond consultation to co production where appropriate. You’ll see this through strengthened local service user forums, and the development of roles such as Peer Mentors to support service delivery and training.”
Tony, a service user attending the event said: “Being involved has helped me feel heard and respected, and it means services better reflect real needs. It’s not tokenism—our ideas are taken seriously, and we can see changes happening.”
Yet the majority will accept the 3.5% we're going to be offered!
ReplyDelete