The Criminologist

Joe Arvidson
  • 4.7 (22)
  • Social Sciences
  • Updated Weekly

Host Joseph Arvidson brings criminologist, practitioners, academics and those with lived experiences from around the world together to discuss the age old dilemma of responding to society's criminal element. Merging established correctional policy with emerging desistance models, this show illustrates how adopting a holistic lens and constantly questioning established approaches can best serves justice involved individuals.

  1. 1d ago

    EP 245: Creating Conditions for Success. Dianna Kalandros on Justice Innovation

    In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, host Joseph Arvidson welcomes Dianna Kalandros, Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in Coconino County, Arizona, for a conversation about collaboration, innovation, and what it means to humanize the justice system in practical ways. Dianna discusses the role of Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils, the importance of bringing stakeholders together, and how local systems can respond to long-standing challenges in probation, courts, corrections, and community justice through creativity and collaboration. A central theme of the conversation is the shift from simply asking, "How do we respond when people fail?" to asking, "How do we create more opportunities for people to succeed?" Joe and Dianna explore incentive-based approaches, removing barriers, supervision fees, justice system collaboration, and the importance of recognizing progress. Dianna also shares the impact of the Client of the Month project and how it helped humanize individuals involved in the justice system for local stakeholders. The episode also touches on innovative efforts such as the Justice Bus, broader CJCC work in Coconino County, and examples of how communities can rethink access, accountability, and support. This conversation is especially relevant for probation, parole, pretrial services, courts, corrections, reentry, behavioral health, and justice-system leaders interested in improving outcomes through collaboration, practical innovation, and a more human-centered approach. Selected resources provided by Dianna are included below: Tempe incentives program article from KJZZ A look at how a Tempe-run program helps people charged with misdemeanors offset fees, connect with supports, and get back on track. https://www.kjzz.org/kjzz-news/2024-10-30/tempe-run-program-helps-people-charged-with-misdemeanors-offset-fees-get-back-on-track Coconino County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council More information about the CJCC in Coconino County, including Dianna's role and local CJCC work. https://www.coconino.az.gov/943/Criminal-Justice-Coordinating-Council National Network of Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils — JMI Justice Learn more about CJCCs, standards, essential elements, and national resources. https://jmijustice.org/nncjcc/ CJCC Essential Elements — National Institute of Corrections A resource outlining the ten essential elements of high-performing Criminal Justice Coordinating Councils. https://nicic.gov/resources/nic-library/all-library-items/cjcc-essential-elements-companion-national-standards Justice on the Road with Coconino County — JMI Justice A feature on Coconino County's Justice Bus initiative and its effort to bring justice-related services directly to communities. https://jmijustice.org/justice-on-the-road-with-coconino-county/ Coconino County Justice Bus information Information on Justice Bus events and services, including court documents, name changes, marriage licenses, set-asides, marijuana expungement applications, fine/fee payments, and other access-to-justice supports. https://www.coconino.az.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3383 Justice Bus Award Announcement Coconino County announcement on the Justice Bus winning the Arizona Supreme Court's 2025 Strategic Agenda Award for Expanding Access to Justice. https://www.coconino.az.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/3307

  2. Jul 7

    EP 244: Sound, Somatics, and Rehabilitation: Caroline Georgiou on Healing Inside Prison

    n this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, host Joseph Arvidson welcomes Caroline Georgiou for a conversation unlike any we have had on the show before. Caroline is a trauma-trained counsellor, somatic movement therapist, clinical supervisor, and one of the world's leading innerdance facilitators and trainers. Her work explores the relationship between sound, trauma, the nervous system, emotional regulation, identity, inner awareness, and human transformation — including within prison settings. Together, Joe and Caroline explore what happens when rehabilitation moves beneath words. In corrections, probation, parole, and treatment, so much of the work is built around conversation: interviews, assessments, groups, case plans, accountability, motivation, and behavior change. But Caroline invites us to consider the role of the body, the central nervous system, sound, somatic awareness, safety, connection, dysregulation, co-regulation, and identity in the change process. The conversation also connects with themes familiar to those interested in trauma-informed practice and the TIDES Supervision Model, including polyvagal theory, nervous system regulation, the importance of feeling safe and connected, and the role of identity in meaningful change. Caroline discusses how sound and music affect the body, mood, emotion, and behavior — and how this knowledge has long been used in other parts of society, from film directors shaping emotional experience to casinos creating environments that influence attention and behavior. That raises an important question for criminal justice professionals: if sound can be used to heighten emotion or shape behavior, how might it also be used ethically and intentionally to support reflection, regulation, healing, and rehabilitation? Joe and Caroline also discuss her work bringing sound-led transformation into prison settings, her vision for prison radio and sound-based wellbeing programs, and the intriguing possibility of developing a custom TIDES soundscape. Listeners will also hear selected samples from Caroline's free soundscape, available through her website, The Sound of Dreams. Learn more about Caroline Georgiou and access her resources here: https://www.thesoundofdreams.com/ This episode invites us to consider a powerful question: What if rehabilitation is not only about the conversations we have, but also about the environments we create?

  3. Jun 23

    What Story Is Probation Telling? Pitts and Mozers, Part Two

    In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, we continue Part Two of my conversation with Stephen Pitts and Imants Mozers, authors of The Missing Story: Probation, Legitimacy, and the Battle for Public Understanding. If you have not yet listened to Part One, released as Episode 241, I encourage you to go back and begin there. This second part picks up the conversation by going deeper into probation's identity, public legitimacy, leadership, and the stories the field tells — or fails to tell — about itself. Stephen and Imants challenge us to think about why probation cannot simply assume its value is self-evident. Agencies must be able to explain what they do, why it matters, and how the work contributes to safer and healthier communities. That requires leadership, shared language, strategic communication, and a willingness to listen to voices that are sometimes left out of the official story. In Part Two, we explore: • why probation agencies need a clearer professional identity • the role of leadership in shaping shared language and public understanding • the value of lived experience in explaining justice interventions • why agencies should be strategic about who they try to reach and persuade • how professional probation networks are growing across the world • the importance of APPA, CEP, the Caribbean Association of Probation and Parole, and emerging networks in Africa • Stephen and Imants' reflections on the future of probation • the next World Congress on Probation and Parole, scheduled for Riga, Latvia, in May 2028 Listeners can learn more about Stephen and Imants' work at probationfutures.com, where you can also sign up to receive access to the digital version of The Missing Story when it becomes available. I have also been releasing short YouTube video highlights from this conversation. You can find those, along with additional video content from The Criminologist Podcast, on my YouTube channel. As always, thank you for listening to The Criminologist Podcast. Please subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and continue following along as we explore the ideas, people, and practices shaping the future of probation, parole, desistance, and community corrections. Links mentioned in this episode Probation Futures: https://probationfutures/com The Criminologist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCriminologist Short YouTube highlight from this conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4TLNu40TAI American Probation and Parole Association: https://www.appa-net.org Confederation of European Probation: https://www.cep-probation.org World Congress on Probation and Parole information via CEP: https://www.cep-probation.org/world-congress-on-probation/

  4. Jun 9

    EP 242: Responsivity in Action: LEGO®-Based Interventions with Dr. Jerrod Brown

    In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Jerrod Brown for a fascinating conversation on LEGO®-based interventions with justice-involved populations. At first glance, LEGO® bricks may not seem like an obvious tool for probation, corrections, forensic mental health, or human services. But as Dr. Brown explains, structured LEGO®-based activities can provide a powerful, hands-on way to engage individuals who may struggle with traditional talk-based interventions. This conversation explores the intersection of neurodisability, responsivity, trauma-informed practice, and skill development. Many justice-involved individuals experience challenges related to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, autism-related needs, dyslexia, learning disabilities, attention, memory, executive functioning, communication, emotional regulation, and social problem-solving. When these realities are missed, professionals may misinterpret confusion as resistance, poor memory as dishonesty, difficulty following instructions as defiance, or emotional dysregulation as simply "bad behavior." Dr. Brown helps us think differently. LEGO®-based interventions can offer a structured, non-threatening, and highly practical way to help individuals build and practice skills such as: communication cooperation problem-solving emotional regulation perspective-taking frustration tolerance planning and sequencing following directions teamwork confidence and mastery For professionals grounded in the Risk-Need-Responsivity framework, this episode is especially relevant. Risk tells us who to prioritize. Need tells us what to target. But responsivity reminds us that how we deliver interventions matters deeply. If the intervention does not fit the learner, we should not be surprised when the intervention does not stick. This episode challenges us to consider how hands-on, visual, structured, and experiential approaches may help make evidence-informed practice more accessible for the people we serve. A huge thank you to Dr. Jerrod Brown for joining the podcast once again and for continuing to push our field to think more carefully, creatively, and compassionately about effective intervention. For additional questions, Dr. Brown can be reached at: Jerrod01234Brown@live.com Thanks for listening to The Criminologist Podcast. And always remember, There's no them...There's only us.

  5. Jun 9

    EP 242: Responsivity in Action: LEGO®-Based Interventions with Dr. Jerrod Brown

    In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Jerrod Brown for a fascinating conversation on LEGO®-based interventions with justice-involved populations. At first glance, LEGO® bricks may not seem like an obvious tool for probation, corrections, forensic mental health, or human services. But as Dr. Brown explains, structured LEGO®-based activities can provide a powerful, hands-on way to engage individuals who may struggle with traditional talk-based interventions. This conversation explores the intersection of neurodisability, responsivity, trauma-informed practice, and skill development. Many justice-involved individuals experience challenges related to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, traumatic brain injury, autism-related needs, dyslexia, learning disabilities, attention, memory, executive functioning, communication, emotional regulation, and social problem-solving. When these realities are missed, professionals may misinterpret confusion as resistance, poor memory as dishonesty, difficulty following instructions as defiance, or emotional dysregulation as simply "bad behavior." Dr. Brown helps us think differently. LEGO®-based interventions can offer a structured, non-threatening, and highly practical way to help individuals build and practice skills such as: communication cooperation problem-solving emotional regulation perspective-taking frustration tolerance planning and sequencing following directions teamwork confidence and mastery For professionals grounded in the Risk-Need-Responsivity framework, this episode is especially relevant. Risk tells us who to prioritize. Need tells us what to target. But responsivity reminds us that how we deliver interventions matters deeply. If the intervention does not fit the learner, we should not be surprised when the intervention does not stick. This episode challenges us to consider how hands-on, visual, structured, and experiential approaches may help make evidence-informed practice more accessible for the people we serve. A huge thank you to Dr. Jerrod Brown for joining the podcast once again and for continuing to push our field to think more carefully, creatively, and compassionately about effective intervention. For additional questions, Dr. Brown can be reached at: Jerrod01234Brown@live.com Thanks for listening to The Criminologist Podcast. And always remember, There's no them...There's only us.

  6. May 25

    The Missing Story: The Battle for Probation's Public Image with Stephen Pitts & Imants Mozers — Part One

    *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-6980e079-2d08-832c-91e0-4a28660cace1-7" data-turn-id-container= "request-6980e079-2d08-832c-91e0-4a28660cace1-7" data-testid= "conversation-turn-638" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> 🎙️ Episode Show Notes — Part One The Missing Story of Probation with Stephen Pitts & Imants Mozers What is the story probation tells about itself? And perhaps just as importantly… What happens when probation does not tell that story clearly? In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, we begin a powerful two-part conversation with Stephen Pitts and Imants Mozers, co-authors of the new book: 📘 The Missing Story: Probation, Legitimacy and the Battle for Public Understanding This conversation was so rich, timely, and engaging that we decided to release it as a two-part series. In Part One, Steve and Imants help us explore why probation remains one of the most important — yet often misunderstood — parts of the justice system. Too often, the public hears about probation only when something goes wrong. But what is missing from that narrative? The daily work of supporting change. The quiet building of accountability. The role probation plays in desistance. The contribution probation makes to safer communities. And the professional identity of the people doing this work every day. 🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss: ✅ Why probation has a "missing story" ✅ How public understanding shapes legitimacy ✅ Why probation is often defined by failure rather than impact ✅ The importance of narrative in justice reform ✅ How probation professionals can better communicate their value ✅ The connection between legitimacy, trust, and effective practice ✅ Why probation's identity matters — both internally and externally ✅ The role of leadership in shaping public understanding 🌍 Why This Conversation Matters Probation is not simply about monitoring people. It is about supporting rehabilitation, reducing reoffending, building social reintegration, and helping create safer futures. Yet too often, probation is undervalued because its most meaningful work happens quietly — in conversations, relationships, case plans, community partnerships, and moments of human change that rarely make headlines. Steve and Imants challenge us to think differently. They invite us to ask: 👉 Who tells the story of probation? 👉 What story does the public actually hear? 👉 What happens when probation is misunderstood? 👉 And how can the field become more intentional in communicating its purpose, value, and impact? 📘 About the Book The Missing Story: Probation, Legitimacy and the Battle for Public Understanding explores the urgent need for probation to better explain itself — not as a soft option, not as an invisible arm of the justice system, but as a vital public service rooted in accountability, rehabilitation, and community safety. Learn more about the Probation Futures project here: 🌐 www.probationfutures.com There, you can sign up for updates and learn more about the digital book release and related probation-focused conversations from around the world. 🎧 Stay Tuned for Part Two In Part Two of this conversation, we continue the discussion by exploring: 🔹 The importance of including perspectives of people with lived experience 🔹 How probation can become more transparent and credible 🔹 The future of international probation collaboration 🔹 And the next World Congress on Probation and Parole, which will be held in Riga, Latvia 🎙️ Final Thought Probation's missing story is not simply about what probation does. It is about what probation means. And if probation does not tell that story clearly, someone else will tell it for us. 🔗 Connect & Learn More 📘 Probation Futures: www.probationfutures.com 🎙️ The Criminologist Podcast: thecriminologistpodcast@gmail.com 🌊 Learn more about the TIDES Supervision Model: TheTIDESLLC.com And as always… There's no them. There's only us.

  7. Apr 28

    Quantum Desistance: How to Shape Behavior Change One Week at a Time

    What if the people you supervise aren't one fixed version of themselves… but multiple possible versions—each shaped by what gets reinforced over time? In this episode, I introduce a practical way to think about behavior change in supervision—what I've been developing as Quantum Desistance. This isn't about physics. It's a lens. A way to understand how change actually unfolds—not through one intervention, but through patterns that repeat, stabilize, and eventually become identity. We build from what you already know: The Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model Desistance theory and identity transformation The role of reinforcement, environment, and relationships And then take the next step: 👉 Moving from managing risk → shaping probability 👉 From behavior → identity 👉 From compliance → coherence You'll hear how this shows up in real supervision using a case example, and how small, intentional shifts can begin to change what becomes more likely for the people you work with. I also walk through a simple, field-tested tool: "Shift the Week, Shift the Self" A structured way to: Map a client's real week Identify patterns that drive behavior Introduce the Three Selves (Working, Feared, Preferred) Apply 1–2 small changes that move behavior—and identity—in a new direction Because lasting change doesn't come from one moment. It comes from what gets repeated. 🔧 If you want to go deeper To learn more about the TIDES Supervision Model, visit: 👉 TheTIDESLLC.com Questions about the "Shift the Week, Shift the Self" tool? 📩 thecriminologistpodcast@gmail.com Or connect with me on LinkedIn. 🎯 Bottom line You are not just managing risk. You are shaping probability. You are helping determine which version of that person becomes real.

  8. Mar 30

    EP 238: Making Good—and Staying Good | Paul Doke on Long-Term Desistance

    In this episode of The Criminologist Podcast, host Joseph Arvidson is joined by Paul Doke, PhD candidate at Liverpool John Moores University, to explore one of the most overlooked questions in our field: What does it take not just to desist from crime—but to stay desisting over time? Building on Shadd Maruna's groundbreaking Liverpool Desistance Study, Paul's research—"Made Good and Stayed Good"—examines identity, recovery, and belonging among long-term members of Narcotics Anonymous who have sustained desistance from crime and substance use for 5, 10, even 40 years. Together, Joseph and Paul explore: Why the concept of "stable recovery" at 5 years may be incomplete Where long-term desisters go after disengaging from the system The critical role of identity transformation in sustained desistance How Narcotics Anonymous fosters belonging, meaning, and pro-social identity Why lived experience must be centered in desistance research and practice The shift from thinking of people as having "desisted" to actively desisting Paul also shares his own powerful journey—from cycles of criminality and substance use to higher education and doctoral research—bringing a rare and essential perspective as both scholar and lived experience expert. And in a remarkable full-circle moment, Paul reflects on his connection to the original Liverpool Desistance Study—not just as a researcher, but as a participant. This is a conversation about the long arc of change, the power of community, and what it truly means to make good—and stay good. 🔗 Learn More To learn more about applying desistance principles in your own work, explore the TIDES Supervision Model: 👉 https://thetidesllc.com/ 🎙️ Connect with the Show Have questions or want to connect? Reach out through The Criminologist Podcast. 🔑 Final Thought Desistance is not a destination. It is a process—one that unfolds over time, through identity, belonging, and human connection.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Host Joseph Arvidson brings criminologist, practitioners, academics and those with lived experiences from around the world together to discuss the age old dilemma of responding to society's criminal element. Merging established correctional policy with emerging desistance models, this show illustrates how adopting a holistic lens and constantly questioning established approaches can best serves justice involved individuals.

Information

  • Creator
    Joe Arvidson
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    244
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Criminologist

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