ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights how contact with nature and working with people in forest and conservation management can be critical elements in helping some prisoners and probationers find a future away from crime. One case in point are Offenders and Nature (O&N) schemes run by the Forestry Commission in partnership with various prison and probation services across England. By examining their context and existing evidence about the schemes, we look for lessons to be learned and how these fit with and inform existing concepts of reducing crime. Our research on evaluating the schemes has so far focused on projects operating with prisons. However, in terms of developing a model of desistance, we discuss implications for the overarching offender management model, thus including probation practice.
