Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Yvonne Jewkes

@yvonnejewkes.bsky.social

1.1K followers 1K following 61 posts

Criminologist. Memoirist @ScribeUKbooks. Writer in Residence HMP Grendon and HMP Rye Hill. Creative writing tutor Freedom to Write. Agent Eleanor Birne @rcwlitagency https://linktr.ee/YvonneJewkes

linktr.ee

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Nov 15

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...

‘Places to heal, not to harm’: why brutal prison design kills off hope

The long read: From razor-wire fences and crumbling cells to no windows and overcrowding, conditions in most jails mean rehabilitation is a nonstarter. Here’s how we can create better spaces for priso...

www.theguardian.com

1 10 22

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · 5d

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.

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · 16d

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…

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · 25d

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

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Aug 28

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’)?

1 4

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Aug 10

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...

why I write and why I teach creative writing

+ news of the next retreat, 9-12 January 2026

open.substack.com

1 2

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Aug 3

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

cutting hair for a tin of mackerel

and how a friend in prison is teaching me the value of small freedoms

yvonnejewkes.substack.com

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jul 31

Thank you, Michele, it was great to meet you too. Thanks for your encouragement. I hope your talk in London went well and best of luck with your onward journey too x

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jul 31

Thanks, Rob! I can definitely see the (grimly) funny side of it. About ten years ago I started writing a comic novel set on a university campus. I reckon this might be the time to return to it.

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jul 31

That’s one of the reasons I didn’t use it in my post. It’s a label that obfuscates the true horrors…

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jul 31

I might return to my novel but reframe it in the light of my experience in the neoliberal university…!

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jul 31

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...

Leaving Academia

Reflections on failure, freedom, and creating a meaningful life outside the university

open.substack.com

3 1 8

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Jun 4

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

Reposted by Yvonne Jewkes

Tracy King @tracyking.bsky.social · Jun 3

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...

Coroner's plea to find families of shamed surgeon Ian Paterson's patients

Elaine Morris, 45 from Solihull, is one of the five women whose next of kin have not been traced.

www.bbc.com

1 55 14

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · May 17

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.

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · May 7

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

Reposted by Yvonne Jewkes

Matt Houlbrook @tricksterprince.bsky.social · May 2

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.

1 1 4

Reposted by Yvonne Jewkes

Matt Houlbrook @tricksterprince.bsky.social · May 2

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.

A prison officer sits outside the prayer room under the pointed arches within the central atrium inside HMP Lincoln, Lincoln.

2 14 50

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Apr 28

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.

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Apr 21

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

The Society of Authors @societyofauthors.bsky.social · Apr 2

Thank you to everyone who has signed our petition, 6,000+! Authors deserve to have a livelihood and compensation from their work, if you haven't signed do so now 👇

Sign the Petition

Protect authors’ livelihoods from the unlicensed use of their work in AI training

www.change.org

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Apr 20

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

1 3

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Apr 8

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...

Clem Burke obituary

Drummer with Blondie who provided the backbone of their string of hit singles and live performances

www.theguardian.com

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Mar 30

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

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Mar 26

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...

1 1

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Mar 26

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

2 9

Yvonne Jewkes @yvonnejewkes.bsky.social · Mar 24

Omg Tracy these are all GENIUS!!!