Lifers and Death: Negotiating Life Both Sides of the Wire

Spanning two continents and two diametrically opposed roles in the justice sector, Lifers and Death: Negotiating Life Both Sides of the Wire is the author's raw memoir that contrasts the stark realities of life as a police officer with the disillusionment of working within a prison. This deeply personal exploration delves into justice, authority, and the unseen toll these institutions exact on those who serve within them.

The story begins behind the wire of a New Zealand prison, where I spent five years as a Senior Corrections Officer. Stepping into the role, I was sure my twelve years as a Scottish police officer would provide a solid foundation - I quickly learned how mistaken I was. The transition was frustrating, confusing and morale-sapping.

In the police I had earned some status and reputation, investigations had purpose, and, despite the rough days that came frequently, there was always a sense of working toward justice. In prison, that sense of purpose vanished. The people I had once arrested were now the ones I supervised, and I was responsible for their welfare -- a responsibility I struggled to reconcile with the crimes they had committed. As a police officer, my job ended once they were locked up. In prison, I had to care about what happened next. And it was exhausting.

I found myself constantly fighting a system that seemed beyond repair. Staff attitudes ranged from blithe indifference to power-hungry, and decisions from management often defied both logic and ethics. Where I had once been an advocate for negotiation and de-escalation, my attempts to bring a human approach -- to listen, to care -- were met with resistance, suspicion, and barely disguised hostility. I watched as officers either hardened themselves, adopting an "us versus them" mentality that left little room for empathy, or became too familiar with inmates, blurring lines that shouldn't have been blurred, opening doors to corruption.

Part 2 of the book rewinds to my years as a police officer -- a chapter of my life I now saw through a new lens. Unlike prison work, police work had meaning. The long hours, the bureaucracy, the emotional toll -- they were real, but so was the impact.

I had investigated sudden deaths, walked into homes where lives had been shattered in an instant, and been the one to deliver the worst news a family could ever receive. As a negotiator, I had talked people down from ledges, from bridges, from the brink of self-destruction. In those moments, I mattered. My presence, my words -- sometimes they made a difference. The job had been relentless, but it had also been profoundly human.

Lifers and Death examines the unseen realities of both professions. It's a study of how institutions shape the people within them, often in ways they never anticipated. It explores how authority is wielded, how justice is perceived, and what happens when the ideals that once guided you begin to erode.

Lifers and Death will resonate with those in law enforcement, corrections, and anyone fascinated by the human cost of justice. It is a book for those who have served within these institutions, those who have been affected by them, and anyone who wants to understand what really happens behind the doors most never see.

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• Biographies & MemoirsMemoirs

• Publication Date: May 19, 2025
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 535 Pages
• File Size: 963 KB