About this episode
Dr Gwen Adshead discusses the treatment of violent offenders and the need for a shift in public perception regarding them.
In her final lecture, the forensic psychiatrist Dr Gwen Adshead, assesses how we deal with violent offenders and asks is it time for a re-think? The UK has more than 70 people on whole life tariffs, at incredible expense – all to appease a sense of revenge, she says. Dr Adshead assesses the effectiveness and impact of therapeutic interventions with offenders in prisons. And she asks if the public needs to change their minds about violent perpetrators. The programme is recorded in Bergen, Norway – a country which has a long tradition of rehabilitating violent offenders. The Reith Lectures are presented and chaired by Anita Anand. Producer: Jim Frank Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Additional Research by James Bonney and Debbie Richford
People in this episode
Host: Anita Anand
Guest: Dr Gwen Adshead
Topics covered
- violent offenders
- rehabilitation
- therapeutic interventions
- public perception
- forensic psychiatry
Keywords
- violent minds
- forensic psychiatry
- rehabilitation
- therapeutic interventions
- public perception
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC Radio 4, UK
Places: Bergen, Norway
More episodes of The Reith Lectures
- 4. Fighting for Humanity in the Age of the Machine. · December 16, 2025 · 57 min
- 3. A conspiracy of decency · December 9, 2025 · 57 min
- 2. How to start a moral revolution · December 2, 2025 · 58 min
- 1. A Time of Monsters · November 25, 2025 · 58 min
- Moral Maze debate: Rutger Bregman’s call for a moral revolution · November 25, 2025 · 57 min
- Does Trauma Cause Violence? · December 10, 2024 · 58 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Reith Lectures podcast page.