From crisis to confidence: Revolving Doors members visit Parliament
In February a group of lived experience members went to Parliament, where they spoke to Liberal Democrat MPs about their experiences of the revolving door. MPs in attendance included Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Justice Jess Brown-Fuller MP, Justice Select Committee Member Tessa Munt and Spokesperson for Home Affairs Max Wilkinson.
Members spoke about their routes into the revolving door, and the pathway from root causes, including trauma and substance use, to criminal justice involvement – often in the form of short prison sentences. Insufficient to enable change but long enough to result in loss of housing, income and family stability, these sentences did not rehabilitate them.
How can we address the root causes of offending?
Discussions also covered the lack of support people in the revolving door face upon release from prison, both more immediately once they are ‘through the gate’ and again when they are back in the community. Other issues that were raised included a lack of funding for preventative youth work, the profound emotional impact of custody on mothers, and the risks posed when services are siloed and address individual needs separately rather than taking a whole-person approach.
The root causes of offending need to be addressed for change to happen: meaningful rehabilitation requires addressing the “backpack” of trauma carried over a lifetime. Our members’ personal lived experience enabled them to offer powerful descriptions of the issues facing the justice system and those in it. It also meant they were able to set out a clear, evidence-based blueprint of the actions that can be taken to end cycles of crisis and crime.
Members reflected on turning points in their lives and the importance of hope, community and a sense of belonging. The importance of early intervention and diversion, peer support and recovery communities were stressed. They discussed how their paths towards recovery often started with someone believing in them, taking the time to be personal and inquisitive, to ask what was really going on and to listen.
Our members are testament to what’s possible, the need for change, and the potential that lies within everyone in the revolving door.
But what did our members think?
“Thank you so much for today, it was an amazing opportunity to be heard and also made me feel really special getting the chance to speak with these people.”
“[I thought] they were engaged and very compassionate. From a personal perspective it was proof that there’s huge power in the skill of good listening in engendering a meaningful conversation. They appeared to be very live to a lot of the issues already which was quietly reassuring. If you knock on the door often enough, eventually it’ll be opened!”
“Walking into Parliament to speak with the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Justice and other MPs, I felt a mixture of pride, disbelief and determination. What I could never have expected is how completely life can turn around. To go from being stuck in that revolving cycle to standing in Parliament advocating for reform feels surreal. It truly is a full-circle moment.
There is something incredibly powerful about being heard by decision-makers. When MPs leaned in to listen, asked questions and acknowledged the value of lived experience, it reinforced something I now hold firmly: those of us who have been through the system are not just voices of trauma – we are voices of expertise.
Being an expert by experience doesn’t erase the past. But it reframes it. The same experiences that once felt like shame now form the foundation of insight. The crises that once overwhelmed me now inform my understanding of where policy falls short. The confidence I lacked for so long has grown into a steady belief that my voice matters.”
Work with us
At Revolving Doors, we harness lived and learned experience to drive change. Our members’ voices are heard at every level: from services on the ground to the halls of power. We can work with you to shape policy, research and advocacy work, with a track record of proven impact.
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