Overall an interesting book. What stood out for me was the contrast with UK and US police interrogation techniques. One investigatory and the other accusatory. I liked the PEACE mnemonic for investigatory procedures:

My Life with Murderers - Open Library My Life with Murderers - Open Library

Some of the sections were interesting. His description of the rehab techniques some of the prisons use was intriguing. And his comparison of US and UK interview techniques was unsurprising but interesting anyway. With characteristic brilliance and admirable sensitivity, Wilson illuminates the complex causes of their often horrific crimes’– Professor Simon Winlow, Vice President of the British Society of Criminology I was fortunate enough to see the author at an event in Bloody Scotland in 2019. Having found his talk extremely intriguing as well as spellbinding, I could have happily sat there all day and listened to him talking, I bought a copy of this book after the event where he was signing copies. Professor David Wilson has spent his professional life working with violent men – especially men who have committed murder. Aged twenty-nine he became, at that time, the UK’s youngest ever prison Governor in charge of a jail and his career since then has seen him sat across a table with all sorts of killers: sometimes in a tense interview; sometimes sharing a cup of tea (or something a little stronger); sometimes looking them in the eye to tell them that they are a psychopath. My Life with Murderers" by David Wilson is a riveting dive into the shadowy world of serial killers and violent criminals, and it's a rollercoaster of emotions, insights, and revelations. Wilson, with his years of experience as a criminologist, takes us on a gripping journey behind the minds of some of the most notorious criminals in history.I’m sure I am not on my own in having a fascination when it comes to serial killers and murderers. With so many crime books, shows, films, they make for compelling screen and reading time. For me I suppose it’s the whys. Why would someone murder someone or multiple people? Is it events from their own childhood that has shaped them into who they are today or can you really just be born evil? What goes on in that persons mind?

David Wilson - My Life With Murderers | UCL CULTURE - UCL

The last chapter covering the murder of a paperboy and how Bert Spencer managed to evade justice os an indictment of the police incompetence. The Interview with a Murderer tv show will be interesting to watch. I am sure the police will not reopen the case. David thought that the Carl Bridgwater murder might have been largely forgotten in his chapter on the suspected perpetrator. Carl was about three weeks younger than me and the murder was relatively local, I remember the local news reports and information wanted posters outside my school gates. So, not totally forgotten by me although David’s award winning documentary about it had completely passed me by and maybe something I need to catch up on. Sad that all these years on minds have never really been put to rest. It’s clear that Wilson knows his stuff. Without having read any of his previous novels, it’s clear that he has years of experience dealing with various psychopaths and murderers and knows their personalities inside and out. He takes a more scientific approach compared to his American contemporaries too, relying more heavily of the psychology of victims and evidence based practice compared to ‘one off interviews’ and showman ship. It’s a refreshing and more reliable approach to others I’ve read (ie John Douglas, who gets a sound dressing down here). This is an excellent book, well deserving of 5 stars. I’m going to hear David Wilson speak at the end of March at Glasgow’s Aye Write book festival. I can’t wait! [He was excellent, as expected]. I also thoroughly enjoyed the little titbits into prison life with Charles Manson (I laughed out loud at the, in all honestly, bizarre scenario of Manson threatening to stab the prison guards with his moustache while stark naked and covered in shoe polish) and a ‘Furries’ convention that Wilson inadvertently ended up getting in the mix with. I would have enjoyed some more of these personal insights, as they added some much needed light relief to a heavy topic.

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From prison riots to the unique therapeutic approach of HMP Grendon, this will most certainly broaden your mind. I appreciated the honesty when given a tragic example of how things can go horribly wrong, but in the main, this application proves to be highly successful. The proof in this being that some ex offenders, having undergone the therapeutic approach at Grendon, are now David Wilson’s good friends! David Wilson is the author of the gripping books My Life with Murderers, A Plot to Kill and new release Murder at Home. Emeritus Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University and the founding Director of the university’s Centre for Criminal Justice and Research, he is also a respected TV presenter, most recently fronting Channel 4’s In the Footsteps of Killers with Emilia Fox and David Wilson’s Crime Files for BBC Scotland.

My Life With Murderers - Professor David Wilson - TicketSource My Life With Murderers - Professor David Wilson - TicketSource

My Life with Murderers is a reflection by renound professor of criminology David Wilson on his time as governor and assistant governor at a number of British prisons and the numerous encounters with murders he has had along the way. However, it’s also more than that, as it follows Wilson’s musings on what it is to be a murderer and the various types of murderers there are, from spree and hitmen to serial and beyond. With experiences unlike any other and an unparalleled knowledge of murder, David will discuss his fascinating and compelling study of human nature, delving into infamous as well as lesser-known true crime cases in an attempt to make sense out of the senseless. In a career spanning 40 years, David has met all sorts of killers: hitmen, mass, spree and serial killers and those murderers who seem to kill “in 5 minutes of madness”. Sometimes he meets them in a tense interview in a cell; sometimes to share a cup of tea (or something a little stronger); or sometimes just to look them in the eye as he tells them that, yes, they really are a psychopath. David Wilson is Professor of Criminology and founding Director of the Centre for Applied Criminology at Birmingham City University – one of the university’s “research centres of excellence”. He is the co-Editor of the prestigious Howard Journal of Criminal Justice, which is produced five times per year. Prior to taking up his academic appointment in September 1997, David was Senior Policy Advisor to the Prison Reform Trust, and between October 1983-April 1997 he worked as a Prison Governor. Ahead of the tour, David Wilson said: “I’m really excited at the prospect of being able to share my academic and applied knowledge about murder in all its various and deadly guises. I want to persuade the audience that an interest in true crime is not just normal but necessary and, above all, to offer hope about how we can reduce the incidence of murder and serial murder in our culture.”David has advised on live police investigations related to a linked series of murders and has provided training to new Senior Investigating Officers who will take charge of murder inquiries. In a career spanning 40 years David has met all sorts of killers: hitmen, mass, spree and serial killers and those murderers who seem to kill “in 5 minutes of madness”. Sometimes he meets them in a tense interview in a cell; sometimes to share a cup of tea (or something a little stronger); or sometimes just to look them in the eye as he tells them that, yes, they really are a psychopath. The author’s professional experiences, lets us get a step closer into meeting these people and finding out. Through David’s own thoughts and the conversations he has with these people, it in some ways opened my eyes and was fascinating learning about techniques they use in trying to uncover the truth. His conversation and dealings with some of the more well known killers, was especially interesting. Now you have the opportunity to hear David’s story from idealistic prison governor straight out of Cambridge University to expert criminologist and emeritus professor.

My Life With Murderers by David Wilson | Goodreads My Life With Murderers by David Wilson | Goodreads

David Wilson, the renowned UK criminologist, author, broadcaster, emeritus professor and former prison governor whose 40-year career has brought him face to face with countless killers, is coming to Exeter during a 2023 UK tour, ‘My Life with Murderers’. Hugely insightful and thought provoking . . . I read it from cover to cover in one go' - Emilia Fox David Wilson has become quite a celebrity in the UK. Those of us who enjoy watching his programmes on cold cases are fascinated by his expertise; by his careful fitting together of all the pieces of evidence available to expose those who are guilty of heinous crimes. In a career spanning 40 years David Wilson has met all sorts of killers: hitmen, mass, spree and serial killers and those murderers who seem to kill “in 5 minutes of madness”. Sometimes he meets them in a tense interview in a cell; sometimes to share a cup of tea (or something a little stronger); or sometimes just to look them in the eye as he tells them that, yes, they really are a psychopath. I received this book as part of my last A Box of Stories book delivery and was quite excited by it. I was looking forward to reading all about the interviews with the murderers and learning about the psychology of why they committed these acts. Unfortunately, this wasn't what I got.With characteristic brilliance and admirable sensitivity, Wilson illuminates the complex causes of their often horrific crimes' - Professor Simon Winlow, Vice President of the British Society of Criminology My Life with Murderers’ will take you inside the prison walls where you find yourself immersed with Britain’s most dangerous psychopaths. Nothing exaggerated, David Wilson writes with integrity and sensitivity. Covering some of the most notorious and heinous crimes, with detailed accounts of interviews with infamous murderers and other criminals, you will feel you are sitting amongst them.