Exercising leadership can be as exciting and rewarding as a distressing and lonely experience, even when surrounded by many people. Deciding on other people’s lives, designing a new future for one person or an institution, being this someone in conflict with the law, a member of staff or a convicted inmate; leading a new policy development or managing substantial budgets and infrastructures in complex social and political environments requires preparation but also the openness to read, understand and learn with the world around us.
When working with decision makers in the justice area in different parts of the world it became clear to me that the openness and the willingness to learn – with and from others, and from the context in which others are taking decisions – is a common characteristic of some of the most effective leaders I met. These leaders understand that when a vision, a strategic intent or even a problem that seems difficult to solve is shared among their peers, or with their staff and community partners, there is a wide range of possible reactions that may arise to inspire action.
The JUSTICE TRENDS magazine aims to share recent trends as well as to join in a single publication different views, policies, challenges, ideas, best practices, actions and projects that have a positive impact in the justice area, in different parts of the world, brought here by the word of the ones that have/had to put them into practice.
We are aware of the impossibility to cover all the regions in a single number of a magazine, or to cover all the topics that are relevant in each professional and regional context – we will work hard to take those to the next numbers – but we are confident that the following readings will stimulate reflections and learning around global contemporary topics related to correctional services, community sanctions and measures, and juvenile justice that are in the top of policy and decision makers’ agendas.
Leadership should not be a lonely experience. It is definitely more exciting and rewarding when it is shared with others.
I hope that you enjoy reading the inaugural edition of the JUSTICE TRENDS magazine.
Pedro das Neves
JUSTICE TRENDS Magazine Founder & Director
CEO of IPS_Innovative Prison Systems
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