A forensic psychologist is helping manage some of the UK’s most high-risk offenders.
Keely Perham, 34, works at HMP Manchester and is the clinical lead for the Close Supervision Centre (CSC), a facility designed for prisoners whose behaviour is so dangerous that they cannot be managed elsewhere.
Ms Perham’s interest in criminal psychology began at an early age, shaped in part by her mother’s work as a prison governor at HMP Brixton and HMP Wormwood Scrubs, and her father’s later service as a Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police.
Ms Perham said: “I was always interested in why people do things.
“I loved watching criminal documentaries, was interested in crime, and I knew for a long time that I wanted to be a forensic psychologist.
“I had insight because my mum’s career.
“I knew what the job was – which is rare.”
After university, she began volunteering at the former prison in Reading before starting formal training at HMP Erlestoke, despite a lengthy daily commute of 70 miles each way.
She said: “It was long, long hours.
“But worth it for the chance to get into the field.
“The service pays for your training, I felt lucky to get it.”
Ms Perham later moved to HMP Bullingdon before transferring to the high-security estate at HMP Manchester.
There, she joined the CSC, which works with a small group of prisoners judged to pose the highest security risks.
She said: “Working in this job is intellectually nourishing.
“We assess individuals serving the most serious sentences, give expert evidence at parole hearings and work daily to reduce and contain extreme risk.
“The aim is to get them into the general prison population.”
While she describes the work as intense, complex, demanding and highly specialist, she says it is exactly where she wants to be.
Women like Ms Perham now make up 41 per cent of all staff inside prisons, in roles ranging from frontline officers to psychologists, educators, and operational specialists.
The Ministry of Justice is currently running its ‘Extraordinary Jobs’ campaign to highlight the range of roles available in prison and probation services and the impact staff can have.
Many positions require no previous qualifications and come with full training.
Prisons are looking for applicants who can communicate well, remain calm under pressure, make sound decisions and are genuinely interested in helping people change their lives.