The uneven path to rehabilitation
13 Jan. 2026
By Suzanne Hunt, Ingeus Peer Mentor Lead
As Peer Mentor Lead for Ingeus
Justice Services in the East Midlands, Suzanne Hunt knows that the rehabilitation of people who have been through the criminal justice system is rarely straightforward. Here she talks about overcoming the ‘wobbly bits’ and how the same principles apply in all walks of life.
We all want a safe world. We don’t want to put people into prisons to sit and stew for months or years and come out the same person with the same outlook on life. If they are met with humility, kindness, care, and hope, then that’s worth everything. I can’t see who doesn’t benefit from rehabilitation.
However, it’s rarely, if ever, a straight line to a life that’s better for the person on that journey, their families, friends, communities, and society.
I meet people when they have just come out of prison, or a court hearing, for a session we call Transition and Hope. Many have a lot of issues to deal with: debt, poor mental health, unemployment, addiction – their lives can be very chaotic.
Even after they begin their rehabilitation journey with us it can be thrown off course by them ending up back in court, drinking again, the emotions involved in a new or failed relationship, loneliness, receiving an unpayable bill, a lapse in their mental health, death of a family member, or a new medical condition.
Even a positive outcome like getting a job can cause a relapse, the realisation that: ‘This is real life now, this isn’t playing at it.’
There are lots of wobbly moments that may halt rehabilitation – all things that the rest of us have in our lives. It is surprising what can go wrong.
I met one gentleman who came to the session direct from court. He had never been in trouble before; he was absolutely broken. He had lost his job, had low self-esteem and was suicidal. He’d had a traumatic childhood and had started drinking.
After the session and listening to one of our peer mentors who have experienced the criminal justice system, he realised there was hope out there.
He took advantage of all the counselling services we offer. He applied to be a peer mentor and trained at our academy. He was doing really well.
Then he lost his way and went back to drinking. He tried to cover it up and failed to attend meetings.
Eventually he rang me and said he felt ashamed. I told him that we would start to get him back on board with the right help.
I made sure he got help from an alcohol support service, met him regularly and eventually he went back to our Peer Mentoring Academy and graduated in October 2025.
He still had a lot of tricky obstacles in his life and was worried he might go backwards, but I reassured him. Ingeus has a huge range of support partners that can help, but having somebody who believes in you can make all the difference.
Our senior team at Ingeus reinforces the values that guide what our teams strive to do: ‘Never give up on anyone, always do the right thing.’
That sort of support is not just for people who have been through the criminal justice system, it works for life in general. You could be the one person who makes the difference, the one person who says: ‘It’s OK, I believe in you.’
If you know somebody trying to quit smoking, lose weight or get fit, and who loses sight of the end goal, being the person who sees them as they really are, rather than how they are acting at that moment, can set them back on course.
If somebody quits their diet you might say: ‘Yes, you’ve had that one bar of chocolate but previously you would have had three.’ Be the person who doesn’t judge.
If life was a classroom many of those we support would be right at the back. If we do nothing, they will stay there with poor outcomes for themselves and those around them, because what else is there for them but to reoffend, feeding into their negative emotions?
The path to rehabilitation is often not an easy one. People trying to change their lives need support along the way but ultimately it recognises the value all people can bring to society.
I am proud to be part of that, and to be part of a business that recognises that. In different scenarios, you can do your bit too.
ABOUT SUZANNE: The start of Suzanne’s career was as a volunteer supporting teenage girls who were pregnant and, often, homeless. She later worked in local authority tenancy support before joining the Probation Service in 2005, working in prison teaching programmes and with survivors of domestic abuse. She’s been involved in peer mentoring since 2011 and in 2021 moved to Ingeus, supporting volunteer mentors into employment.
.png?width=1709&height=843&ext=.png)
.png?width=1165&height=190&ext=.png){kind=spacer}
Contact Us
