The Board

DR GERALDINE O’HARE (Convener)

Dr Geraldine O’Hare is a Consultant Forensic Psychologist and former Director of Rehabilitation and Head of Psychological Services with the Probation Board for N. Ireland where she worked for 28 years. Following a Churchill Fellowship to the USA, Geraldine was instrumental in introducing problem solving justice initiatives to N. Ireland and led on the introduction of the first Problem Solving Courts in N. Ireland.

Geraldine was awarded the British Psychological Society’s Presidential Award for Innovation and Practice for her work in Criminal Justice and Rehabilitation, and she holds roles within the justice and health sectors both nationally and internationally. 

JAMES MAYBEE

James Maybee is a qualified social worker and holds a Masters degree in Social Sciences. He has an extensive career as a probation officer, justice social worker and senior manager, most recently with responsibility for justice services in Highland Council. He chaired Social Work Scotland’s justice standing committee for 3 years prior to leaving Highland in January 2022 and joining SWS as their justice policy and practice lead. 

Currently, he is a Parole Board for Scotland General Member and a Social Services Fitness to Practice Member of the Scottish Social Services Council and also undertakes consultancy work. 

PROFESSOR KIERAN MCCARTAN

Professor Kieran McCartan is a Professor of Criminology at the University of the West of England. He researches a range of areas including the prevention of a response to sexual abuse, as well as trauma-informed practice. He has completed funded research for UK and International funders including, ESRC, Leverhulme Trust, the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice, EU Horizon 2020 and Australia’s National Organisation for Women’s Safety. Kieran has advised (including the Council of Europe and the Australian National Office of d and continue s to advise (including the European Union, ECPAT International, and NSPCC) many national and international governments and organisations, as well as sitting on several boards (including the Confederation of European Probation Circles Southwest). He is currently the Vice-Chair of the National Organisation for the Treatment of Abuse (NOTA).

DR ALAIN ZYSSET

Dr Alain Zysset is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Law, University of Glasgow. Alain’s research concentrates on the European Convention on Human Rights from a variety of theoretical angles, including proportionality, subsidiarity, and democracy. His research in this area has been published in leading international journals in constitutional and human rights law, including International Journal of Constitutional Law, Human Rights Law Review and Global Constitutionalism. Alain also has extensively researched the link between human rights law and criminal justice, domestic and international. His research in that area has been published in leading international journals of legal philosophy such as Ratio Juris and Criminal Law and Philosophy. Alain is the author of The ECHR and Human Rights Theory (Routledge, 2016) and is currently completing a second monograph on populism and human rights norms (to be published by Cambridge University Press).

STEPHEN MCALLISTER

Stephen McAllister is a former Divisional Commander with Police Scotland with extensive experience in the management of change and risk.

Since retirement from Police Scotland, Mr McAllister has served on the Boards of the Samaritans, the Golden Jubilee Foundation Board and Chair of Lifelink – a Glasgow based wellbeing Social Enterprise.  

JIM FARISH

Jim Farish joined the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) after a twenty year career in the construction industry. During his SPS career he held a number of senior roles including Governor in Charge of four prisons, Assistant Director of Prisons as well as a period seconded to HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland as Deputy Chief Inspector.

He has a strong human rights background having led the project to ensure that rights and their importance were clearly articulated within each of the standards used for the inspection of prisons in Scotland. 

DR JOE JUDGE

Dr Joe Judge is a clinical psychologist. He has worked in a wide range of forensic and non-forensic mental health settings and has long standing clinical and research interests in the risk assessment of violence and sexual violence.

Dr Judge has a special interest in the application of psychological formulation for people with complex relational difficulties.