An Inside Job is a gripping story of life as a chaplain inside Lincoln prison, a local jail opened in 1872. Joy Osborne writes from the heart with sensitivity and passion. The reader is drawn into a world which is generally unknown to the public. Following theological training, Joy felt God calling her beyond the church building to work inside the prison walls with some of the country’s most prolific offenders. She shared in the lives of those shunned by society and saw beyond crimes committed to the person’s humanity. Inside the busy jail, it was often ministry on the ‘hoof’, responding to an immediate crisis. Being ready with a listening ear, advice, compassion, an offer of help and prayers when requested were just part of a busy day. The challenges of prison life are portrayed in this book and are felt by the reader as they journey with Joy on an amazing walk through the prison and beyond.
The author was born in 1947 and has lived all of her life in Lincolnshire. She has worked in a variety of jobs, including retailing and social services. Having a heart for the marginalised, she has been on many overseas aid missions. During her forties, Joy experienced a call from God to train for ministry in the church. Gaining a B.A. in theology and pastoral studies from Theological College, she went on to train and work as a prison chaplain at HM Prison Lincoln. Having being involved in the lives of many prisoners and staff, this book captures the day-to-day life of prison and highlights the pain and difficulties together with humour felt by many in the service. After retirement, Joy continues to serve in the church and enjoys the more leisurely pursuits of walking and exploring castles and historical houses.
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2 reviews
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A very interesting and thought-provoking book about the little-known life behind the prison gates. Once started, the reader is compelled to continue reading about how incarceration affects people's lives, both on the "inside", and in the "outside" world. You don't have to be a religious person to enjoy this book, but the style that Joy has written, certainly makes you sit back and think. I thoroughly recommend this easy-to-read autobiography.
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Joy Osborne gives us an incredibly eye opening peek inside the life of a prison Chaplain. I feel like she has been very honest with her retelling of her stories, from how she learned from early mistakes and how she found her calling for this line of work.
There are a lot of references to the Bible, but that was to be expected considering the book is written by a chaplain, I think some readers will find these quotes very comforting and they will help them to be fully immersed in the book.
Although the book is short (114 pages), Joy easily demonstrated how she was there mainly to support the prisoners and their families but also how she was there for the prison guards too.
This book must have been difficult to write and I applaud Joy for getting the message out there, I have certainly learned a thing or two about life behind bars for a prison Chaplain!
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