Hence, a never-ending escalation of his violent activities, creating tensions for his family, friends and often dubious associates in the seaside town where he grew up. "So You Think You Know Me?" is infused with contradictions in which the Allan Weaver who commits sometimes unspeakable acts of mayhem and aggression is not the Allan Weaver telling the story from inside his own head: an often vulnerable, sensitive, articulate and (if somewhat crazily) balanced individual to whom his own actions never seem to make any sense beyond a misguided insistence on living up to his tough guy image and reputation. That there can be any tidy ending to this gritty true account of a life spent in residential homes, Borstal, prison and always at a respectful distance from the police and other authority figures is remarkable - as are his own comments on a present-day Criminal Justice System that he believes is still failing young people for reasons which are given in the book. It is essential reading for anyone involved with serious young offenders, especially those of a violent disposition.
Publisher: Waterside Press
ISBN: 9781904380450
Number of pages: 224
Weight: 310 g
Dimensions: 223 x 148 x 12 mm
'Despite all the tribulations he faced in his early life Weaver conveys his experiences with humour and affection. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be reminded of why they embarked on a career in the probation service': Probation Journal 'When Mr Weaver talks about the importance of tackling the causes of crime, he does so from an unusual position of authority and experience': The Scotsman 'There will be few who can match the range and depth of his understanding... Weaver tells his story with unflinching frankness. He does not glory in the life he lived, but takes the reader into a world where it could seem to be just a part of normality. Long-term prisoners are wont to speak of their lives as a journey. One puts down this book reminded of how very long that journey can be, of the distant, half-known country where it can have begun, of the price it can exact and the importance of nourishing hope': Independent Monitor 'A book that makes painful reading at times, painful to read of the damage that Allan Weaver caused to himself and others and their property, but also painful to read how structures often combined, some would say colluded, to take him further away from the person he could have been. But it is a book that helps us better understand Allan Weaver, and those like him, who, given a chance, can get away from their past and help build a better future': Internet Law Book Reviews
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