Where the seed for Criminal Justice was planted.

How a stolen car, and neighbours who struggled with addiction, laid the path for a career in criminal justice

Author

Esther Champion
April 11, 2025

Before we dive into the ‘Why’ behind our interest in criminal justice, let me, Esther, the Founder and Lead trainer of Myrtos, welcome you to Myrtos Consultancy’s newsletter. Every few weeks you’ll get an update about what we've been up to, as well as current happenings in the criminal justice system and the world of work. Over the first few months, you’ll get a greater understanding of why and how Myrtos Consultancy came about and what our hopes for the future are.

Why Criminal Justice?

It’s a question I’m often asked: “What’s a nice woman like you working in criminal justice for?”

And honestly, I don’t have a definitive answer. What I can say is that my journey into this field began during my childhood, though I didn’t realise it at the time. I grew up in a quiet village on the edge of a pleasant town. Shortly after we moved there when I was four, our neighbours stole my parents’ car. That incident faded into the background of my memory.

A few years later, a new family moved in next door. The parents were battling addiction to drugs and alcohol, and their youngest son often spent time at our house. He became like a younger brother to me. It was during this time that I saw my parents living out their faith in God. They were loving, kind, and compassionate, yet firm and fair in their dealings with our neighbours. Despite the frustration of broken promises and late-night visits, they remained steadfast. I vividly remember times when the police would knock on our door late at night, asking my parents to look after the youngest son or be there for his mother when there was violence in their home.

My parents’ love, patience, and commitment to helping others—without judgement—left an indelible mark on me. I believe that during those years, a seed was planted in my heart, nurtured by God, to understand and support those caught up in the criminal justice system. While I don’t know what happened to the boy who was like my brother, or to his family, I know the cost my parents bore—an emotional investment that wasn’t easy. And it hasn’t always been easy for me either. Yet the seed planted back then continues to grow, shaping the work I do today.

My mission is to challenge and dispel misconceptions about individuals in the criminal justice system. I hope for a world where every employer is not only willing but equipped to hire someone with a criminal record, and where more people can find purpose, belonging, and the opportunity to contribute positively to society.

Here’s my dad, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s Santa Claus

And here’s my mum, she’s a bit of a legend

What have we been up to recently?

  • We ran two workshops to educate 13 different voluntary organisations on criminal justice and how to confidently recruit volunteers who have a criminal record

  • We’ve been busy networking to continue to raise awareness of the work we do and the importance of hiring people who have a criminal record

  • We went to an event to learn how we can reduce our carbon footprint, which is something that Myrtos Consultancy is keen to continue to do.

  • Finally, the best bit….Esther celebrated her birthday!

Esther preparing to run a hybrid workshop for a busy charity who are keen to diversify their volunteer pool.

And finally, if you want to read about why James Timpson believes that employment is key to reducing reoffending, then you can read it here:

If you have any questions, then do get in touch, we’d love to try and answer them for you.

Until next time, don’t delay in increasing your inclusive work practices today…