The Woman With The Most Harrowing Job In Britain

Caoimhe McAnena has met some of the UK’s most disturbed and violent criminals. Here, she reveals how she copes.

- Lianne La Borde

Sitting in a small private room, across from an elderly gentleman talking about his life experiences, we might look like two old friends catching up. But if you look closer, you’ll notice the case files in front of me. I’m at work, as a forensic psychologist.

Most weeks, I visit high-security prisons and meet with high-risk violent offenders – the kind that may have murdered their wives or sexually abused children. It’s my job to delve into the innermost corners of these criminals’ minds, uncovering the harrowing secrets from their past.

Every case is different. And so is every offender. Some speak freely, others are more cautious. But as they spill the most disturbing details of their crimes, I have to mentally separate the crime from the person. By the time they meet me, most will have served their time and are up for parole. I’m there not to dwell on what they did, but to analyse why they did it – and if they are likely to do it again.

I decide if I think they can be managed in the community or remain too dangerous to release. It can be a lot of pressure – there’s no room to make a wrong call.

I spend around two hours talking about their childhood, criminal history and experiences that impacted on their life. Usually we’ll be alone, but prison guards are outside, and inmates are mostly polite and honest. Still, when people find out what I do – especially combined with the fact I’m a mum – they’re surprised. They usually always ask how I cope. ‘It must be a tough job,’ is a regular response.