Analysis of recent Criminal Justice policy reveals a polarised victim-offender dichotomy based upon penal populism. This approach has deified the victim, and has simultaneously demonised and vilified the offender, and therefore as a result has failed to recognise victimisation and vulnerability within the offender population, or to prioritise the support of vulnerable offenders.
Intensive qualitative research with police officers working in police custody environments and with people working and volunteering in support of offenders has revealed that where support is available for vulnerable offenders it is underfunded and is inconsistent.
In this paper we deconstruct the various discursive, institutional, regulatory, legislative and administrative elements that make up the custody environment. We argue that these form an apparatus of disempowerment that contributes to the denizenship of ‘vulnerable’ people who undergo detention in police custody. Further, we argue that our findings reveal that the support available to vulnerable people is not ultimately to their benefit, but rather conceals more malevolent aims of corroding citizenship and disempowering individuals.