Dan Gaze

Dan Gaze has written a “must read” book - “Bouncer, Prison, School” Dan’s account of his childhood and early adult life is both insightful and worrying. His account of his later life as an ex offender is inspirational. The book takes the reader from despair to hope in fewer than two hundred pages of powerful narrative. His story of a troubled childhood and early descent into violent crime must be a wake call for all us. It shows how the wrong choices can be too easily made. Of course, whatever the cause and pressures Dan’s choices were, as he says, inexcusable and wrong. Dan’s story of his childhood and adolescence makes the case for investing in family support services including early intervention to support both parents and children, inclusive well resourced education, and youth services and opportunities to divert away young people from crime. The story of his journey after prison demonstrates what can be achieved when even people who have committed violent crime can turn their lives around. Dan benefited from the right mixture of motivation, support, opportunity and people who believed in him. This book should be widely read by young people so that they can avoid the horrors of crime, and fulfil their lives positively. It should be read by those with the authority and ability to change the system. I write this as a police and crime commissioner, who knows the excellent work that Dan is now doing to help young people. It should be read by everyone with the ambition and entrepreneurial spirit to serve our communities and change lives.

I am pleased to have started read Dan Gaze’s excellent “Bouncer Prison School. Dan brings us a powerful message about the causes and consequences of serious crime. He describes his inspirational personal journey from prison to being a positive role model young people. Thanks Dan.