Here you are able to view all of the abstracts (papers, posters, rountables, workshops and author meets critics sessions) at this year's British Society of Criminology conference, please note the abstracts are in alphabetical order by surname of the lead author.     

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Assoc. Prof. Laura Abbot

University of Hertfordshire

Reimagining Justice: The Lost Mothers Project, Lived Experience, and the Power of Theatre in Reforming Maternal Imprisonment.

"The worst thing I've ever experienced in this life is the separation. They literally take a piece of your heart… they leave enough to keep it beating, and the rest of it has gone." The Lost Mothers project explores the traumatic impact of maternal-newborn separation in prison, centring the voices of incarcerated mothers and the professionals involved in their care. This qualitative study, co-designed with women with lived experience, gathered insights from 76 participants across five prisons through interviews and observations of mother-and-baby decision board meetings. Findings reveal the deep grief, stigma, and systemic inconsistencies surrounding maternal separation, highlighting the urgent need for trauma-informed, inclusive policy reform. A key aspect of this research has been ensuring accessibility and engagement beyond academia. Long-standing collaborations with the charity Birth Companions, have provided crucial insights and advocacy, strengthening the project’s impact. Partnering with third-sector organisations, we commissioned Scenes from Lost Mothers, a play that toured nationally, translating our research into an emotional, accessible medium that challenges public and policy narratives on maternal imprisonment. By integrating lived experience into both research and dissemination, this project challenges dominant narratives, amplifies marginalised voices, and fosters authentic policy engagement. This presentation will provide filmed excerpts from Clean Break’s Scenes from Lost Mothers play and will reflect on the project’s impact, and the role of creative storytelling in influencing criminal justice and health policy. It calls for intersectional, evidence-based reforms that centre maternal and infant well-being within a more humane and compassionate justice system.

Assoc. Prof. Laura Abbot and Ms. Natalie Avlonitis

University of Hertfordshire

“Like Having Your Heart Ripped Out”: Metaphors of Loss, Separation, and Survival in the Narratives of Incarcerated Mothers.

The experience of maternal separation in prison is frequently expressed through visceral metaphors, capturing the deep emotional and psychological wounds inflicted by institutional processes. Drawing on data from The Lost Mothers Project, this paper explores the metaphors used by incarcerated women to describe the loss of their babies. Women speak of the pain as “like having your heart ripped out” or akin to “losing a limb,” conveying an irreversible, identity-altering loss. Such descriptions highlight the profound suffering of separation and expose the inadequacies of prison and social care systems in addressing their needs. Through in-depth interviews, our study examines recurring themes of grief, injustice, and survival. Women articulate their loss in terms of physical pain and dismemberment, reflecting both the literal separation from their children and the erosion of maternal identity. Others describe feelings of entrapment and hopelessness, reinforcing the psychological toll of incarceration. These metaphors are not merely expressions of distress but also acts of resistance - attempts to make their pain visible in a system that renders them voiceless. Beyond loss, women frame their survival in similarly evocative terms. Hope is described as fragile yet vital, while self-harm and suicidal thoughts emerge as responses to a system that denies them meaningful contact with their babies. These findings underscore the urgent need for trauma-informed perinatal mental health support and policies that prioritise care over punishment. This paper argues that recognising these narratives as articulations of structural violence is crucial in rethinking maternal incarceration and advocating for meaningful reform. 

Ms. Meritxell Abellan-Almenara and Prof. Karine Cote-Boucher

University of Montréal

One shot and you’re out’: The rise of automatic deportation for convicted noncitizens in Canada.

Criminalized noncitizens in Canada are subjected to a second-class justice system geared toward their exclusion (Aliverti 2016, Bosworth 2019), mostly through stringent automatic deportation laws (Abellan-Almenara forthcoming). Drawing from a qualitative analysis of the wording of Canada’s successive Immigration Acts, policy papers and parliamentary debates from 1869 to the present day, the contribution traces the evolution of the treatment of criminalized noncitizens under Canadian immigration laws, focusing specifically on inadmissibility on the grounds of criminality. Findings show how, on the one side, protections against automatic deportation vanish and procedural guarantees disappear, while on the other side definitions of criminality are being expanded and deportation thresholds are being lowered. At the same time, the tone of parliamentary debates is also changing. While discussions on the first Immigration Acts hardly evoked criminalized noncitizens, recent parliamentary debates show how they now receive disproportionate attention. Engaging with literature on the bordered nature of penality (Aas 2014) and on enemy crimmigration -Weber and Powell’s (2020) take on the enemy penology theory (Jakobs 1980)-, this contribution argues that the evolution of the treatment of criminalized noncitizens in Canada points to the gradual construction of this particular group of noncitizens as the new enemy of the Canadian people. Showing that Canada is implementing its own version of ‘enemy crimmigration’ sheds additional light on the depth of transformation of Canada’s criminal justice system as a result of the immigration control agenda, but also hints at a troubling institutionalization of injustice at a global level.

Mr Jelani Adams

University of Portsmouth

From School Exclusion to Criminalisation: The Lived Experiences of Black Caribbean Men in the School-to-Prison Pipeline.

This study explores the lived experiences of Black Caribbean and Mixed White Black Caribbean men in the school-to-prison pipeline. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), it examines how permanent exclusion, inadequate Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, and experiences of racism and discrimination contributed to participants' involvement in the Criminal Justice System. Through semi-structured life history interviews with four formerly incarcerated men, five key themes emerged: "The End of the Beginning," "Navigating Alternative Provision," "Meaning of Relationships," "Wrestling with Self-Identity and Racism," and "Onwards and Upwards." Participants felt that permanent exclusion prepared them for prison, drawing direct comparisons between the restrictive and punitive environments of Pupil Referral Units and the prison system. Additionally, early experiences of racial discrimination in education, where participants were stereotyped, scapegoated, and subjected to self-fulfilling prophecies, were later reinforced by negative interactions with police and prison officers. Over time, they gradually normalised these experiences, further deepening their sense of marginalisation and highlighting the intersectional nature of race, gender, and disability in shaping their experiences of discrimination and disadvantage.

Navigating the School-to-Prison Pipeline: The Lived Experiences of Black Caribbean Men.

This study presents an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study of former prisoner's experiences of permanent school exclusion and trajectories into offending and imprisonment. Three rounds of semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Black Caribbean and Mixed White Black Caribbean men to gather rich accounts of their lived experiences, with each interview focusing on a specific part of their life histories: schooling, offending and prison. The interviews generated five superordinate themes: The End of The Beginning', 'Navigating Alternative Provision', 'Meaning of Relationships', 'Wrestling with Self-Identity and Racism', and 'Onwards and Upwards'. Participants acknowledged that permanent exclusion was a key turning point in their lives that contributed to their exposure to crime, sharing their challenges and difficulties with alternative provision, which was typically viewed negatively and likened to prison because of the restrictive and punitive environment. Consequent to participants' difficulty fitting into mainstream education, where SEN support was typically inadequate, there was a unanimous sense of relief from being permanently excluded. Experiencing racism and discrimination from an early age led participants to gradually accept and normalise it without challenge. Their interactions with police and prison officers were often negative and reinforced this sense of marginalisation. These findings highlight the nature at which intersectional identities, including gender, race, and disability, interrelate and impact experiences of social disadvantages and discrimination. By shedding light on these dynamics, this study equips key stakeholders and professionals with strategies to better support Black Caribbean pupils facing permanent school exclusion to help prevent a school-to-prison-pipeline from occurring.

Dr Nick Addis and Mrs Lucy Luke

University of the West of England

What makes a place unsafe? Exploring students’ experiences and perceptions of safety, unsafe spaces, and the impact on their lives. 

Now, more than ever, there is a spotlight on safety in public spaces, compounded by the rapid development of national and local responses to violence against women and girls (HM Government, 2021). Ceccato et al. (2021) also highlight the widespread concern over the debilitating nature of young peoples’/students’ fear of crime and perceptions of poor safety, the impact this has in limiting mobility, and the precautionary behaviours taken as a result. Drawing on an online survey distributed within one university in the Southwest of England, this paper explores university students’ experiences and perceptions of safety and unsafe spaces in and around the city in which they are studying. The survey also enabled students to map locations they perceived as safe or unsafe, and to identify the features associated with such spaces. This paper explores the patterns found amongst perceived unsafe spaces, and the features associated with these. This project also considers how students’ experiences of safety and perceptions of unsafe spaces impact on their daily life. This work not only contributes to future situational measures designed to enhance perceptions of safety, but also adds to our knowledge on the experiences of students that have contributed to the identification of unsafe spaces. Implications for future policy (for example, to address the factors contributing to these experiences and subsequent safety perceptions), as well as avenues for future research will also be discussed.

Mr Babatunde Adeparusi and Tunde Adeparusi

Keele University

Postcolonial Legacies, Victim-Community Relations, and the Persistence of Banditry in Northwest Nigeria.

Banditry in Northwest Nigeria has often been analysed through securitized and state-centric frameworks to identify the persistence of the conflict. This paper explores the phenomenon through a postcolonial lens, which critically analyses how colonial and postcolonial governance, exclusion, and structural violence have shaped contemporary victim-community relations in the region. Within the context of critical criminology and postcolonial theory, this study examines historical marginalization, informal justice mechanisms, and the lived experiences of communities navigating banditry-related violence. This paper will argue that indirect rule by the colonials entrenched localized inequalities, undermined indigenous conflict resolution mechanisms, and thus led to the generation of poorly integrated and often confrontational relationships between victimized communities and state authorities. In the postcolonial context, these fractures have been deepened by state neglect, extrajudicial responses to insecurity, and the instrumentalization of violence by both state and non-state actors. Empirical and secondary sources are used to show how affected communities oscillate between the state and non-state armed groups in the context of survival, resistance, and adaptation. Through a postcolonial criminological lens, this paper provides new insights into the reproduction of violence, the failure of state-led interventions, and how historical grievances shape contemporary insecurity. Northwest Nigeria needs a decolonial approach to security governance that centres on community agency, historical justice, and context-specific responses to violence.

Ms. Sam Ainslie

Sheffield Hallam University

More than learning from experience: exploring trainee probation officer accounts of reflective practices.

Reflective practice has long been recognised as an integral aspect of probation occupational culture and the cornerstone of effective probation work. In England and Wales, it is mandated in probation officer education contract specifications, embedded within line management supervision frameworks and recently specified as a key component of securing and maintaining professional registration. Despite this, there is a sparsity in research relating to how reflective practice is conceptualised within probation work, how it can be taught and developed through the current professional qualification, and what it offers in the face of an increasingly complex and demanding practice context. This paper draws on analysis of semi-structured interviews with Trainee Probation Officers as part of a doctoral study; specifically, their descriptions of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action as part of their practice. Analysis highlights the complexity of probation work and the ways in which trainees perceive the purpose of probation and the individuals they supervise. An argument is made for The Probation Service to move away from a neoliberal conceptualisation of reflective practices as a commodity to drive effective decision making and instead recognise their potential as a wellness practice and the contribution they can make to delivery of ethical and compassionate probation work. 

Mr Jan Christoffer Andersen

University of Oslo

Virtual Masculinity: How Incels Negotiate Stigma Online.

This presentation explores the nuanced involvement of incels (involuntary celibates) by using stigma management to examine their online behavior, focusing on their complex relationship with stigma and masculinity. I analyzed 927 comment threads from three different incel forums, drawing on Goffman's stigma theory and metaphor of human interaction as a theatrical performance aimed at gaining social approval. I view incels' rejection of mainstream norms as a deliberate identity presentation to manage stigma and masculinity online. They embrace their otherness, seeing themselves as stigmatized and "spoiled." Although incels promote antifeminism and misogyny, they also express vulnerabilities usually avoided in male-dominated subcultures, like loneliness and inadequacy linked to ideals of hegemonic and hyper-masculinity. This presentation shows how incels incorporate various stigma management techniques to 1) uphold, 2) challenge, or 3) reject hegemonic masculinity. I argue that examining stigma more closely can enhance our understanding of incels' countercultural behavior within the broader framework of societal and cultural masculinity and shame.

Dr Briony Anderson

Durham University

Doxxing to destroy: Transphobic hate speech and privacy abuse on X

Transphobic hate speech remains underexamined as an example of privacy abuse, and namely, a form of doxxing. Doxxing, the non-consensual disclosure of personal, identifying, and sensitive information, converges with transphobic hate speech to leverage sensitive information about gender identity into harm in the workplaces, social lives, and online security of trans people. The capacity of doxxing to perpetrate online hate speech is a pivotal concern amidst a climate of relaxed censorship and platform governance on social media sites like X. Current scholarship into online hate speech has rightfully acknowledged the rampant digital forms of misogyny endured by women and girls, but there is further scope to consider the specific experiences of trans women and gender-diverse people, as well as trans men. Drawing on a dataset of 274 tweets scraped from X, in this presentation I analyse how transphobic hate speech misgenders, intimidates, and outs harm trans people online. These findings have implications for understanding not only for how transphobic hate speech is performed and conveyed on platforms like X, but how personal, identifying and sensitive information is mobilised to destroy the wellbeing and security of trans women and gender-diverse people through hateful speech acts. I sketch out the affirmative potential of informational autonomy, a resistive and relational framework of ethics which centres on the expansive possibilities of ‘hammering back’ against platforms which permit hate speech and data intrusions. 

Dr Jordan Anderson

Swansea University

Lessons on Social Solidarity from Community Responses to Sex Offender Regulation in New Zealand.

This presentation explores the lessons learned from a range of case studies conducted in New Zealand communities that have experienced high profile instances of de facto community notification of sex offender release. While much of neoliberal New Zealand society continues to liquefy, pockets of community solidarity produced unexpected results during instances of community notification in the face of the onslaught of populist policy making and sensationalist media coverage of law & order. While the ‘end of all life of earth’ that Beck foresaw in his predictions about the Risk Society seems closer than ever some days, within this presentation are stories of resistance, humanity and hope.

Prof. Sundari Anitha

The University of Sheffield

Agency and constraints in young women’s accounts of leaving abusive non-marital relationships in India.

Research on sexual and gender-based violence in India predominantly focuses upon sexual violence and harassment perpetrated by strangers or child sexual abuse, while in relation to domestic violence and abuse (DVA), the overwhelming focus remains on marital relationships. The recent surge of research, feminist activism and policy attention to SGBV in India has scarcely addressed DVA within non-marital intimate relationships, in a context where such relationships are becoming more commonplace yet attract gendered risks and penalties for women/girls. Drawing upon life/relationship history interviews with 35-40 victim-survivors aged 18-35, this presentation will apply a gender lens to this gap by exploring the nature of victim-survivors' constrained agency in response to domestic violence and abuse within their intimate relationships. The focus of this presentation is on women’s strategies to end abusive relationships in the face of men’s coercive and controlling behaviour intended to prevent women from leaving what are commonly clandestine relationships.  Intersecting social relations of power based on gender, age, caste and religion have implications for women's exercise of agency in the context of such violence and abuse as they seek to navigate and survive the interconnected interpersonal, familial and structural violence that shapes their journeys out of the abusive relationships. Research on DVA in young people’s relationships can help break the silence on this issue in academic and public discourses in India. Understanding the nature of such violence can also inform much-needed development of appropriate responses in the Indian context. 

Prof. Harry Annison

University of Southampton

Parole Futures?

This paper surveys the normative challenges facing parole, presenting key insights from the forthcoming edited collection 'Parole Futures' (Annison, Guiney and Carr, 2025, Hart Bloomsbury). This collection features contributions from Europe, North America, South America, South Africa, Asia and Australia, building the case for a ‘way of doing’ parole research that is global in outlook, interdisciplinary in approach and normative in character. Against its longer historical backdrop, this paper will examine four critiques of parole, which we term ‘liberal’, ‘populist’, ‘abolitionist’ and ‘prisoner agency’. The paper identifies three crises of contemporary prison release, which pose a foundational challenge to systems of parole. These are a crisis of administration, a crisis of legitimacy and a crisis of ideas. The paper reflects on principles that should underpin an exploration of future visions of parole. Drawing on the contributions to the collection, the paper concludes by sketching some of the ways in which parole might be reimagined.

Ms. Ezgi Aral

Loughborough University

An analysis of the British news media’s coverage of a high-profile rape trial: the Benjamin Mendy case.

The portrayal of rape in news media, considered one of the most serious and archetypal sexual offences, is significant as it shapes public perceptions and understandings of rape (Emmers-Sommer et al., 2006). Given that sexual offence cases involving celebrity athletes attract extensive media attention and public interest (Waterstone-Watson, 2019), analysing how these cases are represented is particularly important. While high-profile rape and sexual assault cases involving celebrity athletes have been widely studied, even studies on ongoing trials have focused solely on narratives that shift blame onto the complainants. Relatively few studies explore the broader narrative of an ongoing trial, including how the defendant’s guilt is framed. Therefore, this research contributes to the literature by investigating how British news media represented an ongoing high-profile rape trial involving the celebrity athlete Benjamin Mendy. It employs content analysis to examine narratives that scrutinise the complainants’ credibility and support them, alongside the portrayal of Mendy’s guilt and innocence. Moreover, the unique characteristics of the Benjamin Mendy case—being recent, involving a celebrity and a Black French athlete as the defendant, and encompassing multiple allegations and complainants—further enrich the existing literature. The findings reveal that while narratives scrutinising the complainants are prevalent, aligning with existing literature, narratives asserting Mendy’s guilt are equally widespread, contradicting the typical media tendency to favour the celebrity defendant. The presentation will discuss the conclusions and implications of the new evidence for our understanding of media representations of high-profile rape trials.

Ms. Bethan Archer

Lancaster University

“Sorry – why is your student tap dancing?”: challenges and opportunities in creative assessment methods.

Universities are increasingly discouraging essays and exams and are instead placing a greater emphasis on ‘authentic assessment’; assessments that mirror the tasks and challenges students are likely to face in their professional and personal lives. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges – both for students and educators – in assessing creative media and cultural products, such as social media content (TikToks, Instagram accounts, tweets), creative writing (poetry, television and film scripts, novels, fan fiction), journalism (newspaper articles, blogs, listicles), and other artistic and imaginative outputs (such as photography, music, dance, product design, business ventures).

Ms Joanna Ashcroft

University of Portsmouth

AI Against Hate: Using large language models to identify online hate speech.

Online hate toward the transgender community is rising, with the increase of online hate incidents targeting transgender persons outpacing that toward the rest of the LGBTQ+ community. These hate incidents result in physical and mental health issues to victims who experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders among a host of mental health issues, along with a disproportionately high rate of suicide. This, now mainstreamed political subject, has seen hate fuelled commentary, misinformation and disinformation - impacting both transgender individuals directly, the wider transgender community, and society at large, who both witness this hate and often unknowingly propagate the misinformation and disinformation proliferating on social media. This paper will describe, at a high level, the data extraction process through YouTube’s Research Program and open APIs, large language modelling, topic identification and the manual validation techniques used to extract over 250 topics across 19 categories from a dataset of 50,000 YouTube comments. In addition to this, and to add context to the process, this paper will touch on the testing activities, the frustrations, pitfalls and dead-ends encountered to get these results.

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Dr Andy Bain

Westminster College

Using Q-Method to Examine Public Perception of Policing in Local Communities.

There is no doubt about the importance of public perception to policing. Indeed, numerous studies have identified public knowledge, understanding, and perception as key indicators of legitimacy and support for police agencies (see, Bain, Brooks, Golding, Ellis & Lewis, 2016; Bain, Robinson & Conser, 2014; Chatterjee & Ryan, 2020; and Callahan & Rosenberger, 2011; Tankebe, 2013). Conversely, Premkumar, Gumbs, McConville, and Hsia (2021) note that too much scrutiny of police practice can provide for a loss of public trust, and a sense of “them and us”. Yet, little research seeks to examine the perception and understanding of small rural communities. Fewer still have made use of Q-Methodology in such an undertaking, which seems quite perplexing. Indeed, Vo, Hartley, Khalil, Beashel, and Parker (2017: 10), concur, noting that policing primarily works through assessment and monitoring, bound up in an officer’s professional experience and interpretation of the law. Policing is, therefore, subjective in its very nature. It would seem then that Q-Methodology is the logical choice for an examination of this kind.  This paper presents the findings of a Q-Study examining the perception of policing in rural communities in a mid-Atlantic state, in the USA. It is expected that in providing for a greater understanding of rural community’s knowledge and experience of policing, better management and allocation of limited resources can be made in these areas. Future research seeks to examine policing in rural communities from an international perspective in order to gain greater knowledge and understanding of successful practice.  

Mr Brian Baker

University of Portsmouth 

A Rights Respecting Approach to Cyberbullying Prevention: An Interpretivist Perspective. 

This presentation draws on an empirical study of Polish criminal cases (n=181), examining the role of social media and other digital content as evidence in the prosecution of child sexual abuse. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study analyses a dataset of adjudicated cases, identifying the types of digital evidence introduced, their evidentiary functions, and the challenges associated with their use in court. Quantitative findings highlight the prevalence of digital traces—such as social media messages, images, videos, and metadata—in investigations. Qualitative analysis explores how these materials contribute to case narratives, from corroborating victim testimonies to exposing offender behaviours and patterns of online grooming. The study further examines the procedural and forensic challenges in securing, authenticating, and admitting digital evidence, as well as judicial attitudes towards its reliability. By mapping the role of social media evidence in these cases, the presentation aims to contribute to discussions on the practical and legal implications of digital forensics in prosecuting child sexual exploitation.

Ms. Arianna Barbin

University of Suffolk

Policing Sex Offences: A Grounded Theory System-Led Investigation of Police Specialism Development, Potential and Impact in England and Wales.

Independent reviews and enquiries have highlighted substantial discrepancies between sex offences legislation and the effectiveness of the criminal justice system (CJS) in deterring, preventing and punishing sex offenders in England and Wales. Police forces have attracted most of the criticism for the so-called decriminalisation of rape, leading members of the public to question authorities' legitimacy and their ability to investigate sexual violence. Police officers reported finding interviews with rape victims challenging to carry out, describing them as technically demanding and highly stressful. While specialist training has been suggested as a possible solution to address these concerns, police specialism for sex offences remains under-researched, with toxic police culture and prejudices against victims still rampant in policing. The proposed study takes a data-driven mixed-method approach to understanding the development of specialism for sex offences while delving into personal, organisational and contextual variables that might have affected its successful implementation. Across three studies, specialism's history, potential and future development were measured and discussed. The research invited the participants to reflect on the essential requirements to bring change to police specialism. Personal narratives were intertwined with organisational and social challenges, uniquely blended through constructivist grounded theory principles. A system-led approach to the research problem was used to proactively inform the creation of a theoretical framework of specialism for sexual violence - resulting from an inductive-deductive integration of police-informed insights that stemmed directly from police officers’ needs. The research findings are discussed in terms of their practical, criminological, and policy-based implications for policing more broadly. 

Ms Kim Barnett1, Ms Noor Butt2, Dr Rosie Allen3, Ms Pauline Goodlad4, Dr Anne Krayer1, Adam O’Neill2, Prof. Peter Huxley1, Prof. Catherine Robinson2, Dr Emily Peckham1 and Prof.Rob Poole1 

Bangor University1, University of Manchester2, University of Bolton3 and Wrexham Maelor Hospital4

Preliminary Findings: A systematic review of substance misuse treatment processes and outcomes implemented in British male prisons.

With the rising prison population and a significant proportion struggling with substance misuse, it is crucial to assess the effectiveness of treatment pathways. Understanding their availability, successes, and areas for improvement is essential to addressing this urgent issue. This was the first review of substance misuse treatment processes evaluating the outcomes of substance misuse treatment implemented in British male prisons. We conducted a mixed methods systematic review, searching Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Sociology Collection, Web of Science Core Collection, and Social Science Premium Collection between 1st January 2000 and 5th June 2024. Included were empirical, peer-reviewed studies, focusing on the processes and outcomes of UK male prison-based substance misuse programmes. Primary outcomes included changes in substance use, withdrawal symptoms, and experiences of interventions, while secondary outcomes encompassed quality of life, locus of control and mental health. Analysis followed JBI methodology with a convergent synthesis. Fourteen studies were included: 8 qualitative, 5 quantitative studies of which 3 were Randomised Control Trials (RCT’s), and 1 mixed-methods study, with a combined sample of 4,037 participants engaged in Opioid Substitute Treatment (OST) and/or psychosocial interventions. Four key themes emerged: the power of purposeful activity, strengthening support systems, bridging patient needs with treatment plans, and making meaning of methadone. Participants spoke of feeling stigmatised, lacking opportunities to engage in meaningful activities, and finding that generic substance misuse treatment programs did not align with their specific needs. The findings emphasised the need for greater support to facilitate effective social integration.

Dr Diana Batchelor

University of Sheffield

Victim-survivor understandings of why the crime happened and their expectations of justice.

Attributions for the causes of crime can affect people’s justice preferences. For example, those who believe that crime is caused by individuals tend to favour punishment, while those who believe that the causes of crime are structural tend to favour rehabilitation. However, we know little about how victim-survivors’ beliefs about the cause of their specific victimisation affect their expectations of justice, and vice-versa. We asked 43 victim-survivors of crime about their understanding of why the crime happened, as well as their views of justice and the impact of the crime. This paper presents an overview of the relationship between beliefs about cause and expectations of justice from our participants’ perspectives. Most straightforwardly, participants told us that self-blame often prevented them from reporting the crime. In addition, their views of justice were related to such factors as whether the offender was motivated by greed, was retaliating, was using substances, had mental health problems, or learnt the behaviour from family. Participants often held institutions or wider society responsible in some way, which tended to widen their expectations of justice to include institutional reform, in addition to seeking retribution or rehabilitation for individuals. The findings from this exploratory study can help victim services and the criminal justice system to better respond to the needs and expectations generated by crime.

Dr Alice Beech

University of Wolverhampton

Crisis, Borders, and Belonging: Migration and Social Justice in the Wake of COVID-19.

Crises often reshape mobility, belonging, and social justice, exposing and intensifying pre-existing inequalities. The COVID-19 pandemic not only disrupted mobility but also intensified bordering practices, exclusion, and social divisions, particularly in the towns of Massa (Italy) and Crewe (England). Drawing from a qualitative comparative study (2020–2023) using interviews, this paper examines how national pandemic policies shaped experiences of inclusion and exclusion, exposing patterns of xenophobia, securitisation, and conditional solidarity. In both locations, early pandemic discourses invoked war metaphors, promoting national unity while legitimising scapegoating of migrants—undocumented African migrants in Massa and Eastern European residents in Crewe- who were blamed for the spread of the virus, reflecting pre-existing anxieties about migration and security. The introduction of the vaccine passport (‘Green Pass’) in Italy functioned as a mechanism of everyday bordering, intensifying social divisions and reinforcing narratives of deservingness and exclusion. While solidarity initially emerged in both Massa and Crewe, it remained conditional, often excluding marginalised populations. This study contributes to debates in border criminology, crimmigration, and the securitisation of public health, illustrating how crisis governance reinforces pre-existing inequalities. By exposing the exclusionary impact of pandemic policies, it highlights the need for migration policies that are inclusive, multilingual, and sensitive to the vulnerabilities of marginalised populations, especially in times of crisis.

Dr Stephanie Bennett     

University of Chichester

Identification and support for children with a family member in prison - what works and what are the challenges?

Children endure significant challenges when a family member is in custody, including the trauma of being separated from a parent. Children often have to change homes and schools following parental imprisonment, and siblings may be separated. Friendship groups and support networks are disrupted. Some children become homeless and may be placed in dangerous or abusive situations (McGinley and Jones , 2018). This talk will discuss nationwide provision in the UK for children who have a family member in prison, and the barriers that currently exist with regards to early identification of these children so that support can be put in place when it is critically needed. This talk will also discuss key findings from the report ‘From arrest to release, helping families feel less alone: An evaluation of a Worcestershire pilot support project for families affected by parental imprisonment’ (Cooper, Payler, Bennett & Taylor, 2023). Current provision within the criminal justice system focuses on supporting and rehabilitating the imprisoned adult and fails to consider much broader and intergenerational needs of families. Our project evaluation research indicates that the type and quality of support that parents, children, and young people can access from charities can provide a ‘lifeline’ of support. The children and young people of today with imprisoned parents need support to help them to deal with the trauma and distress surrounding parental imprisonment, to continue to grow, and to engage fully in their education, relationships and futures.

Ms. Emma Bêty and Assoc. Prof. Elsa Euvrard

Université Laval

Probation Work in a Changing Context: What (and Who) Influences Probation Officers' Intervention Practices.

Over the past decade, Quebec's penal and correctional landscape has undergone significant transformations, shaped by shifts toward both harsher sentencing and dejudicialization, as well as changes in the profiles of individuals managed by correctional services. Justice-involved individuals face increasingly complex challenges and heightened needs, requiring substantial adjustments in probation officers’ practices. Their role has been redefined, particularly with the expansion of community supervision measures and a heightened focus on domestic violence cases, demanding continuous adaptation to these evolving realities. In this evolving context, this presentation examines how probation officers adjust their intervention practices to meet the needs of justice-involved individuals. The analysis explores the strategies employed by probation officers to balance support and control, considering both the personal characteristics of the individuals they supervise and the organizational constraints they must navigate. It also highlights how probation officers' perceptions of justice-involved individuals can influence their approach to intervention. Finally, these findings raise broader reflections on issues related to the accountability of penal system actors, as well as the increased responsibility placed on probationers.

Mr Ajith Venkatesan Bhuvana

Albany State University

Intersection of State corporate crime and environment crime: A case study analysis from India.

This study critically examines the intersection of state-corporate crime and environmental crime in India, focusing on the Baghjan oil well blowout in Assam as a case study. It explores how regulatory failures and corporate negligence contributed to large-scale environmental harm. The primary objectives are to analyze the role of corporate negligence and state regulatory failures in environmental disasters, assess the effectiveness of India’s environmental legislation, explore the socio-economic and ecological consequences of environmental crime through a criminological lens, and propose policy recommendations for improving environmental governance and corporate accountability. Using state-corporate crime theory, the research investigates the complicity of corporate actors and state institutions in facilitating environmental crimes. The Baghjan disaster illustrates how weak regulatory oversight, corporate misconduct, and inadequate enforcement mechanisms led to widespread environmental destruction and displacement of local communities. Despite the existence of frameworks like the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, enforcement was ineffective, allowing corporations to evade accountability. Judicial activism and public resistance contributed to seeking redress, though challenges remain in ensuring long-term regulatory reform.

A qualitative case study approach, utilizing secondary data from government reports, judicial proceedings, media investigations, and academic literature, is employed. The analysis reveals that economic imperatives often overrode environmental concerns, fostering a culture of impunity. Findings suggest that while corporate environmental responsibility can align with financial sustainability, systemic governance weaknesses hinder progress. Strengthening governance requires enhanced regulatory transparency, stricter enforcement, and increased public participation, contributing to the broader discussions on environmental justice and corporate accountability.

Ms. Ellen Bishop

University of Greenwich

Trauma-informed perspectives on women's experiences of the parole process.

My research is a gendered analysis of the parole process through a trauma-informed lens, responding to the high prevalence of trauma in the female prison population.  With female prisoners having experienced significant and complex trauma including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), neglect, abuse and violence as well as social and institutional harms, imprisonment can be both a traumatising and re-traumatising environment. The research draws attention to the impact of trauma on behaviours, personality presentations and emotional regulation of those in the parole process and the resulting challenges of evidencing a reduction in risk with trauma behaviours such as emotional withdrawal, heightened stress response and difficulty communicating being interpreted as indicators of non-compliance and therefore continued risk. With the parole decision resulting in continued imprisonment, move to open conditions, or release on licence, the outcome of parole has significant implications for an individual’s future as well as the protection of the public. The impact of trauma on the parole process and individuals within it is examined with a focus on the parole dossier, preparation and planning, the hearing itself, including delay, adjournments and questioning as well as communication of the outcome. It is argued that there are opportunities to integrate trauma-informed practice into this legal process and related criminal justice practice. A trauma-informed parole process has the potential to reduce further distress and harms to those in the parole process as well as provide opportunities for accurate assessment of risk and demonstration of readiness for release, resettlement and reintegration into the community.

Ms. Emma Louise Blondes

London School of Economics and Political Science

The Paradox of Centralisation: Examining France's Institutional Response to Organised Crime.

This paper examines the paradoxical nature of France's institutional response to organised crime. While France's centralised governance structure should theoretically provide advantages in addressing complex criminal phenomena by coordinating investigations across jurisdictional and agency boundaries, my empirical research reveals significant discrepancies between this theoretical model and operational realities. This paper draws on a year of multi-site ethnographic fieldwork with specialised law enforcement and judicial departments. Relying on this evidence, it demonstrates how France's approach to tackling organised crime is characterised by institutional fragmentation, inter-agency competition, and uncoordinated efforts despite its reputation for centralisation. The paper addresses two fundamental questions: (1) the extent to which observed practices align with the theoretical organisational structure, and (2) how the current setup affects how law enforcement and judicial authorities conceptualise and respond to organised crime. It investigates challenges lnked to three features: multiple competing law enforcement agencies with distinct cultures and structures; divided authority between the judiciary and ministries; and a bureaucratic culture ill-suited to the flexibility required for complex investigations. By combining institutional mapping with empirical observation, this research complements existing theoretical frameworks on policing systems and contributes to our understanding of how specialised departments operate in practice. The findings highlight how departmental autonomy, ineffective coordination mechanisms, and institutional duplication ultimately hinder France's capacity to address organised crime, offering important insights for both academic understanding and policy development in criminal justice systems.

Ms. Catherine Bostock, Dr Katie Maras and Professor David Ellis

University of Bath

Understanding the adolescents' perspectives and experiences of digital gaming harm.

Digital gamers are reportedly exposed to a myriad of digital game harms. Adolescents are becoming increasingly engaged in digital gaming spaces, and the gaming industry is actively targeting this age group. The UN Convention on Rights of a Child endorses the right for the child to play freely, which is expanded to digital spaces. Despite the burgeoning academic conceptual literature on the topic, there are limited bottom-up perspectives to inform an understanding of adolescents’ digital gaming perspectives on harm and the impacts of such experiences. The current research aims to address this by answering the following research questions: 

1.        In digital gaming spaces, how do adolescents feel about their experiences of harm?

2.        Does age impact adolescents' perception of harmful experiences? 

3.        Does experiencing harm change young persons’ digital gaming behaviours? 

The research will be conducted with 13-24 year olds. Two studies will explore the nature and impact of young people’s digital gaming harm experiences. The first study is a workshop where participants will digitally complete interactive discussion questions and mind maps in group settings. Secondly, qualitative surveys will be conducted with a different sample of adolescents. Both sets of methods allow for exploratory results whilst limiting researcher involvement and influence in sensitive research. The research intends to develop a first-hand perspective of adolescents' opinions and behaviours surrounding harm in digital gaming spaces. 

Mr. Moslem Boushehrian

University of Surrey

Critical Exploration of Hate Crime Perception Amongst Various Ethnicities in England and Wales: An Integrated Hate Crime Perception Theory. 

This research critically interrogates the role of ‘perception’ in the legal definition of hate crime in England and Wales, which positions victims and the public as key agents in identifying and reporting hate-related incidents. While this definition appears to enhance inclusivity, this study argues that the conceptual inclusion of perception does not necessarily translate into increased recognition or reporting in practice.

Mr Tan Bowen

Beijing Normal University

An Analysis of the Applications of the Social Disorganization Theory: China and El Salvador.

China is one of the countries with the lowest murder and criminal offense rates in the world, whereas El Salvador has one of the highest crime rates globally. Taking China and El Salvador as case studies, this research evaluates the Social Disorganization Theory by Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay. Previous publications on the Social Disorganization Theory are predominantly concentrated on the United States and are rarely applied to comparative analyses between regions with sharply contrasting crime situations. By examining Social Disorganization Theory within the contexts of East Asia and Latin America, this study explores the extent to which the theory can explain criminal phenomena in other countries, as well as its applicability to various types of crime. Additionally, given the significant global shifts in society, economy, politics, and culture in the decades following the initial publication of the theory, this research evaluates its contemporary validity. This study investigates the extent to which Social Disorganization Theory explains different categories of crime. It is found to be effective in explaining gang-related organized crime in naturally developed societies but falls rather short when it is applied to financial crimes or criminal activity in pre-industrialization and modernization societies. The study argues for a more viable approach in comprehensively considering multiple facets and contexts of crime, as national distinctions in terms of historical heritage and current societal structures significantly complicate modern criminology analysis.

Dr Trevor Bradley

Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington

Safety Hubs and the promise of community self-policing.

This paper reports on an innovative community policing initiative in Aotearoa New Zealand. A central city ‘Safety Hub’, involving community patrollers, Watene Māori (Māori Wardens), and Auckland Council's community safety team, was established in in 2023/24. The aim is to improve public perceptions of safety through provision of a ‘base’ from which key partners perform high visibility, coordinated patrolling and a safe location for anyone in need of seeking assistance. More broadly, in bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders, Safety Hubs have created opportunities for greater community and local authority involvement in policing.  As currently configured, Hub volunteers provide a supplemental visible presence to the central city foot patrols (‘beat units’) recently reintroduced by NZ Police. However, in light of the managed withdrawal by NZ Police as primary responders to a range of ‘social harm’ incidents, the Safety Hub concept has potential to generate much more meaningful opportunities for communities, particularly among Māori and Pasifika, to assert greater control over local policing priorities and targets. Early results from an on-going research project reveal that, in keeping NZ Police at arm’s length, and given genuine autonomy, Safety Hubs may provide one solution to the ‘over-policing’ of already marginalised users of inner-city public space.

Ms. Emily Brannen

Keele University 

5★ – Would Recommend? Exploring Conflicting Aims in Diversion From Prosecution.

Each year, nearly two million individuals in England and Wales experience a driver diversion course (such as a Speed Awareness Course) as a result of having committed a road traffic offence. This paper presents data from a PhD project which examined the role of these courses as an alternative to prosecution. It draws on empirical data from approximately 58,000 feedback survey responses from course attendees and 61 qualitative interviews conducted with course participants, individuals who declined the course, and professionals involved at all levels of the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), from strategic management to frontline delivery. The paper will focus on the complexity arising from NDORS multiple, and at times conflicting, stakeholder aims and objectives, illustrating the challenges involved in balancing criminal justice system principles, educational objectives, road safety imperatives, and broader public expectations. The paper identifies key challenges faced by diversion programmes like NDORS in meeting diverse expectations, illustrating how acknowledging and navigating these complexities is vital for the development of policies and practices that are both socially just and procedurally legitimate.

Mr Nigel Brearley

Independent Academic

When to stop digging?: ethical issues in relation to researching individuals concerned in high profile crimes in contemporary history. 

The author conducts research for both ‘academic’ and ‘true crime’ audiences and in this paper explores and illustrates a number of ethical tensions when working on high profile criminal cases in contemporary history. For the university-based researcher there is debate to indicate some guidance in practice. Examples include the work of Biber (2013 and 2019) on the ‘afterlife’ of officially collected evidence in criminal cases and the curators challenges in mounting the 2015 Museum of London exhibition on the Metropolitan Police ‘Crime Museum’ collection (Day n.d.). There are also the policies provided by academic bodies in criminology and history, and the directions of individual ethics committees within universities. In writing for popular or ‘popular scholarly’ audiences however, what are the responsibilities of the researcher, particularly to ‘secondary victims’ and those ‘peripheral’ or ‘tangential’ to traditional narratives? In the wake of recent developments in accessing data through ancestry websites there is the potential to identify and locate people more broadly impacted in crime histories. These developments could be extraordinarily valuable if researchers are to move beyond hackneyed tropes regarding ‘serial killer monsters’, ‘diamond geezer gangsters’ and ‘master detective’ narratives and seek to produce more nuanced and authentic histories that include the wider experiences of victims of crime, their families and those of offenders and others impacted by events. This potential however generates new, difficult, ethical decisions.

Mr George Brews

University of Strathclyde

A critical examination of the impact of ‘hypermasculine’ social media content on young men and its influence on their views of women and intimate sexual relationships, with specific reference to potential criminality.

The Office for National Statistics stated that from March 2021 to March 2022, an estimated 1.1 million adults were victims of sexual assaults (including attempts) and that compared to the previous year of surveying, there was a 31% increase in police recorded offences of sexual violence/sexual offences (in England and Wales). Scotland has recorded that in the period from 2013 – 2022, there had been a 96% increase in reports of sexual violence, with sexual assault making up 36% of cases, and rape/attempted rape constituting 17% of reports (Scottish Government, 2022). This, in summary, paints a stark picture of the context of sexual violence within the UK; and given that only 2% of cases resulted in charges, it paints a picture of dire circumstances insofar as tackling sexual violence within the British Isles. With this context, the rise of hyper-masculine social media influencers begs the question whether content of this nature is damaging young men’s perceptions of intimate relationships, or whether these influencers are to be seen as a reflection of society? Also, does the internet intrinsically (in terms of a social space, or a service provider) change our understanding of offending of this nature? To understand this, a multi-disciplinary approach will be used to fully appreciate the social context of this phenomenon, the psychological effects of this content (as well as the psychology of sexual offenders), and the subsequent potential for encouraging offending behaviour. 

Mr. Andi Brierley

Leeds Trinity University 

Peer Mentors & Desistance Habitus.

This paper synthesizes two published journal articles examining the effectiveness of individuals with lived experience of criminality and punishment—commonly known as Peer Mentors—within criminal justice practice. The first article presents a systematic literature review of 27 international studies, identifying three key themes critical to criminological knowledge and future research on peer mentoring: ‘Street and Carceral Capital,’ ‘Conflicts of Warrants to Knowledge,’ and ‘Growth Reciprocity.’ These themes highlight the complex dynamics of peer mentoring within criminal justice contexts. The second article employs an auto-ethnographic approach to deepen criminological understanding of how the legitimacy, credibility, and trust between peer mentors and mentees are shaped by criminal and carceral knowledge. Central to this study is the concept of “Desistance Habitus,” which refers to the strategic use of embodied knowledge—gained from lived experience in both street and carceral environments—to support mentees in the desistance process. The paper argues that peer mentors' dual experiences of criminality and punishment allow them to leverage their unique positionality to foster desistance, offering valuable insights into the transformative potential of peer-led interventions in criminal justice. Ultimately, the synthesis underscores the significance of lived experience as a form of capital that can be harnessed to promote desistance, legitimacy, and transformative change within criminal justice systems.

Dr Johnathan Briggs 

University of Wolverhampton

The changing role of British police in civil defence and resilience to threats against the State,1939-2025.

This role emerged in the mid-twentieth century, going through a variety of changes, growing and falling in importance with international events and government focuses. The capability evolved from systems put in place prior to and during the Second World War. Britain spent considerable money on equipping and training civil defence organisations to work alongside the police and fire services.. Post-1945, in the early Cold War, police forces continued to plan and train for civil defence roles. There were restricted budgets in later years but there was also increasing cynicism regarding nuclear war and prospects of survival and the government’s own planning from the 1960s onward was increasingly pessimistic. Post-1990 with the seeming end of the Cold War, policing largely moved away from planning and training for civil defence. This was increasingly seen as outside the purpose and traditions of British policing. From 2001 onwards and up to the present, international terrorism and state threats changed the environment again. The Civil Contingencies Act, Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear defence (CBRN) training and the emergence of Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme (JESIP) have all affected the role of policing in the civil defence space. This paper will discuss how these changes have affected the role of British police within the modern world.

Dr Laura Briody

University of Cumbria

A foot in the door, but requiring permission to stay: reflections on positionality, ethics and values during postgraduate research collaboration with the police.

Positioning the police as stakeholders in research promotes and permits their engagement with the research, from data gathering to application of the findings (Rycroft-Malone et al., 2016). In theory, collaborative research provides the opportunity for the co-production of knowledge between institutional actors and researchers (Janasoff, 2004). However, research in policing lags behind that in other public sectors, “characterised by mutual misunderstanding, suspicion, distrust and disengagement” (Crawford, 2020: 508). Competing priorities and values can significantly obstruct collaborative efforts between the police and researchers, instigating a ‘dialogue of the deaf’, hindering meaningful co-production (Bradley & Nixon, 2009). This paper draws on experience gained during PhD research that ran from 2018 to 2023 in collaboration with an English police force to reflect on the benefits, challenges and ‘messiness’ (Crawford, 2020) of collaboration and co-production of knowledge between policing and academia. Findings explore the role of positionality of the researcher to explore the nature of privilege within research, as well as the navigation of ethics and values when operating as an outside invited into an institutional environment such as the police. Finally, the paper reflects on a future framework of collaborative working for researchers who wish to study the police and similar organisations. 

Mr. Tom Brown

Sheffield Hallam University

Perceived Barriers faced by College and University Students to a Career within the Probation Service.

Despite significant efforts by the Probation Service to recruit a diverse workforce through media campaigns and initiatives, staff recruitment and retention issues continue. However, at present, there is limited understanding of what motivates or hinders students from considering the service as a career option, which the following paper seeks to address by drawing on the research findings of two studies: 1) based on three local colleges and 2) based on 50 undergraduate Criminology students at Sheffield Hallam University. In both studies, students completed an initial online survey to enable a comparison between the Probation Service and other criminal justice agencies before constructing the interview schedules based on the information students provided to gain further contextual detail. As a result, the studies apply Bourdieu's (1984) concepts of Primary Habitus (familial and cultural influences) and Secondary Habitus (late education and employment) to help understand both the individual and structural barriers that currently exist for students. The findings from the two studies reveal that the lack of cultural representation and familial understanding of the service is a significant barrier for students, with many noting the continuing invisibility of the service in late education. For example, the Probation Service is covered superficially alongside other criminal justice agencies within their college and university courses, with students holding limited understanding of the role and many perceived barriers that did not exist. The research team provides several recommendations for the Probation Service and Education Sector to support recruiting and retaining the most appropriate applicants within the service. 

Assoc. Prof. Gill Buck1, Ms. Lucy Campbell2, and Kemi Ryan3

University of Chester1,  University of Edinburgh2, and Reformed Development CIC3 

Introduction to Lived Experience Book: Lived Experience in Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice.

Lived Experience in Criminal Justice Research, Policy and Practice offers an innovative exploration of the transformative potential of lived experience expertise into criminology and criminal justice. This book employs a series of compelling case studies and praxis examples to examine how lived experiences can challenge established paradigms and enrich policy, education, research, activism, and practice. In its five chapters, the text begins by defining lived experience and mapping its historical and conceptual significance, before exploring its role in educational settings, where personal narratives enhance learning, promote desistance, and empower marginalised communities. Subsequent chapters delve into the integration of lived experience in research, highlighting ethical considerations, methodological challenges, and the benefits of participatory approaches. The book also illuminates the impact of lived experience expertise in advocacy and activism, underscoring their importance in driving social change and reforming criminal justice practices. Authored collaboratively by academics and practitioners, including those with lived experiences of incarceration, this work bridges the gap between theory and practice. By presenting a unique perspective on lived experience praxis, it provides invaluable insights for scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and students committed social justice where lived experience is given a seat at the table. Ultimately, this book inspires transformative systemic change through authentic lived voices, expertise and insights.

Ms. Niamh Burns

University of Brighton 

“The invisibility of sexual, and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Northern Irish conflict (between 1968 and 1998) and the implications of shedding light on this phenomenon on social policy and policy processes.”

This study explores the invisibility of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) during the Northern Irish conflict (1968–1998) and its implications for social policy and policymaking. Using qualitative methodologies, including oral histories, semi-structured interviews, and "walking and talking" interviews, the research examines both public (state-perpetrated) and private (domestic) forms of SGBV, alongside their intersection with religious, cultural, and political dimensions. Participants include SGBV survivors, women’s organisation representatives, political figures, activists, and journalists. The study highlights how SGBV during the conflict has been marginalised due to political sensitivities, challenges in evidencing violence, and a broader focus on militarised conflict rather than gendered harms. It underscores how "gender blindness" in recognition and response perpetuates the invisibility of these experiences in law, policy, and academic discourse. Additionally, the research investigates underexplored areas such as British State forces’ use of strip searches as public SGBV. The findings aim to provide critical insights into the structural factors and systemic failures surrounding SGBV, contributing to contemporary policy developments like Northern Ireland’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy. The study challenges dominant narratives by evidencing SGBV in contexts traditionally excluded from global conflict-related discourse, offering transformative potential for addressing gendered violence in transitional justice and post-conflict policy frameworks.

Ms. Anne Burrell

De Montfort University 

Probation work - the politics of professional identity. 

The professional status of probation practice has been contested throughout its history, from its Victorian philanthropic origins, to its current location in the British Civil Service.  Research over time indicates that, notwithstanding the absence of formal recognition via professional registration, practitioners are able to develop and sustain a strong internal sense of professional identity, which can serve as a powerful motivational factor in their work.  This presentation will discuss and analyse findings from a PhD research project into professional identity and probation practice. Much of the data collection was undertaken at a time when the researcher was a Probation Service employee; and arose from the apparent diminution of professionalism in probation work during the period of reorganisation following Transforming Rehabilitation – the semi privatisation of probation services.  This qualitative project explores professional identity with former and current probation staff via semi structured interviews and focus groups. The time frame of the project has enabled consideration of the impact of the newly created Internal Professional Register; and examines practitioner perceptions of their status within the Civil Service. The author will argue that professional identity is increasingly fragmented, reflecting continued constraints on professional practice, relating to autonomy and agency, and the capacity to exercise professional judgement. This project provides unique and timely insights into the shifting perceptions of probation practitioners regarding their professional role status during a turbulent period of protracted organisational change, alongside significant media attention arising from a succession of Serious Further Offence Reviews. 243. 

Dr Stephen Burrell

University of Melbourne

Preventing gendered harms against the environment: Working with boys and men.

In recent years, there has been an exponential growth in public discussions about masculine norms and expectations, their impact on boys and men, and their role in gendered harms such as violence against women. One aspect of this conversation less frequently explored is the role that patriarchal constructions of masculinity are playing in perpetuating ‘man’s’ domination of non-human animals and the environment – such as notions that ‘real men’ eat meat or drive fast cars. This paper will share research highlighting the role that social pressures around manhood are playing in obstructing climate action. It will discuss findings from 14 interviews with practitioners working with boys and men around the globe, who are developing innovative, gender-transformative interventions around caring for the planet. In addition, 9 focus groups were conducted with young people in the North-East of England exploring their perspectives on how to advance work towards this end in their own local contexts. The research illustrated that preventing environmental harm underscores the need to engage with boys and men from a young age to help them resist expectations to be detached, powerful, and in control – and that caring for others, including the environment and non-human animals, can offer a positive path forwards. It also demonstrates the need for deeper environmental education which addresses the relationship between social norms and inequalities and the climate crisis. The paper offers suggestions for how preventative work of this kind can be developed.

Prof. Mark Button1, Dr Matthew Edwards2, Dr Jack Whittaker3, and Professor Cassandra Cross4

University of Portsmouth1, University of Bristol2, University of Surrey3, Queensland University of Technology4  

Evolutionary fraud: the case of online retail fraud.

Online shopping has grown exponentially in recent years. With these new retail habits a system of refunding and replacements has emerged to deal with lost, damaged and ill-fitting items. These systems have become increasingly targeted by criminals through what has become known as refund fraud. This paper explores this problem through some of the discussion of online communities in Cracked, Nulled and Telegram dedicated to perfecting these frauds. It argues the forums enable a process of evolution to occur where the weakest retailers are exploited until they 'patch' their systems or go out of business, leading the fraudsters to the next weak link.   

C

Dr Camilla De Camargo and Dr Stephanie Wallace

Lancaster University

“When the uniform doesn’t fit”: Results from the National Police Uniform and Equipment Survey.

The project “When the Uniform Doesn’t Fit” examined the significant and dangerous impacts of poorly fitted police uniforms on performance, health and safety, morale, and psychosocial well-being. The research identified short- and long-term medical implications, including the development and worsening of disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, and symptoms of neurodivergence. Specifically, severe physical consequences such as cysts, some necessitating mastectomies, were uncovered. Additionally, ill-fitting uniforms exacerbate musculoskeletal issues, leading to chronic pain and an increased risk of injuries. Similarly, there are reports of men similarly suffering with crushed testicles, skin conditions, and the exacerbation of neurodivergent symptoms such as irritating labels and poorly-placed seams amongst many other problems. While focus groups talked to women initially, the research informed the survey design of the first ever National Police Uniform and Equipment Survey for all genders and uniform-wearers, in collaboration with the Police Federation of England and Wales, and the National Uniform Portfolio as part of the National Police Chief’s Council. The survey closed in August 2024 with over 20,000 responses and more than 43,000 qualitative comments. The results will be used to inform future national decision-making about uniform design, usability, and safety for all officers and staff.

Ms. Lucy Campbell

University of Edinburgh

A Quantum Elephant in the Room-An Entangled Hauntology of Prison. 

This paper is a post-humanist exploration into the quantum ontology of entanglement as a force that moves through prisons and their occupants. It postulates that quantum entanglement is the prime cause of affective energy transmission. It investigates quantum entanglement in sites of traumatic contamination and queries whether emotional residue is in fact, entangled particles left by traumatised people. It explores ideas around lived experience, quantum mechanics, affect and emotional residues, sympathetic magic, critical criminology and transformative criminology. Ultimately it questions the treatment of our most marginalised and postulates that criminology needs to work harder to ensure better outcomes for people at the mercy of our current systems of justice. 

An Affective Topology of the Landscapes of Prison-An Autoethnographic Journey Through One Prison Sentence and Many Spaces 

In this paper, I use autoethnography to explore some of my experiences that occurred while I was imprisoned in 5 different prisons in both Mexico and the UK. These experiences focus on affect and look to examine how affect manifests and is felt within a female prison environment and in the traumatised spaces and places of prison. It offers hope for the process of recovering from prison-induced trauma and explores affect as a temporal anomaly in a non-linear journey through a prison sentence. The paper explores my experiences through a 10-year sentence in various prisons both abroad and in the UK and looks at how they all felt different, they each had a flavour, a felt affective experience that was only sensed as qualia, a sensuous quality of feeling (Chumley &Harkness, 2013). This sensuous quality of feeling varied in its type and intensity depending on the space, place and the mix of people in it. Prison was about intensity and was a rollercoaster of affective encounters, each prison both holding its own affective energy as well as holding the women who channelled it.

Ms. Lucy Campbell1, Mrs Fleur Riley2, Mrs. Paula Harriott3, Dr Danica Darley4  and Mr Scottt Kidd5

University of Edinburgh1, University of Durham2, Unlock3, University of Sheffield4, University of Lincoln5

Invitation to Discuss Interest and Support for a Lived Experience Working Group

This panel is being convened in response to our desire to set up a lived experience working group. To get up and running, we need support from academics who are members of the BSc. This roundtable is being run to both gauge interest in the development of a LE working group and to gather participants who will be instrumental in its conception and administration. We know from the previous year at the BSc conference in Gasgow that there is an

appetite for more discussion and collaboration in the fields of lived experience. LE covers so many disciplines and we wish to have a working group that will reflect and represent them all. There are many specialist working groups at the BSC and we would like to set up one specifically to focus on all aspects of lived experience. This is not limited to incarceration, this would be a group that welcomes all LE. By setting up a group we have the option to run our own conferences and events where we can focus our interactions with the 3 rd sector, we can help and support the

LE community and guide academics with LE for further support and integration into the criminology community.This inclusive group will welcome all forms of LE and work towards promoting and supporting all members of the BSc who identify as having LE.

Ms. Lucy Campbell1, Mrs Fleur Riley2, Mrs Paula Harriott3, Dr Danica Darley4, Mr Scott Kidd5 and Assoc. Prof. Gill Buck6

University of Edinburgh1, University of Durham2, Unlock3, University of Sheffield4, University of Lincoln5, University of Chester6 

Ethics for Lived Experience

We will present the BSC with a document outlining our initial findings in the creation of a co-produced ethical scaffold for working with people with lived experience. We hope that this scaffold will be considered as a first port of call for those thinking of engaging in work with people who have LE. We recognise that an ethical framework is a tool that has the power to control knowledge production and as such, we wish to move away from this model of imposition and into one of co-production. The rigidity of a framework does not go unrecognised and so we wish to assist with a document that provides ethical guidance instead of ethical governance. We wish this document to be fluid and reflect our shifting positionalities and subjectivities as opposed to a stagnant and imposed mandate of ethical compliance. We have been engaged in co-producing this research document for the past 9 months and will continue on with our research. Here we present our initial thoughts and findings as a lived experience collective and we invite you to a discussion around our findings.

Dr Veronika Carruthers

University of Portsmouth 

‘’1.5, Stay Alive?’’: An interpretive phenomenological analysis of GBQMSM drug users’ experience of accessing chemsex support in England.

Chemsex is a growing area of inquiry within LGBTQ+ health, particularly among gay, bisexual, queer, and men who have sex with men (GBQMSM). While previous research and service provision largely centred on HIV and STI risk, recent studies, including this PhD, explores the broader, often overlooked cultural dimensions of chemsex-related drug use. Through a two-stage methodology involving an online survey and in-depth interviews, the study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to examine how GBQMSM experience access to chemsex-related support in England.

Dr Olivia Caskey

University of Portsmouth

A mixed-method investigation focused on the impact of gender stereotypes on news coverage and the manifestations of gender framing on women associated with jihadist terrorism.

This paper presents research on how gender stereotypes shape the portrayal of female jihadist terrorists in print news media across six Western countries: the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland, from 2001 to 2023. Previous studies have highlighted how media framing of women linked to terrorism often relies on unproven and stereotype-driven narratives. Building on this work, the study explores gendered media narratives on a larger scale, comparing portrayals of women to men within jihadist terrorism contexts.

Dr Damien Cassan

University of Portsmouth

Rethinking French Police Training: Controversies Surrounding an Experimental Scheme for the Gardien de la Paix.

This paper critically examines an experimental non-residential police training scheme introduced by the French Police Nationale to address recruitment challenges and enhance diversity. Faced with difficulties in recruiting sufficient gardiens de la paix and declining recruitment standards, the police implemented this scheme to attract a broader candidate pool. Traditionally, initial training has consisted of a one-year, residential, military-style program, marked by strict discipline and limited autonomy, often perceived as a ‘rite of passage.’ However, this system may deter mature candidates, women, and ethnic minorities, limiting diversity and representativeness. It also appears less appealing to prospective recruits who increasingly resist rigid and infantilizing models of training. This research draws on ethnographic fieldwork in four police schools, where the researcher lived under the same conditions as trainees. Through observation, interviews, focus groups, and informal discussions, the study gains rare insights into the Police Nationale’s insular culture. It investigates how the scheme shapes recruitment profiles, its reception by key actors (recruits, trainers, and managers), and its effects on performance, integration, and cohesion between residential and non-residential cohorts. Findings indicate a divergence in how the scheme is received: while trainees display a greater appetite for the non-residential model, trainers show more reluctance, highlighting tensions around institutional change. Ultimately, this research contributes to broader debates on police socialization, legitimacy, and evolving training practices.

Ms. Sat Kartar Kaur Chandan

University of Leeds

Compounding Vulnerabilities: Exploring the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Criminal Justice Interactions on Young People’s Life Trajectories. 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are formative experiences that significantly shape an individual’s development. They can develop into vulnerabilities, contributing to violence, victimisation, perpetration, and long-term health challenges. These experiences can be further compounded by interactions with the police and Criminal Justice System (CJS). This study aims to explore the lived experiences of young people aged 18-25 in West Yorkshire to better understand how ACEs, when combined with police and CJS encounters, influence their life trajectories. Through creative storytelling techniques and task-based methods, including advice forum vignettes and life road mapping activities, the study provides a platform for young people to articulate their experiences. The research seeks to understand how these interactions influence their vulnerabilities, while examining the role of resilience in shaping life outcomes. Complementary interviews with practitioners will offer a broader perspective on the challenges young people face and the support available. This presentation will provide an overview of the research design to address the following questions:

• What ACEs have young people faced, and how do these experiences shape life trajectories?

• What are the compounding effects of interactions with the police and CJS on young people who have experienced adversity and trauma?

• What opportunities exist for early intervention, safeguarding, and resilience-building to improve outcomes for these young people?

By adopting trauma-informed approaches, this research addresses the interventions, interdisciplinary approaches, and policies that support those affected by ACEs. This presentation also invites discussions of policing and criminal justice practices, offering a critical lens to consider broader systemic challenges.

Ms. Claire Chapman

University of Glasgow

Experiences of victim-related support services for autistic women: Early insights from qualitative interviews.

Autistic women experience disproportionately high rates of multiple and repeat victimisation throughout their lives. Accessing and receiving support services is already challenging for victim-survivors, but the intersection of autism, gender, and victimisation may present unique and additional barriers. Despite this, their experiences of victimisation for autistic women remain underrepresented in qualitative and criminological research, particularly as it relates to support services. This PhD study explores autistic women’s experiences of emotional and practical support services following victimisation, identifying barriers, good practices, and areas for improvement within support provision. 

Prof. Sarah Charman

University of Portsmouth

Publishing your thesis.

In this session, Sarah will discuss the different approaches to translating your research findings into publications and the ways in which you can ensure the maximum impact for your research. She will discuss approaches to structuring academic journal papers and will provide some insider Editor tips for getting your paper safely through the first hurdle to the review stage. There will also be a discussion of additional and complementary approaches to research dissemination to maximise the reach of your research. 

Prof. Sarah Charman1, Dr Jemma Tyson1, Dr Geoff Newiss1, Dr Alejandra De La Fuente Vila1 and Mr Paul Wells2

University of Portsmouth1 and National Police Chiefs' Council2

Improving Representation and Inclusion in Serious and Organised Crime Policing Roles.

Despite sustained and multi-seated initiatives to increase representation of established diversity characteristics in Serious and Organised Crime (SOC) policing roles, progress has been slow and the challenge is more acute in specialist roles. This presentation discusses research which has investigated the enablers and deterrents of moving into SOC roles in policing in England and Wales and provides evidence of the perceptions of inclusivity of SOC teams. Employing a sequential mixed-methods design—comprising a Rapid Evidence Assessment, 74 semi-structured interviews, and an online survey of 510 respondents across four host forces—the research explores both surface-level diversity (e.g., gender, ethnicity, age) and deep-level diversity (e.g., values, personality, cognitive styles). Key findings reveal a contrast between external perceptions and internal experiences. Although SOC is often seen as an elitist, male-dominated environment with rigid working conditions, SOC personnel report significant flexibility, strong team dynamics, high autonomy, and an accommodating work-life balance. However, recruitment practices remain largely opaque and reliant on informal referrals, limiting access for diverse candidates. Distinct pathways for officers and staff further underscore challenges in career progression and long-term role security. Leadership is identified as pivotal in driving cultural change and broadening the definition of diversity beyond surface characteristics. Our research recommends clear leadership, improved profiling of existing personnel, increased awareness of SOC roles, inclusive recruitment strategies, and transparent practices to enhance equality, diversity, and inclusion within SOC.

Ms. Shamsher Chohan

Creative Director, Communities Inc

Stand by Me

The Role of the Bystander in Tackling Hate Crime: Stand by Me Following the rise of reported hate crimes after the result of the EU Referendum in June 2016, we felt there was a role for bystanders, those that may witness incidents happening in their environment (as most of these were happening in public spaces, often on public transport). We thought the least people could do is report these incidents, even if it was anonymously, so at least the police knew what was happening, where it was happening and who it was happening to. They could then initiate informed campaigns to address this This was the beginning of Stand by Me in 2017. We spoke to victims of hate crimes, reflected on our own experiences of prejudice and discrimination and this led to the creation of our intervention framework, summarised as ‘See, Report, Support’. We were keen to look at a preventative approach or at least one which prevented the escalation of attitudes and behaviours to harmful levels. Our main message is addressing the first expressions of hate (negative attitudes, thoughts and feelings) can be easier than when they have had time to grow and worsen AND at that level it has the best potential to ‘nip things in the bud’. We now have a suite of programs that address all forms of hate and prejudice in any environment, including Stand by Me, Stand by Her and Microaggressions Matter. Stand by Me is now seen as an early intervention approach to addressing not only hate crimes but prejudice and hostility anywhere.

Rashmi Choudhury

University of Strathclyde 

Reflections from conducting research with women whose husbands are in prison in Delhi.

Reflexivity compels researchers to deeply analyse their own positionalities and biases throughout the research process. This paper is a reflexive account of my PhD fieldwork experience conducted in Delhi during March 2025 with women whose husbands are in prison (n=14). Using qualitative research methods such as semi-structured interviews present many methodological and ethical challenges, which are shaped and influenced by the specific cultural contexts in which they are experienced and developed. I use examples from my fieldwork to specifically discuss power dynamics between the researcher and the participant, shifting fluctuations between insider-outsider status as well as negotiating access with a third sector organization. The paper is grounded by the ontological understanding of social reality and knowledge production as diverse and complex, highlighting how these positionalities shape the collection and interpretation of data. Specifically, the paper utilises the analytical framework of both postcolonial/decolonial studies to critically reflect upon the methodological decisions made during fieldwork, with the aim of centering the experiences and knowledge of these women and emphasizing issues such as agency, marginalisation, and intersectionality. In doing so, the paper argues for the importance of acknowledging and documenting these positional complexities to enrich qualitative inquiries and contribute deeper insights into the lived realities of these women. 

Ms. Alexine Clarke

University of Portsmouth

The persistence of semen on decomposing skin

Rape and serious sexual assault (RASSO) statistics continue to increase within England and Wales. This is further demonstrated by the media reporting high-profile cases which typically include a biologically male offender and result in the death of the victim. This study aimed to assess the persistence of human semen on decomposing pig skin in three temperature-controlled chambers (5C, 12C and 22C) designed to replicate average UK seasonal temperatures.  Seven strips of fresh pig skin were placed in each chamber;  six which were each brushed with 0.6ml of fresh human semen and one was a control sample. Three forensic tests for the identification of Acid Phosphatase (AP), Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and sperm cells were performed on the samples every 3-7 days. The results demonstrated that sperm cells were present up to and including day 134. The results also showed AP and PSA were present on the decomposing skin for 169 days; this is when the study ended. There was no significant difference found from results across the three temperatures. These findings demonstrate that positive detection of AP and PSA do not indicate that sperm cells are also present. As sperm cells are often crucial for offender identification in RASSO investigations, the persistence of sperm cells was the most important finding in this study. Further research being conducted at the University of Portsmouth aims to repeat this study with pig cadavers in less controlled conditions and confirm findings through DNA analysis. 

Dr Matt Clement

Royal Holloway University of London

Book Launch "Brixton 1981".

Imagine a time when far right forces wage culture wars against people they label as migrants whilst threatening violence, when prime ministers win elections by stoking the fear of being 'swamped' by an alien culture.  In 1981, when that violence became a hate crime with the New Cross massacre, anti-racists reacted with the historic Black Peoples March that prepared the ground for what was to follow.  Brixton's uprising was four days of riots that shook the nation.  Were the police to blame, would there be more to follow?  Matt Clement, author of 'A People's History of Riots, Protest and the Law' (2016) retells this tale of institutional racism and cultures of resistance evolving from the symbolic heart of the multicultural inner city.    

Dr Leah Cleghorn

Nottingham Trent University 

IPV and Entrapment by the State: Caribbean women's same-gender IPV and the response of the State.

The Caribbean region with its legacy of colonialism, indentureship and capitalist enterprise have subjected women to varying forms of vertical (state) and horizontal (in their homes) violence. While past and present discourse have widely recognized and explored the violence experienced by women in their intimate relationships, lesser discussed are the vertical forms of violence experienced by Caribbean women and the States complicity in perpetuating varying forms of intimate partner violence. Moreover, where such discussions have occurred lesser is known about these experiences of violence for women involved in same-gender relationships.  While Caribbean states have continuously engaged in the development, coordination and implementation of policy and programs to address intimate partner violence (IPV), such efforts have failed to include persons in same-gender relationships.  As such many States have been accused of creating a restrictive environment where those in same-gender relationships are unable to access equal rights and equitable service. The present paper utilizes Tolmie et al. (2018) concept of entrapment to understand and contextualize IPV in women's same-gender relationships in the Caribbean. It considers how Caribbean states failure to acknowledge and unresponsive to these women’s experiences of violence and victimization, supports women’s erasure, invisibility and exclusion from the criminal justice process. It suggests like the perpetrators the state silences them as victims and citizens, as well as further distorts understandings of IPV in the Caribbean region. 

Dr Megan Coghlan

Maynooth University

“Back in again, back out”: Understanding men and women's reasons for continuing to offend.

This paper explores an in-depth understanding of men and women’s reoffending experiences in Ireland to complement existing quantitative research on recidivism in Ireland and wider quantitative criminal career research. Most people in contact with the criminal justice system have experiences of social and economic disadvantage and this paper analyses men and women’s reoffending in this context. Firstly, a framework is presented to review subjective, social, structural and cultural factors which allows for in-depth analysis of gender and reoffending. Findings stem from semi-structured interviews with 18 men and 10 women linked to the Irish Probation Service. The framework allowed for deductive codes linked to subjective, social and structural concepts to be identified in transcripts. Inductive coding searched for any unexpected features or issues that arose relevant to the research question of why people continue to reoffend. Analysis highlights that people engage in reoffending as they can gain from criminality in a context of constraint. Men and women's experiences are similar in prioritising financial gain and achieving a sense of purpose and success from crime. Differences arose as enjoyment and thrill-seeking characterised men's experiences of offending but did not feature in women's stories.

Ms. Sarah Colover

College of Policing 

Lessons Learned - overview of VAWG evaluations.

The evidence base on the effectiveness of specific interventions aimed at tackling violence against women and girls is limited. Supported by funding from the UK Cabinet Office Evaluation Accelerator Fund, the College of Policing set up a programme of work in 2022 aimed at building the evidence base in this area, with policy links into a joint National Police Chiefs’ Council/College of Policing VAWG taskforce. 

Dr Catriona Connell and Dr Dave Griffiths

University of Stirling

Relational influences on help-seeking for mental health and substance use among justice-involved people in Scotland.

Background: Mental health and substance use (MH/SU) problems are common in the justice-involved population, the vast majority of whom remain in, or return to, the community. MH/SU problems are implicated in reoffending, high emergency service use, elevated rates of suicide and SU-related deaths, and health and social inequalities. Access to adequate MH/SU support is vital for social justice and public health. Help-seeking, essential for accessing services, is influenced by peoples’ relationships embedded in their communities. Little is known about how relational factors influence MH/SU help-seeking among justice-involved people, limiting evidence-based intervention options. Methods: Using mixed-methods social network analysis, we examine relational influences on help-seeking in 50 justice-involved people in Scotland. We measured perceived stigma and perceived usefulness of support, collected details about participants’ social networks, and explored help-seeking experiences. We developed a network typology using cluster analysis, and quantitatively and qualitatively explored relationships between network type and help-seeking. Results: We identified five network types: entangled, close-knit, unsure, jaded and building. People with a close-knit network had the highest proportion of help-seekers (75%) and jaded participants had the lowest (33%). Qualitative data revealed the importance of network culture, the lack of network knowledge about MH/SU, and that networks were deliberately curated. Each network type had distinct implications for the participant’s desire and ability to seek help. Conclusion: Relational factors influence justice-involved peoples’ decisions to seek help for MH/SU problems. Network and community level influences should be considered by justice practitioners and leveraged to increase MH/SU help-seeking.

Dr Catriona Connell1, Dr Richard Kjellgren1, Mr Jan Savinc2 and Prof. Kate Hunt1

University of Stirling1 and Edinburgh Napier University2   

Post-imprisonment healthcare contacts for mental health and substance use: A Scottish national cohort study.

Background: Mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) problems are common in the prison population and associated with recidivism, emergency service contacts, suicide, and SU-related deaths. Healthcare contacts provide opportunities for MH/SU support, but little is known about post-imprisonment contacts for MH/SU in Scotland. We quantified MH/SU contacts in community prescriptions, outpatient, inpatient, and emergency services among those released, compared to the general population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data. The cohort included everyone released from a Scottish prison in 2015, and a random demographically matched general population sample who were not imprisoned in the preceding five years. Using fixed-effects Poisson models with cluster-robust standard errors, we estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for MH/SU-related community, outpatient, inpatient, and emergency contacts. We controlled for potential confounders and censored for deaths over 4-years. Results: People released had elevated contact rates with all services for MH, SU, and dual diagnosis (DD). Differences in contact rates increased with as services addressed progressively more serious and urgent needs (e.g. outpatient vs ambulance). Lowest adjusted IRRs (aIRRs) were for community prescriptions (MH: aIRR=1.8[95%CI=1.67-1.94]; SU: aIRR=5.95[95%CI=4.83-7.32]; DD: aIRR=5.33[95%CI=3.7-7.68]). The highest aIRR for MH was for ambulance callouts (aIRR=7.75[95%CI=5.76-10.42]); for SU was psychiatric inpatient care (aIRR=10.64[95%CI=6.12-18.84]); and for DD was general inpatient care (aIRR=13.11[95%CI=7.95-21.61]).

Conclusion: Despite increased contact rates with community services, people released from prison are at substantial risk of emergency MH/SU contacts. MH and SU services require urgent attention to increase access to appropriate support for people post-release.

Dr Lynne Copson, Professor Deborah H. Drake and Dr Daniel McCulloch

The Open University 

How Does the Global North Shape Social Justice Narratives?

In this paper we critically engage with and problematise the concept of social justice in terms of its development, deployment and dominance as a hegemonic tool of the Global North and its impacts on those in the Global South.  We briefly outline dominant approaches to social justice theorising and measurement as an important aspect of understanding social justice, which we contrast with broader notions of social justice thinking and activism, using examples from a range of social and criminological contexts and histories beyond the West and the Global North.  In doing so, we argue that a broader understanding of social justice, beyond the limitations of formal social justice theorisation, is a key and necessary element for challenging Global Northern hegemony and securing a more equitable world for everyone.

Mr David Corps, Ms. Helen Ross and Ms. Imogen Halton

Office of National Statistics

 Redevelopment of domestic abuse statistics on the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

The way domestic abuse manifests is constantly changing. To ensure the Office for National Statistics (ONS) continue to provide the most accurate information on domestic abuse in England and Wales which meets the needs of users, we have undertaken a groundbreaking user engagement, research and testing programme to improve the collection of data on domestic abuse within the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). The current questions on domestic abuse are asked as part of the self-completion section of the CSEW and have largely remained the same since they were introduced in April 2004. However, there are issues with the data currently collected, mainly: they do not align with the definition of domestic abuse introduced in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, they exclude the offence of controlling or coercive behaviour introduced in the Serious Crime Act 2015. We have conducted extensive testing and research to design a set of survey questions and overall prevalence measures that accurately measure lived experiences of domestic abuse. Research involved user surveys, collaboration with topic experts, focus groups and cognitive testing with victims and non-victims culminating in a split sample trial of the questions on the CSEW. We will present the research undertaken to design the new domestic abuse survey questions and show results from our split-sample trial and explain how the data have been translated into prevalence measures that can be used to inform policy, improve service provision and provide a greater depth of data on victim’s experiences that has not been previously possible.

Dr David John Cox

University of Wolverhampton

The activities of the Bow Street ‘Runners’ and King’s Messengers in investigating and preventing sedition and treason, 1782-1839.

This paper will discuss the various roles played by Principal Officers of the Bow Street Police Office in the years 1782-1839 and King’s Messengers in the investigation and prevention of serious and organised crime. During this period less than a dozen of experienced law enforcement officers from Bow Street, together with a small number of King’s Messengers often collaborated very closely and effectively in attempts to prevent, investigate and infiltrate several ‘seditious’ and ‘treasonable’ organisations which were thought to be intent on bringing serious harm to the government and people of Great Britain. A couple of case studies will illustrate how these policing agencies operated, with parallels being drawn with both twentieth century and modern policing; the Bow Street ‘Runners’ can be viewed as the first professional detectives in the Western hemisphere, setting the agenda for the next two centuries of detecting and preventing threats to the State. 

Prof. Thomas Crofts

City University of Hong Kong

Policing Intimate Image Abuse: Stakeholder views in Hong Kong.

Many jurisdictions, including Hong Kong in 2021, have enacted offences to address intimate image abuse. In doing so they have often looked to one another for examples of how to most effectively design offences to effectively provide protection against the range of harms that may be caused by such behaviours. However, research has show that despite despite the introduction of new offences there are still difficulties securing prosecutions for intimate image abuse. This paper will briefly highlight the similarity and differences between the HK offences and those in other jurisdictions before reporting on a study of stakeholder view’s (lawyers, magistrates, NGOs) about the effectiveness of the new offences. This paper will focus particularly on perceptions of the impact that the new offences have had on the policing of intimate image abuse and whether further reforms are necessary. 

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Ms. Tyler Dadge

University of Brighton

Private company involvement in police use of facial recognition: key stakeholder perceptions and concerns.

Police forces in England and Wales using facial recognition (FR) technology rely heavily on external companies, there is very little information made public on this relationship. It is this relationship between the private technology companies, and the public police forces that is a cause for concern for key stakeholders (police officers, Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office staff, academics with FR and/or policing research history, persons from government and independent bodies who have dealt with matters of police use of FR). These key stakeholders voiced their concerns around the less than desirable working relationship between the developers and the police. It was identified that there was the knowledge gap, allowing the developers to have more influence than the police around the policies and practices of police use of FR.  A secondary concern, the Commercial Concerns builds on issues with the working relationship. Key stakeholders expressed unease about the difference in objectives between the private, for-profit companies, and the not-for-profit police force, and asked question about how these misaligned objectives open the door to commercial values to assigned to police biometrics data. These research findings come from my PhD thesis, where I interviewed 21 participants asking them a series of questions to elicit their perceptions on the police’s use of FR. This thesis takes the view that FR use in policing, is already established and positioned questions to participants to begin establishing the landscape of the police’s use of FR, not debate if FR should be used. 

Dr Danica Darley

The University of Sheffield 

“I can be myself here”: Making good, mattering and generativity amongst criminalised individuals. 

Scholarly and practice discussions increasingly emphasise the value of involving individuals with lived experience across diverse settings, including criminal justice. While prioritising the knowledge gained from the lived and living experiences of criminalised individuals is not a new concept, the specific forms of participation and their meaningful engagement in shaping practices and policies have gained prominence in recent years. This paper examines the experiences of criminalised individuals delivering crime prevention and awareness-raising workshops with young people in educational settings, drawing on qualitative accounts to explore the benefits and harms of their involvement. The analysis highlights how such participation aligns with desistance processes, including the construction of generative acts to "make good" (Maruna, 2002) and encouraging feelings of mattering (Flett, 2018). Moving beyond widely discredited, deterrence-based initiatives like "Scared Straight" these workshops emphasise dialogue and storytelling rather than confrontation, offering a novel approach to interaction between criminalised individuals and young people. This paper also contributes to existing discussions by addressing Buck et al’s (2022) call for research into how criminalised individuals experience such participatory activities. It situates their experiences within broader discussions of desistance, mattering, and justice capital, demonstrating how these workshops create pathways for identity reimagination and generativity. Ultimately, the paper underscores the transformative potential of engaging criminalised individuals in meaningful, participatory roles that support their desistance journeys.

Dr Tracey Davanna1, Ms Becky Shepherd1, Dr Esmorie Miller2 and Dr Peace Ojimba-Baldwin1

London South Bank University1 and Lancaster University2

Decolonising criminology: a toolkit for inclusion.

This interactive workshop will explore key themes from Decolonising Criminology – A Toolkit for Inclusion, a critical resource for academics seeking to challenge the colonial foundations of criminology and embed anti-racist pedagogy in their teaching. The book provides concrete strategies to reframe criminological curricula, ensuring that students engage with diverse perspectives and understand the historical and ongoing impact of colonialism on crime and justice discourses. Workshop Structure: The session will begin with a brief presentation of the book’s core arguments, highlighting the ways in which criminology has traditionally been shaped by Eurocentric perspectives and how this can be challenged in teaching. Participants will be introduced to practical steps outlined in the toolkit, such as re-evaluating reading lists, incorporating global criminologies, and fostering critical discussions on race, power, and justice. The second part of the workshop will be a collaborative discussion, inviting attendees to share their experiences, challenges, and successes in implementing inclusive and decolonial approaches in their own classrooms. Through group dialogue and collective problem-solving, participants will leave with concrete ideas for adapting their curricula to better support students in engaging with criminology through a decolonial lens. This workshop is open to those at any stage of learning or teaching, and is designed to be an open, supportive space for sharing with one another.  Expertise in decolonising is not required! We learn together.

Dr Anne-Marie Day1, Dr Isabelle Brodie2, Joe Kiff2, Dr Timi Osidipe2 and Prof John Pitts2

Manchester Metropolitan University1 and University of Bedfordshire2

Exploring racial disproportionality in diversion from the Youth Justice System.

This paper presents findings from a research project investigating racial disproportionality in diversion from the Youth Justice System (YJS) in England. Disproportionality within the YJS has been a longstanding concern. As the use of diversion has increased within the YJS, the overall numbers of children have fallen (73% since 2013). However, evidence suggests that this reduction has benefited White children to a greater extent than minoritised children. This project used mixed methods approaches to investigate this discrepancy, which included a national survey, and in-depth qualitative fieldwork in four areas across England. The findings reveal that minoritised children are treated more harshly than their White peers, leading to more severe outcomes. Many children in the study reported experiencing racism at school, from both teachers and peers. Most of the children we spoke to had unidentified Special Educational Needs and/or neurodivergent conditions. Nearly all of them had been excluded from mainstream education. The children’s accounts indicated that minoritised children—particularly Black and Mixed Heritage children—are often subjected to over-policing. Overall, the police are the main arbiters in the diversionary process. However, when decision-making involved other health, welfare and youth-serving agencies, the rate of racial disproportionality for Black and Mixed Heritage children decreased. The children valued most work that employed traditional youth work methods. Our recommendations focus on achieving transparency and consistency in decision-making which, we believe, will significantly reduce racial disproportionality at the gateway to the YJS, and begin to address this significant challenge facing the English Criminal Justice System. 

Dr Sally Day1, Prof Richard Moorhead1, Dr Karen Nokes2 and Prof Rebecca Helm1 

Exeter University1 and University of College London2

‘Accidental Activists’ and Institutional Betrayal in The Post Office Scandal.

This paper explores the role of victims/survivors in pursuing justice in the context of the Post Office Scandal. It proposes that those victimised by a state-corporate harm/crime often face ‘institutional betrayal’ in the legal arena and as a result experience ongoing victimisation in their quest for justice. In particular, it considers how victims/survivors are required to be the ‘drivers’ of justice, often becoming ‘accidental activists’ working against strategies of agnosis. It examines the role of ‘allies’ and advocates (including academics) in lending a hand in progressing victims/survivors justice needs. Drawing upon interviews with former subpostmasters and their family members, it discusses how victims/survivors of the Post Office Scandal have experienced their journey for justice (thus far). The paper contributes to holistic and critical victimology, mapping out nuanced dimensions of victimisation in this context. It shows that those victimised by states and/or powerful organisations can contribute to ‘generalised justice’ for the rest of society, but that they often suffer revictimization and retraumatisation due to official and institutional responses. This indicates there is an urgent need for structural and systemic change to ensure that victims/survivors of harms/crimes of the powerful do not become embroiled in never-ending campaigns for justice. Importantly, this also raises questions in regards to forms of redress and financial compensation in this context, in terms of recognising and taking into account the labour of ‘accidental activists’ and the additional harms they are subjected to in attempting to secure justice. 

Dr Chloe Deambrogio

University of Warwick

Prosecutors and anti-intellectualism as a trial tactic.

Mentally ill defendants are regularly sentenced to death in Texas, the leading executioner in the United States. In this article, I explore the reasons for this phenomenon by analysing the arguments developed by prosecuting attorneys in capital punishment trials involving defendants who advance insanity or diminished capacity claims but are, nonetheless, sentenced to death. Based on the analysis of 27 trial transcripts spanning the past 100 years, I argue that one of the reasons for this phenomenon is that Texas prosecutors use anti-intellectual arguments that, by appealing to jurors’ scepticism of psychiatric expertise and populist approach to mental illness, discredit the mental disability evidence presented by the defence, encouraging the imposition of death verdicts. Finally, I identify three cultural traits that help explain why these anti-intellectual sentiments are so pronounced in Texas proceedings and why they seem to correlate with the regular imposition of death sentences.

Dr Camilla de Carmargo

University of Lancaster

“When the uniform doesn’t fit”: Results from the National Police Uniform and Equipment Survey.

The project “When the Uniform Doesn’t Fit” examined the significant and dangerous impacts of poorly fitted police uniforms on performance, health and safety, morale, and psychosocial well-being. The research identified short- and long-term medical implications, including the development and worsening of disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, and symptoms of neurodivergence. Specifically, severe physical consequences such as cysts, some necessitating mastectomies, were uncovered. Additionally, ill-fitting uniforms exacerbate musculoskeletal issues, leading to chronic pain and an increased risk of injuries. Similarly, there are reports of men similarly suffering with crushed testicles, skin conditions, and the exacerbation of neurodivergent symptoms such as irritating labels and poorly-placed seams amongst many other problems. While focus groups talked to women initially, the research informed the survey design of the first ever National Police Uniform and Equipment Survey for all genders and uniform-wearers, in collaboration with the Police Federation of England and Wales, and the National Uniform Portfolio as part of the National Police Chief’s Council. The survey closed in August 2024 with nearly 17,000 responses and over 30,000 qualitative comments. The results will be used to inform future national decision-making about uniform design, usability, and safety for all officers and staff. 

Ms. Sophie de Groot

University of Leeds

Exploring how LGBTQIA+ adolescents experience and access support for intimate partner violence.

This research proposes that what is currently known and understood about adolescent experiences of intimate partner violence is based on heternormative, cisgender frameworks that minimise the roles of structural homophobia, transphobia and cis-genderism in experiences of violence. Consequently, it is important to understand how young LGBTQIA+ people experience violence within their intimate relationships. US data suggests that young people from this community face a higher rate of abuse (Gillum, 2017). Northern Irish data suggests LGBTQIA+ adolescents face further barriers when seeking support for abuse because of fears of 'double disclosure', regarding their sexual orientation or gender identity when accessing victim support (Pentaraki, 2014: p. 141). To date, there have been limited studies in a UK context investigating this, particularly using mixed-methods approaches. Using surveys and interviews guided by graphic elicitiation, this study will investigate the experiences of LGBTQIA+ young people in the UK. 

Gillum, T.L. 2017. Adolescent dating violence experiences among sexual minority youth and

Dr Alejandra De La Fuente Vilar1, Prof Lorraine Hope1, Dr Feni Kontogianni2, Dr Amy Meenaghan1 and Ms. Ulrike Kruger1

University of Portsmouth1 and University of Winchester2

Tic tac stop!: Effectiveness of the Time-Critical Questioning Protocol for Remote Interactions.

Eliciting information quickly to assess and neutralise threats is vital for national security. The Time-Critical Questioning (TCQ) protocol, follows a rapport-based interviewing approach and comprises the I-RELATE Instructions and an effective approach to subsequent questioning that prioritises the alignment of the roles, goals, and expectations of interviewer and interviewer from the outset to facilitate rapid access and reporting of critical tactical information. Our previous research has found that its use positively impacts the amount of information provided by interviewees under time-sensitive conditions. However, the framework has only been evaluated in face-to-face interview contexts. In many operational scenarios, accessing time-critical information takes place remotely, via telephone or other audio-only devices. Thus, we developed and tested an adapted version of the TCQ protocol for use in remote contexts. Using a novel online methodology in a pre-registered experiment, participants discovered a mock-terrorist attack in a virtual environment and reported it to the authorities in a remote simulated interview using either the TCQ-protocol or a direct approach. Participants in TCQ-interview condition reported significantly more correct information of tactical value (cf. direct approach). The utility of the TCQ for human intelligence gathering in counter-terrorism policing, and further operational contexts will be discussed.

Dr Dina de Sousa e Santos

University of Portsmouth

Fighting for the Rights of Marginalised Women: Examining the Ways that Charities Support Migrant Sex Workers in the UK.  

Migrant sex workers are a diverse group of individuals at the margins of British society, who face a range of vulnerabilities associated with their migration status, the precarious nature of sex work and their invisibility in society. Victims of modern slavery, asylum seekers escaping adverse circumstances in their countries of origin or individuals searching for better economic opportunities in the UK, these are the common background stories of the migrant sex workers documented in the literature. Whilst it is impossible to know the number of migrant sex workers working indoors or on the streets of Britain, there is enough evidence to conclude that, in line with patterns of sex work in general, the majority are women, with Eastern European women confirmed as the most prevalent group. However, studies have also mentioned asylum seekers and women who are trafficked into the UK. 

The plight of migrant sex workers has become visible to the various charities who support sex workers, such as StreetlightUK, whose goal is to help women exit prostitution. This qualitative study sheds light on the struggles of female migrant sex workers through the lens of Support Workers. Drawing on interviews and observations carried out in London and surrounding areas between February and June 2025 with StreetlightUK Support Workers, I examine the challenges that charities face to support some of the most vulnerable women in society. 

Dr Jill Dealey1, Dr Teri-Lisa Griffiths2 and Dr Anne Eason3

University of Portsmouth1, Sheffield Hallam University2, and University of the West of England3

The path to professionalisation: the impact of pracademics on criminal justice professional learning.

There is growing interest in the topic of pracademics – academics with practitioner experience – within higher education research and practice (Dickinson & Griffiths, 2023; Hollweck et al., 2021).  Pracademics contribute to university teaching and research in several ways including, facilitating practice simulations (Cadet, 2023), linking academia to industry (Panda, 2014), and creating teaching materials that address contemporary issues within the professions (Dickfos, 2019). Broadly, the increased recruitment of pracademics is driven by a political focus on graduate outcomes, which are widely used as a measure for university success in the United Kingdom (UK) (Fryer, 2022). This presentation will discuss a collaborative project which aims to investigate the specific context of criminal justice professional programmes in the UK, namely the Policing degree/degree apprenticeship and the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP). These courses are commonly taught by a mixture of academics and pracademics, with the latter becoming more common. For courses focussed on practice, it is clear how pracademics may be perceived by students as having greater ‘authority’ through sharing their experience (Dickinson et al., 2020, p. 296).Furthermore, pracademics articulate stable professional values that they carry with them from practice into academia (Dickinson et al., 2020; Dickinson and Griffiths, 2023). Huey and Mitchell (2016) outline how pracademics can support the development of policy and practice with their ability to synthesise research and move between academic and practice cultures. Yet, Willis (2016) poses that pracademics present a potential threat to independence and impartiality and suggests collaboration between academics, with their autonomy and knowledge of funding grants, and pracademics acting as cultural interpreters would be a more appropriate approach. However, such collaborative opportunities cannot be realised where there is a ‘disjuncture’ between the teaching and outcome perspectives of pracademics and academics (McCabe et al., 2016, p. 9).  Although there is some existing research on the topics of the professionalisation of criminal justice practice and the role of the pracademic, these are predominantly in the context of the United States. This research will investigate the perception of pracademics within criminal justice professional programmes based in the UK, and the impact of their professional values and professional allegiance on teaching and research practice.

Dr Chloe Deambrogio

University of Warwick

Prosecutors and anti-Intellectualism as a trial tactic: The cultural roots of scepticism towards expertise in capital cases.

Mentally ill defendants are regularly sentenced to death in Texas, the leading executioner in the United States. In this article, I explore the reasons for this phenomenon by analysing the arguments developed by prosecuting attorneys in capital punishment trials involving defendants who advance insanity or diminished capacity claims but are, nonetheless, sentenced to death. Based on the analysis of 27 trial transcripts spanning the past 100 years, I argue that one of the reasons for this phenomenon is that Texas prosecutors use anti-intellectual arguments that, by appealing to jurors’ scepticism of psychiatric expertise and populist approach to mental illness, discredit the mental disability evidence presented by the defence, encouraging the imposition of death verdicts. Finally, I identify three cultural traits that help explain why these anti-intellectual sentiments are so pronounced in Texas proceedings and why they seem to correlate with the regular imposition of death sentences.

Mr Max Dennehy1 and Mr Andi Brierley2 

Strathclyde University1 and Leeds Trinity University2 

The Rehabiliation Industry: Lived Experience and Performance

A Brierley and M Dennehy examine the emergence of the Rehabilitation Industry, a framework in which the concept of rehabilitation has been commodified, packaged, and performed under the forces of neoliberal capitalism and digital branding. Drawing upon our unique perspectives as former justice-involved individuals turned professionals, we argue that the fusion of the contemporary digital landscape with capitalist structures has transformed rehabilitation into an industry that generates economic, cultural, and political capital—often at the expense of justice-involved individuals.

The performance of rehabilitation, particularly by those with lived experience, is scrutinized as a mechanism that obscures the punitive realities of the criminal justice system while sustaining a lucrative market of rehabilitation services. We explore how branding, marketing, and social media narratives construct a public-facing illusion of rehabilitative progress, often serving the interests of institutions, policymakers, and organizations rather than the individuals directly affected by the system. By conceptualizing rehabilitation as a performance, we highlight the ethical dilemmas of lived experience actors within this industry, including the fetishization of personal narratives and the commodification of justice reform. Our paper contributes to ongoing criminological debates by critiquing the hidden harms embedded in the Rehabilitation Industry and calling for greater reflexivity and accountability in the ways rehabilitation is structured, marketed, and experienced. We invite further discourse on the implications of this industry for justice reform and its intersection with punishment, neoliberalism, and digital capitalism.

Ms. Ashna Devaprasad

University of Cambridge

Narratives of (in)justice: Analysing moral disengagement in Indian capital sentencing remarks.

The capital sentencing process in India has long been criticised for being judge-centric, fraught with errors, and failing to uphold substantive and procedural due process. While prior scholarship has largely relied on doctrinal and quantitative approaches, qualitative analyses of judicial discourse in death penalty trials remain under-explored. This study contributes to this area in the Indian context by analysing sentencing remarks in 147 lower-court capital cases from 2018 to 2020, focusing on the central role of language in shaping these trials. Drawing from socio-legal and criminological literature, this research explores how judges, through sentencing, create, authorise, and normalise acts of violence. It highlights the judicial function of 'meaning-making' - the cultural, political, and expressive dimensions of sentencing remarks that influence portrayals of perpetrators and victims. Using moral disengagement theory, the study reveals the social-psychological mechanisms at play in capital decision-making. The study employs framework and discourse analysis to make three core arguments. First, capital trials are imbued with emotional judgments, moral questions, and assumptions about human behaviour. Second, judges selectively use moral disengagement mechanisms to justify the death penalty as ethically acceptable, morally palatable, and socially necessary. Third, these 'narrative frames' are essential in shaping broader societal understandings of criminal law, violence, victimisation, and punishment. This research demonstrates how courts, through persuasive language, have transformed capital sentencing into a mechanical process that dehumanises defendants, minimises victims’ experiences, and symbolically reinforces state-sanctioned violence. These findings challenge the fairness of capital punishment and raise critical questions about the legitimacy of penal authority in India.

Ms. Anita Dockley

Justice Futures CIC 

Breaking Down Silos in Criminology and beyond

The field of criminology has made significant strides in understanding crime, criminal behaviour, and societal responses to crime. Yet, its progress in changing justice systems can be hindered by disciplinary and organisational silos—formal and informal boundaries that separate researchers, theorists, practitioners and people with lived expertise into isolated domains. This limits the exchange of ideas and stifles innovation, as criminology's multiple dimensions are advocated in parallel rather than in concert.  The question arises: How might we dismantle these silos to envision and build a future justice system that embraces interdisciplinarity and collaboration? 

Justice Futures aims to reframe conversations around justice through interdisciplinary dialogue. Our practice blends traditional social science methods alongside creative, participatory, and systems approaches to rethink and reimagine possibilities for change. By fostering collaboration across diverse perspectives, we seek to create approaches attuned to the complexities of human behaviour and the interconnectedness of people, ideas and societal structures. At this interactive and creative session, we invite people in the academic and research communities, policymakers, practitioners, and others with lived and learnt experience to use their hearts and minds to collectively imagine such a system. We will consider how we might start to step into that future by bringing together our hope and power, building on the work of Professor Harry Annison and Dr Kate Paradine. Growing Hope and Power explored, with other academics and charities, the dynamics relating to the academic and third sector, particularly the opportunities and challenges to collaborating, with the aim of achieving positive change. This documented a deep commitment to, and hunger for, deep and lasting partnerships between the two sectors which ensure it is evidence and lived experience, rather than dogma, that shapes social change. They called for the creation of a shared vision and a plan. Together, we can explore the transformative potential of working across disciplinary barriers to reimagine justice systems that are inclusive, responsive, and equitable—anchored in the collective wisdom of diverse fields of study, experience and practice.

Mr Elliot Doornbos

Nottingham Trent University

Whale shark exceptionalism?  Exploring how the nature whale shark and relevant policy enforcement reduces opportunity for species victimisation of shark fin trafficking.

Shark fin trafficking involves any act or omission surrounding the finning, processing, import, export, smuggling and distribution of shark's fins, as well as relevant products and derivatives in violation of international, national or regional policy. Within this a numerous protected shark species fins have been seized including those of whale sharks. Whale sharks are subject to a wide array of threats from ship collisions, bycatch, climate change as well as in a smaller scale the impacts of shark fin trafficking with their fins being seized out of areas such as Hong Kong, Indonesia and off the coast of Ecuador. This paper explores how although there are factors and opportunities for whale shark fins to be trafficked that in contrast to other species, the nature whale shark and relevant policy enforcement reduces opportunity for species victimisation of shark fin trafficking. Across the IUU fishing, smuggling and the distribution of shark fins, factors such as the size of the species, unique patterns, charismatic nature and enforcement all play a role in reducing whale shark fins appearing on legal markets. By exploring what reduces whale shark fins alongside how their fins to feed into illicit markets this paper hopes to garner a further understanding of wider shark fin trafficking policy enforcement.

Dr Jane Dominey and Dr Lucy Willmott

 University of Cambridge

Accountability and Responsibility in the Probation Service: who is pulling the levers? 

The creation, in October 2023, of a new Area Model for HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) was argued by the then HMPPS Chief Executive to ‘provide increased ‘join up’ between prisons and probation by bringing responsibility for both together at the area level, with more devolved authority to the areas to facilitate innovation and faster decision-making, closer to the point of operational delivery’.  The arrival of this new model is the latest in a series of reorganisations that change the governance structure for the Probation Service and, as a consequence, have the potential to shift  the balance of accountability and decision-making between politicians, senior staff in the Ministry of Justice and in HMPPS, and those who work in senior operational roles in regions and at local level.

Prof. Catherine Donovan

Durham University 

Identity Abuse as a defining feature of Family abuse: Finding ways to encourage inclusive service responses for LGBT+ survivors of family abuse.

Currently, family abuse is characterised as either adult child to parent (typically the mother) or so-call ‘honour’ abuse. The latter is assumed to be associated predominantly in particular communities of ‘race’ and/or faith. Yet, ‘honour’ based family abuse is, typically, targeted abusive behaviour by family members to regulate, control, coerce norms of gender and sexuality as well as to punish for non-conformity other family member(s). The norms can include those of gender presentation and/or practices and/or identity. However, whilst ‘honour’ based violence is recognised as originating in challenges to norms of gender and sexuality in racialised communities and/or communities of faith it will not necessarily be recognised if the family and victimised family member are white. Such an approach results in there being very little understanding about the family abuse of LGBT+ folk and, worse, few services able to respond appropriately to their victimisation. Should then a defining feature of family abuse be identity abuse targeting family members’ identities of gender and sexuality rather than ‘honour’? It seems that it is relatives’ presentation and practices of gender and/or sexuality that are problematised by families. By concentrating on this kind of identity abuse of family members, family abuse of LGBT+ folk could be more quickly identified and addressed.

Prof. Catherine Donovan1, Dr John Clayton2 and Prof Stephen Macdonald1

Durham University1 and Northumbria University2

Considering the utility of the concept of coercive control in ‘hate relationships’.

In this paper we set out the concept of 'hate relationships'. This draws on the intimate partner violence and coercive control literature to capture the enduring, and profoundly impactful harm experienced by individuals and families 'known' to local perpetrators of repeat hate incidents. We explore the key findings of our research conducted with an advocacy organisation in North East England (Donovan et al), particularly focussing here on the role of professional practitioners (including the Police and Housing Associations) in (mis)identifying and (often not) resolving hate relationships. We suggest that an inability to identify and take seriously the enduring nature of these harms (often seen as one-off incidents); and too often mis-identifying  them as anti-social behaviour means that key institutions can become complicit in the perpetuation of hate. Drawing parallels with coercive control in domestic abuse we suggest that the lens of criminal justice with its focus on discrete incidents and on evidential criteria that privileges physical abuse and property damage is too narrow. Rather, we argue for an understanding that the cumulative impact of apparently ‘low-level’ repeat victimisation that is often difficult to evidence, has profound physical and mental health impacts as well as social impacts associated with isolation. In conclusion we propose a non-criminal justice system approach that is sensitive to relationally produced local conditions in addressing the harms of hate. that looks to already existing networks of safety and support within communities that might be mobilised. 

Dr Divya Dubey, Dr. Sulbha Rai and Dr. Aasim Ur Rehman Ganie

O.P.Jindal Global University

Criminal Propensity and Personality Traits among Adolescents: Analyzing the Role of Psychoticism, Extraversion, and Neuroticism.

This study examines the relationship between personality traits Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism and Total Criminal Propensity among adolescents. A sample of 814 adolescents from Gujarat and Maharashtra was analysed using correlation and t-test analyses. Results indicate significant positive correlations between Criminal Propensity and Psychoticism (r = .567, p < .01), Extraversion (r = .673, p < .01), and Neuroticism (r = .742, p < .01). The Lie Scale was also positively correlated with Neuroticism (r = .316, p < .01) and Extraversion (r = .269, p < .01), suggesting an association between socially desirable responding and emotional instability. Gender differences in Total Criminal Propensity (CP Total = P+E+N) were not significant (t = -.953, p > .05), whereas regional differences showed a significant effect, with adolescents from Maharashtra scoring higher (M = 16.10) than those from Gujarat (M = 15.12; t = -3.812, p < .001). These findings highlights the importance of personality traits in understanding criminal tendencies among adolescents and highlight the need for targeted interventions to address risk factors associated with delinquent behavior.

Dr Tuncay Durna1 and Dr Kutluer Karademir2

Buckinghamshire New University1 and Teesside University2

Reluctance to use necessary force: Emerging concern within the police.

The use of force is a fundamental yet highly controversial aspect of policing. While it is a necessary tool for the police to control crime and apprehend suspects, the misuse of force -whether excessive, unnecessary, or unlawful- undermines public trust and the legitimacy of the police. Moreover, when force is disproportionately used toward certain groups or ethnicities, it becomes a significant source of social injustice. Individual, situational, and organisational factors influencing police use of force have been extensively studied. However, following high-profile incidents in recent years, a new phenomenon has emerged: reluctance to use necessary force. Increasingly, cases have surfaced where officers -or some members of a team- hesitate to act when force is required to neutralise a threat or make an arrest. This hesitation can lead to a perception of ineffectiveness and inefficiency in policing, further eroding public confidence and trust. This paper explores the potential individual, situational, and organisational factors contributing to reluctance to use necessary force and highlights areas for future research.

Dr Amy Duvenage

Southampton Solent University 

Lessons from the Global South? Examining migration through the lens of erotic justice incorporating ubuntu.

State responses to migration have grown increasingly punitive over the last 25 years; however, not all migrants, whether documented or undocumented, are targeted in the same way. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and queering, intersex and asexual plus (LGBTQIA+) persons are especially vulnerable to marginalisation, detention and criminalisation. Drawing on a South African case study, I examine migration through the lens of erotic justice incorporating ubuntu – a southern African worldview. The aim is to examine the extent to which criminologists in the Global North can learn from Southern approaches to human dignity, the development of human rights and fair treatment. I begin by outlining how South-North and South-South documented and undocumented migrants struggle for legitimacy in their region of settlement examining anti-immigration sentiment; autochthony and nativism; identity politics; and differential processes of othering. Specific attention is given to gender and sexuality. By way of a South African case study, I analyse how colonial and apartheid discourses of gender and sexuality continue to structure migration processes and experiences in the country producing desirable and undesirable migrant bodies post-apartheid. The myth that homosexuality is un-African is a key focus. The extent to which Western-based human rights models can resolve prejudice, discrimination and violence against queer migrants is assessed.  

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Dr Tolulope Eboka

Kingston University

“You Think They Care About Us?”: Victims of Crime, Ethnicity, and the CJS.

Whilst people from ethnic minorities are no more at risk of violent crime than others, they are much more likely to perceive a racial dimension in the crimes they experience. However, very little is known about their experiences, particularly their experiences with the CJS. This study, conducted as part of the Croydon Lives Project (June–August 2023), explores the experiences of victims of violent crime in Croydon, South London, with a particular focus on ethnicity and interactions with the Criminal Justice System (CJS). Through in-depth qualitative interviews, the research highlights significant concerns about victim support, perceptions of policing, and systemic challenges in addressing violent crime. All the participants had either experienced or witnessed violent crime, with 50% having been victims of assaults involving dangerous weapons, 37.5% being families of murder victims, and 12.5% experiencing house invasions. Sadly, 87.5% of participants reported a lack of trust in the police and partner agencies, citing inadequate support and poor communication, with engagement efforts perceived as superficial "tick-box exercises." Participants also expressed frustration over the normalisation of certain crimes within ethnic minority communities and a perceived racial bias in law enforcement responses. This research highlights the urgent need for improved victim support services, culturally sensitive policing strategies, and transparent communication between victims and the CJS. Addressing these issues is critical to restoring public confidence, particularly among ethnic minority communities, and ensuring justice for victims of violent crime.

Dr Kerry Ellis Devitt

Interventions Alliance Ltd.

The right to write: Navigating the emotional demands of researching trauma.

Good social research should be ethical social research. And this is profoundly important when it comes to the responsibilities of conducting research with people sharing stories of trauma. Researchers do not have an automatic right to access people’s storied lives because we are interested in a particular topic and want to know more; even if that means we can then draw from those stories to critique a system or service with the goal of making it better. Sharing stories of trauma can evoke many conflicting feelings – anxiety and relief, vulnerability and resilience, isolation and inclusivity. The invitation to hear people’s trauma stories is a privilege and one we must hold respectfully and mindfully. Done properly, this can be a mutually rewarding, and sometimes bonding experience. However, it can also come at an emotional cost to the researcher. This presentation is based on a forthcoming paper exploring the experiences of three researchers conducting research with vulnerable and traumatised populations. However, this presentation will focus on just one of those researchers, considering their experiences conducting research with women survivors of domestic abuse. The presentation will explore the relationship between researcher and participant (reflecting on intersecting identities). It will discuss the principles of trauma-informed practice and how they must be embedded into such research, and it will explore the lasting impact of undertaking this type of work on the researcher. The presentation will conclude by considering the practice and ethics around eliciting trauma stories for the purposes of research.

Ms. Serena Elms

Murdoch University

Exploring the use of emergency call sentiment to assist in the development of effective interview strategies. 

Staging an emergency call by providing a false report or misleading narrative is a form of detection avoidance that offenders can use to conceal their criminal behaviour. For example, a murderous husband may falsely report that his wife has sustained injuries from an ‘accidental’ fall down a flight of stairs. The analysis of emergency calls has primarily focused on how to differentiate staged and authentic callers, who are making a genuine plea for help. While the veracity of a call is important, callers’ sentiments may offer another opportunity to inform follow-up investigations. The current research takes a new approach to emergency call analysis, focusing on callers’ sentiments, otherwise known as their linguistic disposition, towards the subject of the call. Transcripts of real-world emergency calls were linguistically analysed to identify the linguistic disposition of staged and authentic callers. A measure of Proximity Coefficients then provided an insight into the patterns of linguistic indicators in staged and authentic calls. This revealed a difference in the sequential patterns of indicators and the type of sentiment that staged and authentic callers expressed toward they were assisting. This presentation will take these results a step further to explore more recent research that may assist in the development of interview strategies that are more effective at building rapport and eliciting information. 

Dr Roise Erol1, Amber Meakins1, Prof. Nicole Westmarland2 and Dr Rachel Oughton2

College of Policing1 and Durham University2

Evaluation of a forensic marking intervention in domestic abuse cases.

‘Forensic marking’ has traditionally been used to mark property as a deterrent and investigation tool in cases of burglary. More recently it has been used in the context of domestic abuse, where victims of domestic abuse are provided with a forensic marking kit such as a spray canister or forensic grease. These products, when deployed, leave a forensic mark on a perpetrator and provide evidence that they have been present at a specific location, or in close proximity to the victim. The perpetrator is warned by the police that the victim has received forensic marking products, to deter them from further offending.  In this paper we will present the findings from the evaluation, in particular the impact of the intervention on reoffending, alongside the outcomes from a longitudinal victim survey on their feelings of freedom and safety as a result of having the products. We will describe how forensic marking has been implemented in four pilot police forces, and the quasi-experimental design that was used to understand the impact of the intervention, as an alternative approach to a randomised controlled trial. We will describe the challenges and opportunities faced with using propensity score matching using police data. The implications for practice will also be discussed.

Ms. Teresa Etheredge

University of Cambridge

Exclusions to the right to bail: From police recommendations to custodial remand.

In the context of a record-breaking remand population, we need to know what is driving decision-making when magistrates refuse bail. Previous research suggests that magistrates spend only around 5 minutes on these decisions in court, largely due to a reliance on information and recommendations from the police. However, police decision-making in this area is under-researched. This mixed-methods study will first conduct a semi-ethnography in two police station custody suites, observing police staff and custody officers over four 12-hour shifts and discussing how they decide whether to recommend someone be released on bail or remanded into custody. Second, this study has applied for linked administrative datasets from HMPPS and HMCTS through the Ministry of Justice DataFirst scheme. This will enable quantitative analysis of the official recorded reasons for which defendants are remanded into custody alongside demographic characteristics, offence type, the length of time they spend on remand and the ultimate outcome of their case, making use of insights from the semi-ethnography. Please note this research is being undertaken as part of my MPhil in Criminological Research and is not yet completed.

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Dr Emily Finch

University of Surrey

Engaging Minds, Generating Insight and Solving Problems: Using the World Café Method in Criminological Research

This interactive workshop introduces the World Café as an innovative and participatory research method with strong potential to contribute to criminological research. Originally developed as a problem-solving tool in corporate and community contexts, the World Café creates a welcoming, café-style environment that fosters open, hierarchy-free dialogue. Participants work in small groups to explore meaningful questions before moving between tables to cross-pollinate ideas, promoting collective thinking and deeper understanding. The method is grounded in the belief that people want to talk about what matters to them—and that shared wisdom emerges through conversation. It has been used effectively in diverse settings, including public engagement initiatives, policy development, and higher education, to bring together practitioners, experts, and lay participants in exploring complex social issues. This workshop will outline how the World Café has been used in criminological research to engage communities and generate rich, qualitative data. It will discuss practical considerations—including recruitment, facilitation, data collection and analysis—as well as challenges and how to address them. Attendees will then have the opportunity to experience a mini World Café session on a crime-related theme, offering first-hand insight into its potential as a creative, inclusive, and insightful research tool. Whether you're new to participatory methods or looking to deepen your methodological toolkit, this session will provide inspiration and practical guidance for using the World Café in your own criminological research or teaching.

Ms. Guya Fiorineschi Bickel Conti

University of Essex

Youth Crime on the Rise? Unpacking Public Perception and the Need for Criminologists in Ticino, Switzerland. 

With growing concerns about youth crime in Swiss communities, this study investigates the discrepancy between official crime statistics and public perceptions in Canton Ticino, the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland. It also examines the potential integration of criminologists into local youth crime prevention efforts. Three semi-structured, mixed-methods surveys were developed and administered to gather insights from three distinct target groups: parents of youth aged 10–26, youth within the same age range, and professionals working with young people in Ticino. Although the data are exploratory and non-representative—limiting generalizability—they provide valuable insights into local perceptions and concerns. Preliminary findings reveal that, despite Switzerland’s relatively low youth crime rates according to official statistics, significant concerns emerge among all three groups that are not fully captured in institutional data. Professionals tend to focus on visible crimes such as violence and theft, while young people emphasize psychological harm, sexual harassment, and low perceptions of safety. Parents, who generally view structured environments as safe, express strong anxiety about peer-related risks, including substance abuse, bullying, and negative social influences. All groups agree that current prevention measures are insufficient. Drawing inspiration from UK models in which criminologists collaborate with policymakers and communities, this study explores the potential for adopting similar evidence-based approaches in Ticino—aiming to expand data collection and inform targeted, interdisciplinary youth crime prevention strategies. 

Dr Melanie Flynn1, Dr John Walliss2 and Dr Dan Allen1 

Liverpool Hope University1, Derby University2 

The costs of compliance: The impact of the XL Bully ‘ban’ on dogs and their caregivers.

XL Bully-type dogs were added to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in December 2023 (England & Wales). It is now a criminal offence to breed, abandon, sell, or give away an XL Bully, including for rehoming. Existing dogs had to either be euthanized or ‘exempted’, through applying for a certificate from Defra. Exempted dogs must be covered by public liability insurance, microchipped and neutered. When in public, exempted dogs must be muzzled and on a lead, held by someone 16 years or older. Drawing on survey responses and in-depth interviews, this paper considers the emotional, financial, and practical impacts on caregivers of exempted dogs, as well as the perceived impacts on the dogs themselves. The findings reveal that caregivers have faced financial strain due to costs associated with exempting their dogs, as well as profound emotional consequences, including heightened anxiety and social isolation. Their daily routines have been notably altered, and this has impacted on exempted dogs themselves. The restrictions placed on them result in less exercise and fewer opportunities to socialize. These impacts can be argued to reduce the quality of life of both dogs and their owners whilst also failing to address – and potentially exacerbate – the causes of dog attacks. The paper concludes with critique of the approach taken by the government, with a particular focus on the failure to assess potential negative impacts on caregivers and exempted dogs.

Dr John Fox

University of Portsmouth

Writing for The Conversation 

As academics we are all under pressure to try and get articles published in high impact academic journals because this can contribute to our HEI Research Excellence Framework submission, meaning more Government money.  However, not only is it a long, slow process, it is also sometimes a tough and depressing process for ECRs to try and get their paper published in academic journals. This talk is designed to share the presenter’s own experience of writing several articles for 'The Conversation', which is an interesting, alternative type of publication which claims to use “academic rigour to offer informed commentary and debate on the issues affecting our world”. The presenter will also be able to share some personal thoughts and tips kindly offered by a Senior Editor with whom he has worked. Thus, participants will gain a unique insight into how best to ‘pitch’ an idea, and how best to work with the Editorial Team throughout the editing and publication process.

Dr John Fox, Ms. Laura Knight and Dr Amy Meenaghan

University of Portsmouth

The cultural and psychological challenges of multi-agency child death investigation: Messages from front line practitioners.

Doctors and police officers in England are required to work together to respond to and investigate the unexpected death of every child. The difference in occupational cultures and a lack of understanding of respective agency roles can cause a breakdown in trust and communication, leading to stress. Improving collaborative working will help safeguard surviving children. Portsmouth's Child Death Immersion Programme brings together paediatricians and senior detectives to work together through high-intensity exercises and realistic simulations in our £7m fully equipped hospital and healthcare simulation suite. Upon completion, the students understand not only the technical process, but also non-technical skills, such as how it feels emotionally to work alongside police and doctors in a collaborative and respectful way. A research tool is used to gather quantitative and qualitative data which provides new knowledge from practitioners themselves about the psychological challenges they face working together and helps evaluate this type of immersion training. The findings, shared during this presentation, will be offered to government and key agencies to improve policy guidance and training.

Ms. Rebecca Fox

University of Leeds

Neighbourhood policing through a lens of vulnerability.

The subjects of vulnerability and neighbourhood policing have both received much academic and political attention in recent times. However, the space in which they overlap is relatively under-studied. This exploratory PhD contributes to addressing this research deficit by investigating how the contemporary emphasis on vulnerability has manifested in the policies and delivery of neighbourhood policing. Recent discourse has suggested that the prioritisation of vulnerability has provided a progressive lens through which groups traditionally framed as problematic and risky can be reconceptualised as vulnerable and at risk. While some praise this development for encouraging more compassionate and care-orientated approaches to policing, others have raised concerns of vulnerability being used to disguise and impose controlling measures against certain marginalised and already vulnerable populations. Within this context, this thesis explores the policing of three traditionally marginalised groups: those that are homeless or ‘rough sleeping’, ethnic minority communities and youths. It investigates how officers interpret, identify and operationalise the concept of vulnerability in their interactions with members of these groups and considers the contribution made by neighbourhood policing practices to broader policing efforts regarding the protection of vulnerable people. It also explores how far the management of vulnerability is an endeavour shared among partner agencies and asks what implications collaborative working carries for the police. 

Dr Leandro Ayres França

University of Reading

Before Criminology had a name: demonology and the making of deviance.

Traditional narratives of criminology often trace its origins to classicism, alienism, phrenology and criminal anthropology. This study explores the intellectual and institutional developments of Western Europe during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance (14th to 17th centuries) in relation to changes in deviance, harm and punishment. Drawing on recent insights from Latin American criminologists, I argue that an original criminological discourse, embryonic but well integrated, emerged during this period. Canonical texts, inquisitors’ manuals, demonology treaties, and judicial trials collectively fostered an organic intellectual effort that supported an elitist, systematic, selective, and long-lasting punitive campaign against those deemed deviant. Rather than proposing an alternative starting point, this study seeks to broaden the historiographical understanding of criminology and highlight the enduring influence of these ideas on modern criminological discourses and criminal justice practices.

Dr Leandro Ayres França, Dr Alexandra Cox, Ms. Josmi Saji, Ms. Funanya Oda, Mr Oli Slack

University of Reading

A Survey of Lethal Injection.

In this paper, we will present the results of a survey conducted by members of the University of Reading's Death Penalty Sentencing Mitigation Clinic, in partnership with Reprieve, a charity, on the uses of lethal injection drugs in American states.  The paper will focus in particular on the role of secrecy laws across the states which seek to prohibit access to information about the uses of lethal injection drugs, and will use critical criminology frameworks to critique and analyse the state-based approaches to the uses of lethal injection.

Dr Bronwen Frow-Jones

Cardiff University 

Why do prison staff engage in wrongdoing? 

Prisons are particularly vulnerable to corruption and other forms of staff wrongdoing. Wrongdoing fuels violence, prisoner debt and the illicit economy. It undermines workforce morale, staff legitimacy and damages the reputation of the prison. My research is the first independent empirical study in England and Wales focussed on increasing the knowledge of how prison staff wrongdoing is understood by the staff themselves, what the staff think makes someone vulnerable to wrongdoing and what the perceived barriers are to reporting wrongdoing. This paper will focus on the findings around the motivational factors which influence staff propensity to wrongdoing. The findings suggest all types of wrongdoing should be addressed, not just corruption such as trafficking of contraband. It is argued that any policy which regards wrongdoing as solely due to corrupt individuals who actively pursue money making opportunities is both a theory failure as well as an implementation failure. Instead it should be recognised that there are individual, organisational and societal factors which influence propensity to engage in wrongdoing. Instead of treating prison staff wrongdoers as ‘rotten apples’ who can be removed or deterred through situational crime prevention methods, it more useful to conceptualise (at least) three types of staff wrongdoers. These could be described as the predatory offender, the disillusioned offender and the unintentional offender. This framework assists in understanding the reasons why staff engage in wrongdoing and therefore provides greater insight as to which approaches could be used to tackle the problem. 

Ms. Ashley Fuchs

Edinburgh University

Encompassing and exploitative: Applying Goffman’s total institution model to communities with high rates of illicit drug use.

Within criminological scholarship, penality in the Global North has been increasingly framed as a spectral force of social control that (1) extends well beyond the prison walls and (2) manifests in marginalised communities through hyper-punitive practices. Unsurprisingly, such conceptual reconfigurations have spurred intense criticism of Goffman’s total institution model (1961) and its alleged preoccupation with physical, clearly demarcated boundaries. In this paper, I argue that critics have misrepresented Goffman’s description of total institutions by casting it as antithetical to concepts such as “carceral circuity,” “carceral seepage,” liminality, and permeability. Furthermore, I suggest that Goffman’s theory, far from being outdated, provides an incisive framework for understanding power relations in communities with high rates of illicit drug use in the United States. Using a comparative case study approach, I consider how Delray, Florida (the rehabilitation and relapse capital of the US) and Kensington, Pennsylvania (which has the largest open-air drug market in the US) are communities that operate as de facto total institutions. Drawing from Goffman’s theory, I identify patterns of behaviour for both users and dealers as well as community-level systems of order, punishment, agency, and resistance. Thus, this paper offers novel insights into the encompassing nature of addiction, how social hardship can be both volatile and highly regimented in vulnerable communities, and why social policy interventions must recognise the totality of forces that keep people confined to areas of high drug use, violence, and homelessness.

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Ms. Maria Christina Galanki

Bangor University

The Far-Right in Lesvos: Ideology and Violence Against Migrants

Existing research on the Greek far-right has largely focused on the former official far-right party and now designated organization, the Golden Dawn (GD). Consequently, the ideological messages and criminal activities of the GD have been thoroughly examined, while the function of other, equally dangerous far-right organizations has been overlooked. From 2015 to 2020, the Greek island of Lesvos witnessed an unprecedented rise in vigilante violence against migrants. Newspaper reports indicate that this violence was primarily perpetrated by members of the Golden Dawn and the local municipal party of Mytilene, the Free Citizens (FC). However, the phenomenon of anti-immigration vigilantism in Lesvos and the case of the FC party have received no academic attention. This paper aims to provide insight into the local far-right of Lesvos by discussing the main findings of my PhD study on anti-immigration vigilantism by the far-right in this location. The study is based on the qualitative content analysis of articles published on the GD website and Facebook posts by the FC. It examines the FC’s ideological messages, focusing on how ethnic nationalist ideas of "dangerous others," national purity, conspiracy theories, and the promotion of violence against migrants establish the FC as a radical right party active in the local political arena. The study also draws on semi-structured interviews with victims and witnesses of vigilante violence. This paper discusses the interview findings as they provide a crucial insight into the involvement of local, national, and pan-European far-right organizations in violence against migrants in Lesvos.

Dr Jennifer Galbraith 

Scottish Police Authority

Policing, Confidence, and the Community: Final Insights of Community Relationships with Local Police in "Deprived" Areas of Scotland.

The project engaged with Police Scotland, local government, local businesses, schools, and community initiatives to enhance the policing system’s understanding of what drives public confidence in policing at a day-to-day community level; to improve understanding and awareness of modern policing demands and challenges; to develop insights into what communities consider to be confidence-building, small-scale, sustainable interventions that the police and partners can put into effect; and to develop a model for engagement and positive action that Police Scotland can utilise to improve confidence in local policing. This presentation presents final insights across the project’s four localities: Levenmouth (Fife); Irvine Fullarton (North Ayrshire); Wick (Highlands); and Letham (Perth City). It will highlight shared areas of concern, as well as areas of positive engagement from participants. This presentation will also provide a case study of the Levenmouth locality, including key statistics, participant testimonies, and will offer crucial messages to help local police teams across Scotland and the U.K. to understand the concerns of “deprived” communities and what can be done to improve engagement and trust between local police teams and their communities. 

Dr Aram Ghaemmaghami and Dr Simona Ciobotaru

University of Portsmouth 

Feeding the Algorithm: Far-Right TikTok, the 2024 UK Election, and the Road to the Rotherham Riots.

The role of social media algorithms in shaping political discourse and radicalisation has been widely debated, yet little research has examined their influence in the lead-up to real-world unrest. This study explores how TikTok’s algorithm amplified far-right narratives before and after the 2024 UK general election, which immediately preceded the Rotherham riots and civil unrest across the UK during the summer of 2024. Initially, the research set out to investigate how the platform’s recommendation system responded to engagement with far-right content during a politically charged period. A TikTok account was trained into a far-right content bubble by systematically watching, liking, and following nationalist, anti-immigration, and conspiracy-based material. Over several weeks, 125 videos were observed before the election and 125 after, with data recorded through visual descriptions, hashtags, and transcripts. The thematic analysis revealed that algorithmic curation intensified anti-immigration rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and calls for action, particularly in response to the election outcome. Post-election content displayed a heightened sense of betrayal and urgency, aligning with narratives that directly fuelled unrest in Rotherham and the national fallout that followed. These findings highlight the role of platform mechanics in the escalation of political grievances into offline action, contributing to broader discussions on algorithmic racism, online radicalisation, and the responsibilities of social media platforms. 

Dr Neusha Ghahremani Afshar

Islamic Azad University

Iran's preventive criminal policy against environmental crimes.

Crimes against the environment are one of the most important challenges of countries, and combating it requires the application of modern and prevention-oriented models. Iran's criminal policy against environmental crimes is a combination of criminal, administrative and preventive measures that have been formulated with the aim of protecting the environment and dealing with offenders. The white collar of the aforementioned crimes and their organization and the variety of crimes committed in this area actually add to the complexity of reactive and action-oriented approaches. Among all the preventive approaches, the most important social prevention method is the promotion of public awareness and education, the participation of the local community and its empowerment،and benefiting from non-governmental organizations, using the potential of non-governmental organizations, setting up reporting systems for environmental violations, Development of environmental diplomacy in the light of crime prevention standards can be effective in continuous monitoring of preventive measures in this direction. Crimes against the environment in Iran include crimes related to environmental pollution (air, water, soil pollution and noise and light pollution)، Crimes related to the destruction of natural resources and forests) Unauthorized cutting of trees،Seizing and destroying national lands and natural resources(,Intentional fires in forests and pastures, Crimes related to illegal hunting and fishing، Crimes related to hazardous materials and waste، Crimes related to the destruction of natural habitats and wildlife، Crimes related to illegal land use change and crimes related to misuse of water and soil resources. Due to global harmony in dealing with environmental crises، Iran's criminal policy has also established significant opportunities based on requirements that we can hope for the predominance of preventive criminal policy against crimes against the environment. This article aims to examine the institutional synergy between civil and governance structures To explain and describe the preventive method in the field of environmental crimes in Iran s criminal policy.

Sofoklis Giannakoulakos

City St George's University of London 

"Beyond the Screen: The Digital-Physical Nexus of Sexual Victimisation in LGBTQ+ Intimate Partner Violence".

While image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is increasingly recognized as a form of coercive control, its intersection with physical sexual abuse in same-sex intimate partner violence (IPV) remains critically underexplored. This study situates IBSA within queer criminology and digital coercive control frameworks, demonstrating how digital and physical sexual victimization operate as interwoven tools of control, humiliation, and violence. Drawing on survey data (N=1,000) and qualitative interviews (N=30) with service providers, findings reveal that perpetrators use online and offline spaces in tandem to monitor, threaten, and sexually exploit their victims, often leveraging digital tools to extend physical abuse beyond the relationship’s end. Survivors report significant barriers to justice, including victim-blaming, homophobic policing responses, and legal frameworks that fail to address the continuum between physical and digital harm. Current IBSA legislation remains deeply heteronormative, neglecting how digital abuse reinforces and exacerbates traditional forms of sexual coercion and assault in same-sex relationships. This paper critiques these legal and institutional failures, calling for LGBTQ+-inclusive policy reforms, digital abuse protections, and trauma-informed policing practices. By interrogating the online-offline continuum of sexual victimization, this paper contributes to critical criminology debates on digital abuse, coercive control, and the evolving nature of IPV in LGBTQ+ communities.

Commander Phill Gibbs

University of Portsmouth 

Incarceration, Procrastination, Participation

An unexpected “Lived Experience” in 2021-22 in HMP Winchester, for historic financial errors, gave me a new view on my life and the way ahead. Being made to undertake Education inside, as part of my Sentence Plan, I was surprised at the standards being applied and how the process took place.  There were severe limitations on access and application, limited knowledge in the tutors, lack of awareness (or belief) in the student’s previous academic achievements, and a total disregard for those unable to read and write, as to get into education, you had to pass a written test! I used time to think about how I would change the world of prison education, with my background in education and training, including an appointment in the USA as an exchange professor at the National Defense University, and twelve years as a Comprehensive School Governor, including four as Chairman of the Governing Body. On release, I distilled my notes and thoughts into a hypothesis to research for a PhD and approached the University of Portsmouth to determine if this was even possible and then viable.  I received great support and assistance in refining my thoughts, and after discussion with the Head of Education at the Ministry of Justice, formed the hypothesis “Are there barriers to further and higher education within the prison service of England and Wales?”. My short presentation will take the listener from my incarceration to participation, via a considerable amount of procrastination!

Dr Jonathan Gilbert

University of the West of England

Convict criminology and an auto-ethnographic study of prison.

The paper is based upon auto-ethnographic research of the prison system in England and Wales. The researcher was sentenced to twelve years in prison in July 2014 and served six years. He was released in June 2020 as a consequence of the End of Custody Temporary Release Scheme, one of the Ministry of Justice responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. His prison journey commenced in HMP Wandsworth, London, where he observed crime that included violence, drug dealing and the smuggling of illicit articles. It continued at HMP Parc, Bridgend, run by private operator G4S, before concluding at HMP Prescoed, an open prison near Usk, Monmouthshire. Data collected supports an auto-ethnographic methodology and includes prison diaries, writings, correspondence exchanged between the researcher and family members, most notably his wife, Natalie, and custody and probation records. Findings, include an account of the conditions of prisons in the UK, notably the impact of a rising prison population; the role of charities in providing essential services, particularly in the area of mental health, such as the Listeners (a branch of the Samaritans); the transformative effect of prisoner engagement with education; and how rehabilitation and restorative justice need to be at the epicentre of the Criminal Justice System. Finally, it provides an example of Convict Criminology in practice, as the researcher, whilst in custody undertook a Masters in Counter Fraud and Counter Corruption by distance learning, before a PhD, where he researched the financial crime for which he was imprisoned for. 

Dr Dion Glass and Dr Amy Meenaghan

University of Portsmouth

Between Integrity and Exposure: The Psychology of Insider Disclosure.

This study examined the psychological, ethical, and situational factors that influence voluntary disclosure of organisational information. While existing research on information leaks has primarily focused on cybersecurity threats and accidental breaches, this study investigated intentional disclosures driven by ethical convictions, ideological beliefs, discrimination, personal grievances, and financial incentives. Using a mixed-methods approach, an anonymous online survey (n=292) examined the views of Higher Education employees, integrating descriptive statistical analysis with reflexive thematic and content analysis. Findings revealed a complex interplay between motivational drivers and deterrents, demonstrating that ethical concerns can simultaneously promote and prevent disclosure. Group influence emerged as a significant factor, with social validation and consensus increasing the likelihood of disclosure in some cases while discouraging it in others. Additionally, the study introduced two new theoretical models: Ethical Retaliation Theory (ERT), which explains how individuals justify revenge-driven disclosures as morally legitimate, and the Dual Motivational Conflict Model (DMCM), which illustrates how ethical reasoning can function as both a motivator and deterrent depending on situational framing. These findings underscore the need for organisations to foster ethical cultures, enhance internal reporting mechanisms, and build employee trust to reduce the risk of external leaks. Future research should explore the intersection of group dynamics, ideological conflicts, and ethical decision-making in disclosure behaviour.

Dr Kate Gooch

University of Bath

The Paradox of Hope in prison. 

Hope’ is a key framing concept in HM Prison and Probation Service’s description of ‘rehabilitative culture’ but very little is said about how this is conceived, practiced, structured or culturally embedded. The desire to instil hope is set against a background where prisons are suffering from an intense legitimacy crisis and struggling to provide even basic humane conditions. Drawing on interviews with prisoners in Category A, Category B, Category C, Young Offender Institutions, and Category D prisons, this paper presents a theory and practice of hope in prison. Distinguishing between optimism and hope, and analysing whether hope is possible within prison, this paper will consider the destructive nature of hopelessness within prison, what crushes hope within prison, but also what fosters and generates hope in prison and why that is important.   

Dr Kate Gooch1 and Dr Isla Masson2

University of Bath1 and The Open University2

Legitimacy, Trust and Relational Security for Care-Experienced Prisoners in an English Women’s Prison.

The rich cannon of prison sociology offers considerable insights into the structure, quality and texture of relationships within prison, both in the context of prisoner-prisoner relationships and staff-prisoner relationships.  However, this extant literature on staff-prisoner relationships tends to limit the focus of analysis to social interactions, relational quality and the use of power and authority within the prison. Typically, the perceived legitimacy of those relationships is considered in the context of penal, social and moral actions by prison officers. Equally, the functional deprivation perspective advanced by Sykes (1958) focuses on how prisoner society adapts to the pains of imprisonment. However, this paper adopts a wider lens, arguing that earlier experiences of dislocation, loss, and contact with State professionals have a significant influence on how care experienced prisoners experience, build and interpret relationships within prison. It draws on semi-structured interviews with care-experienced women to interrogate whether trust is wanted or possible within prison. In so doing, the paper explores how earlier negative experiences of care have an on-going ripple effect that shapes women’s perceptions of State legitimacy and penal authority, and therefore the extent to which prison officers are seen as viable sources of emotional, social or rehabilitative support.  

Dr Sofia Graca1 and Dr Violeta Kapageorgiadou2 

Canterbury Christ Church University1 and The Open University2

“(…) here I have freedom”—A study of refugees' and asylum seekers' legal consciousness in Greece: Self-identity, human rights, and expectations from European Union law.

This paper adds to the existing knowledge on migration and the law by empirically exploring the legal consciousness of 33 refugees and asylum seekers in Greece, more specifically, by discussing how their experiences, self-identity and expectations of the law inform their reactions to the restrictions imposed upon them. The findings suggest that (1) legal knowledge is acquired in the countries of origin and from contact with smugglers, other migrants, law enforcement agents and staff from NGOs; (2) this knowledge allows them to forge an identity as “rights-bearers,” which (3) together with perceptions and expectations of human rights law and European Union policies on migration, (4) empower them to claim protection from the Greek state, and (5) legitimizes their actions, even if these sometimes involve subterfuge. Despite their particularly vulnerable positions, refugees and asylum seekers are, therefore, not mere passive receivers of state power, but also try to use the law to overcome adversity, in an almost game-like fashion.

Ms. Lily Graham

University of Central Lancashire

The future of domestic abuse risk assessment for adult family violence: More questions, new tools or time to start again?

Although understandings of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) have significantly expanded, a conflation persists between DVA and intimate partner violence (IPV) which consequently ‘others’ and minimises adult family violence (AFV). Consequently there has been a lack of research exploring the experiences of risk and risk assessment for AFV.  This paper presents findings from a mixed-methods study using policy documents, police data and semi-structured interviews to explore how ‘public stories’ (Donovan & Hester, 2014) of DVA and risk shape responses to AFV. Preliminary findings highlight that policy narratives inadvertently direct the practice gaze to prioritise IPV through conflating ‘high-risk’ with individual relationships of binary, heteronormative IPV. This paper demonstrates how this ‘story’ of risk has influenced practice, in particular in practitioner/ police assessments of risk and associated risk gradings when using structural professional judgement risk assessment tools. AFV was also considered to be inextricably intertwined with socio-economic context, familial histories, gender and multiple disadvantage by practitioners and these contextual complexities were considered not fully reflected in risk assessment tools. This raises a conceptual distinction between individualistic discourses of risk and experiences of AFV. This paper challenges risk assessment as embodying masculine positivism and neoliberal individualism. Given the incompatibility between AFV and risk assessment, this paper concludes by querying the future sustainability of current risk assessment systems and urges a feminist consideration of holistic alternatives.     

Ms. Jennifer Grant

University of Portsmouth 

An exploratory study into men who commit Indecent exposure and police practices.

Indecent exposure is understudied, despite impacting a large proportion of women and girls. Societal minimisation of the offence has affected both reporting rates, and the criminal justice system’s, response to this offence. Men who perpetrate indecent exposure have significant rates of re-offending and can escalate to contact sexual offending. The National Violence Against Women and Girls (HM Government, 2021) agenda has acknowledged the significance of indecent exposure and set relevant aims for Government services, which inspired this research.  An exploratory sample of data collected from one police constabulary about offences and offenders has been analysed using mixed methods. This reveals key trends in the demographic features of men who commit indecent exposure, as well as the offences themselves. This research has identified risk factors for repeat and escalating offending which match the existing evidence base, which will be explored given their importance for the criminal justice system in preventing further sexual offences. Furthermore, this research has identified some positive trends in police investigations, with plans to expand on this research shortly. If data is available, this presentation will include a more thorough consideration of the police response to indecent exposure. Either way, this presentation will conclude by considering the police’s response to indecent exposure, which is of significance given the ongoing Angiolini inquiry (Home Office, 2024).

Dr Carolina Gutierrez-Munoz, Dr Katie Hoeger, Mr Adam Sadullah and Ms. Angie Whitaker

College of Policing

Understanding the risk and complexity of suicide following domestic abuse: insights from police data.

The Domestic Homicide Project was established by police and government in England and Wales to collect, review, and share quick-time learning from all police-recorded domestic homicides, unexpected deaths, and suspected suicides following domestic abuse. Based on its unique contributions, the Project has been embedded to support a domestic abuse-informed approach to policing and help prevent future deaths. The Project’s four-year dataset highlights the scale of the problem, with 1012 recorded deaths. Suspected suicides following domestic abuse represent the most recorded typology across the full dataset. This paper presents an overview of the main research findings, including victim and suspect characteristics and prominent risk factors. Next it focuses on a subsample (n=206) of suspected victim suicides following domestic abuse by an intimate partner with an identified history of coercive or controlling behaviour. Analysis of these cases shows a high prevalence of victims with care needs, most commonly including mental ill health. Notably, nearly half of these victims had previously been identified by police as high-risk domestic abuse victims, and 55% had been involved in cases heard at Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC), illustrating the nature of risk in these cases. Case studies incorporating intersections of social categories such as sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and age will be presented. These findings enhance our understanding of the complexities and risk in cases known to police and partner agencies, as well as underscore the critical need for a coordinated multiagency response to domestic abuse to prevent future deaths.

Dr Daniel Gyollai1 and Assoc. Prof. Francesca Righetti2

University of Copenhagen1 and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam2

Embodiment, empire, and the question of continuity: How can the body perpetuate colonial legacies? 

While the impact of colonial legacies on contemporary social structures, criminal justice institutions and practices is well-documented, the continuity of related experiences, attitudes and emotions is often assumed rather than proved. Moreover, the term “embodied” is frequently used in the literature to illustrate such continuities, but without providing a theoretical insight of what is precisely meant by the past being embodied in actions and experiences, including the ways in which we experience ourselves and others. To put it differently, it is not clear what role the body plays in perpetuating colonial legacies. The paper aims to fill this lacuna and enhance conceptual clarity on the embodied aspects of the postcolonial condition. Drawing from phenomenological and enactivist accounts, it demonstrates that embodied habits and emotional sharing are helpful conceptual tools to trace colonial continuities and understand the transgenerational transmission of certain behaviours, attitudes and affective states.

H

Helena Habraken

University of Portsmouth

Grand corruption as one of the root causes of weakened governance and armed conflict(s) in Ukraine.

My research focuses on exploring the role played by political corruption in the outbreak and continuation of the war(s) in Ukraine. Using a theoretical framework, encompassing work of prominent economists and political scientists on grand corruption, poverty and prosperity, I discuss the critical need to advance inclusive and sustainable institutions to prevent and disrupt economic crime. The existence of an engrained culture of rent-seeking, involving Ukrainian and Russian actors and institutions appears a major contributing factor to conflict. A few selective prosecutions have not restrained this trend. Such rent-seeking schemes revolve around complex and corrosive networks of local political and business actors. Immediately following Ukraine’s independence, its overwhelming energy dependency on Russia created various rent-seeking opportunities, involving groups of oligarchs in both countries, steered by senior officials and business leaders. Ukrainian presidents at the time fostered this culture by balancing interest groups and benefiting from these rents, damaging the Ukrainian state and causing huge debts to Russian energy companies. Russia exploited this dependency to increase its geo-political influence, bartering Ukrainian debt for control over Black Sea infrastructure. When its major ally in this dependency and rent-seeking culture, President Yanukovich, was ousted in 2014, Russia responded by invading the Crimea and Donbas, areas of major strategic importance in the launch of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

In the currently occupied territories in Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian state and de facto local military and political leaders continue this rent-seeking drift, exploiting opportunities offered by politicised reconstruction projects and the extractive industry.

Dr Kyros Hadjisergis, Prof Laura Caulfield, Dr Karlie Stonard and Ms. Siobhan Sadlier 

University of Wolverhampton

The ‘Human Factor’ in the Development of Prison Leavers’ Digital Literacy

This paper abstract presents findings from research with a digital literacy pilot programme for men leaving prison. There has begun to be an increasing recognition that people leaving prison may need digital skills support to aid their reintegration into society. The limited literature on technology and digital skills programmes in the criminal justice system has largely focused on digital elements rather than human and interpersonal factors. Based on semi-structured interviews with mentor volunteers involved with the relevant pilot, this research argues that the human factor is instrumental to the success of digital literacy programmes for prison leavers. While the digital and practical elements of these programmes are important too, the human factor - the mentors, the mentor-participant relationship, and person-centred approaches - is central to supporting prison leavers’ digital needs and their resettlement to the community. These interactions lead to a two-way humanisation process where mentors debunk stereotypes around prison leavers and the participants demystify professionals and the digital world.

Ms. Ceri Halfpenny

University of Portsmouth

Transforming the narrative: care experience and positive outcomes.

The ‘adverse life-long consequences’ of being care-experienced are well documented (Murray et al., 2020, p.1) including over-representation in the Criminal Justice System (CJS) (HMPPS, 2023, p.4).  This is an area of social justice concern, especially when the majority of children enter care due to ‘abuse and neglect’ and not because of their own behaviour (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 2024, p.8).  Concerningly, there is a gap in the literature regarding the ‘94% of looked after children in England and Wales’ who have not come into contact with the CJS (Laming, 2016, p.5).  My research aims to shed light on key factors that support care-experienced individuals to remain free from the CJS and achieve positive outcomes.  Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with care-experienced adults, who self-identified as having achieved positive outcomes and remained free of the CJS.  Findings identified the complex issues that contribute to engaging with and remaining free of the CJS for this ‘extremely vulnerable group’ (Innovation Unit, 2019, p. 7).  Additionally, the findings highlighted important factors that enable care-experienced children to achieve positive outcomes and celebrate the participant’s successes,  attempting to bring a positive perspective to the predominantly negative narrative in the field.  Therefore, this poster will be of interest to adults with care experience, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with addressing social injustice for care-experienced children.

Challenging the narrative: care experience and positive outcomes.

There are ‘shockingly high levels of youth justice involvement’ among care-experienced children, including being ten times more likely to receive a custodial sentence, compared to those without care experience (Hunter et al., 2023, p.6; The Office for National Statistics, 2023). This is an area of social justice concern, especially when the majority of children enter care due to ‘abuse and neglect’ and not because of their own behaviour (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 2024, p.8).  However, there is limited research regarding the ‘overwhelming majority’ of children in care who ‘do not have any engagement’ with the Criminal Justice System (CJS) (Gooch et al., 2022, p.4). HMPPS (2021, p.171) states that not enough is known about the interplay between care-experience and offending.  My research aims to shed light on key factors that support care-experienced individuals to remain free from the CJS and achieve positive outcomes.  Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with care-experienced adults, who self-identified as having achieved positive outcomes and remained free of the CJS.  Findings identified the complex issues that contribute to engaging with and remaining free of the CJS for this ‘extremely vulnerable group’ (Innovation Unit, 2019, p. 7). Additionally, the findings highlighted important factors that enable care-experienced children to achieve positive outcomes and celebrate the participant’s successes,  attempting to bring a positive perspective to the predominantly negative narrative in the field.  Therefore, this presentation will be of interest to adults with care experience, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with addressing social injustice for care-experienced children.

Dr Hannah Hammond1 & Prof Joan Duda2

University of Portsmouth1/ University of Birmingham2  and University of Birmingham2

Stakeholders’ perspectives on impacts of sport-based interventions to promote desistance from crime for ethnic minority youth.

For children and young people (CYP), engagement in sport is assumed to lead to numerous positive outcomes, including improved health and enhanced psychosocial and personal development. The present research aimed to examine and compare perspectives from key local partners and CYP on the impacts of engaging in community sports-based interventions (SBIs) to promote well-being and desistance from crime amongst CYP from ethnic minorities. This study was embedded within the wider monitoring and evaluation of the Levelling the Playing Field project (LtPF; www.levellingtheplayingfield.org) which brought together 36 SBIs to promote positive outcomes via sport for ethnically diverse CYP who are more likely to enter, or already be involved with, the criminal justice system. Qualitative data were collected from 26 ethnically diverse CYP aged 12–22 (M = 16.70) and 38 key local partners (e.g., coaches, councillors, youth justice workers) aged 18–48 (M = 33.04). Thematic analysis revealed three main themes on the impact of SBI engagement: Enjoyment, Psychosocial and Personal Development, and Psychological and Behavioural Well-being. For CYP, impacts were mainly experiential; for partners, they centred on outcomes. These child-centred insights are vital for designing interventions to boost SBI engagement among ethnic minority youth.

Dr Bing Han

University of Portsmouth

Pig-Butchering Scams: Characteristics and Organisational Structure.

Fraud against individuals has become one of the most prevalent crimes worldwide, with China experiencing a significant surge in fraudulent activities. Among these, "pig-butchering" scams have emerged as a particularly sophisticated and organised form of deception, combining elements of romance fraud and investment scams. Perpetrators cultivate trust over time before orchestrating large-scale financial exploitation. Unlike conventional romance scams, pig-butchering scam are often linked to transnational criminal syndicates, involving forced labor, human trafficking, and extensive networks that extend beyond national borders. This study, based on interviews with Chinese victims and law enforcement officials, examines the defining characteristics of pig-butchering scams and contrasts them with conventional romance fraud, highlighting their organisational complexity, coercive tactics, and expanding global reach.

Ms. Steph Hanlon

University College Dublin

Gender, Exploitation and Pre-emptive Criminalisation: Temporal Strategies of Migration Control.

In Europe, marriage migration has become the target of crime control strategies and increasingly punitive measures. In Ireland, ‘marriages of convenience’ have been referred to as facilitating the exploitation of women for immigration purposes, abusing the immigration system, and attacking the institution of marriage. Prior to 2014, the majority of claims made around the illegality of marriage focused on protecting the state against potential immigration abuses. After 2014, claims made hinged on the potential risk of abuse to vulnerable European women. 

Mrs Paula Harriott

Unlock

Solidarity in the Criminal Justice Sector: A Lived Experience Perspective in Recovery.

Reintegration following involvement in the criminal justice system is often hindered by systemic barriers, stigma, and a lack of collective accountability. From a lived experience perspective in recovery, this paper explores how solidarity—both within the justice system and the wider community—is fundamental to successful reintegration and reimagination of the future.  . Solidarity in this context refers to the acknowledgment of shared responsibility across institutions, individuals, and society in addressing the root causes of criminality, such as trauma, addiction, and socioeconomic marginalisation. Through personal and collective narratives, this study highlights how systemic issues, including punitive policies and societal exclusion, perpetuate cycles of exclusion and despair. . However, when solidarity is embraced—through collective honesty, peer-led recovery programmes and community support networks—individuals in recovery experience greater opportunities for healing, accountability, and social reintegration. The research underscores that reintegration is not solely an individual responsibility but a shared commitment requiring institutional reform, restorative justice approaches, and the dismantling of punitive social attitudes. By centering the voices of those with lived experience, this paper argues that solidarity fosters an environment where accountability is not weaponised but used as a bridge to re-imaging futures.  Ultimately, solidarity in the criminal justice sector is not just an ethical imperative but a pragmatic necessity for cultural shift and inclusion.

Ms. Lena Hatchett, Dr Nicola Coleman and Dr Claire Jenkin

University of Hertfordshire 

Invisibility: Females in Countyline Gangs

County line gangs exploit the relative invisibility of females to avoid detection by the police, leaving vulnerable girls and young women in danger of violence, abuse, trauma and exploitation (Addison 2020; Pitts, 2020). Although there is a growing body of research in relation to the criminal justice system and females more broadly (Meek & Lewis, 2014; Walpole & Mason, 2021), historically, the experiences of ethnically diverse girls and women has been neglected within social justice research on gangs, with extensive analysis surrounding Black young males continuing to take precedent (Panfil & Peterson, 2015; Pitts, 2020; Prison Reform Trust, 2017). There is acknowledgement that more needs to happen to support young women, however, gender-specific solutions to gang violence and crime still fall short, with the needs of girls and young women and interventions (such as sport and physical activity) remaining limited (Walpole & Mason, 2021). This study aimed to explore the perspectives from professionals involved in county line gangs across a range of services, including the police, youth workers and educators to identify broader systemic issues to inform practice. Underpinned by Black Feminism (Hooks, 2001; Potter, 2015), five major themes were developed: institutionalised racism; harmful gendered identities; invisibility; broken communities; and exploitation. Findings advocate an urgent call to stop relegating vulnerable girls and young women to the margins of society and begin to place ethnically diverse females at the centre of research and practice. 

Dr Luke Hauser and Prof. Caroline Cox

University of Portsmouth

Ice ivory: insights into a novel branch of Green Criminology, Geocriminology.

This study examines the complex dynamics surrounding the trade in mammoth ivory as an alternative to elephant ivory following the 1980s international ban on ivory trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Mammoth ivory, biologically identical to elephant ivory, has filled the void left by legal restrictions, leading to a grey market that complicates law enforcement efforts. This trade is also contributing to the thawing of Siberian permafrost, releasing significant amounts of greenhouse gases with the potential to exacerbate global climate change. Additionally, parallels are drawn between the impacts of colonialism on Africa and Siberia, as well as the misconception that using mammoth ivory may aid elephant conservation, despite its role in perpetuating the illegal ivory trade. The study integrates the emerging field of geocriminology, which investigates the intersection of environmental and geological exploitation with criminological perspectives. This includes the exploitation of Indigenous lands by mining companies, the greenwashing of destructive corporate operations, the illicit fossil trade, and the complicity of academic institutions in illegal markets. By exploring these intersections, the paper underscores the need for a comprehensive criminological approach to addressing the environmental and societal impacts of both legal and illegal wildlife trade.

Dr Chloe Hawkins

University of Portsmouth

Exploring Fraud Vulnerability and Support Needs Amongst Neurodivergent Victims of Fraud: Insights from Interviews with Victims and Practitioners.

Existing research on fraud has primarily focused on understanding vulnerability to fraud in terms of why and how people fall victim, the impact of fraud, and identifying barriers in reporting and supporting victims. However, gaps remain in understanding how different groups in society experience fraud, alongside the need for more tailored responses to support fraud victims. This paper presents preliminary findings from a pilot study based on semi-structured interviews with neurodivergent individuals, alongside interviews with practitioners who have relevant experience in this field. The research provides a lens through which to begin understanding how neurodivergent people experience fraud, including barriers to reporting and seeking support. The study also highlights early insights into best practices for improving support for neurodivergent fraud victims. Initial findings suggest that while neurodivergent individuals share similar vulnerabilities to other fraud victims, the reasons for falling victim and the impacts must be understood through an inclusive lens. Additionally, the research indicates that fraud can overlap with other forms of financial exploitation, often committed within close personal networks rather than by distant, anonymous criminals. Furthermore, many neurodivergent individuals experience distinct challenges when interacting with the criminal justice system and the fraud justice network. These pilot study findings underscore the need for further research that moves beyond assumptions based on a neurotypical frame of reference and lays the groundwork for future investigation. 

Dr Emily Rose Hay, Professor Gwen Robinson and Dr Jane Dominey

University of Sheffield

'This new kid on the block': Introducing paraprofessionals to the Probation Service from 1968.

In the last half-century, the Probation Service of England and Wales has transformed: in strategy and organisation, in its remit, in its daily activities and in the make-up of its workforce.  In 2024, over half of the frontline staff of the Probation Service are paraprofessionals - those who do not require professional qualifications to do their jobs - but this has been a major shift since 1968, when the limited use of ancillary workers was first tentatively suggested.  By tracking the development of the ancillary role in these early years, we gain insight into the new innovations within community sanctions throughout the 1970s and - more broadly - into the purpose and practice of punishment within England and Wales during a period of acute societal upheaval.

Ms. Cassie Hayter and Ms Emma Wade

Office for National Statistics

Improving the sexual victimisation questions on the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

The Centre for Crime and Justice at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for producing key statistics on the prevalence and nature of sexual victimisation across England and Wales. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) provides a robust indicator of prevalence and is regarded as the more accurate measure of victimisation, picking up crimes which are not always reported to the police. This is particularly the case with sexual offences due to their sensitive and often hidden nature. The questions have largely remained the same since they were introduced in April 2004, allowing for a long comparable time series. However, there are several issues with the data currently collected therefore to ensure our statistics continue to provide the most accurate information and meet the needs of users, we are undertaking a transformation project. This project aims to: 

-Improve the data collected to include new cyber offences introduced in law and the evolving nature of these crimes including the use of technology  

-Ensure lived experiences of survivors are accurately captured (including men) 

-Align with the recently improved domestic abuse questions 

-Ensure we still meeting user needs and provide the most appropriate data to help inform policy and support survivors 

The project has included various rounds of qualitative testing, analysis and question design including, focus groups and cognitive interviews. We will share the findings of our analysis so far with a summary of changes expected to be made soon.  

Dr Jane Healy

Bournemouth University

“What if I’m not welcome”: exposing barriers to representation and diversity at Eurovision.

The last 30 years has seen the Eurovision Song Contest transform into a site of gay and transgender visibility and representation, originating through its expansion and the development of transnational fan cultures in the 1990s, and emerging as a key location of equality and non-discrimination among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex and other minority (LGBTQI+) groups since the turn of the century. Fan culture has a significant function in the growth and success of Eurovision and fan tourism plays an important role too, as the event rotates between countries each year. This means fans’ sense of inclusion, representation, and safety are important factors in their participation.  Previous research has explored narratives of national identity, culture and Europeanness but less is known about the function of Eurovision to promote gender-inclusivity to wider national and international communities, and fans’ experiences of safety and security.  This paper will present findings from fan surveys, ethnographic observations, and interviews with participants from media, academia and performers from the Contest. Representation and diversity are important for a sense of safety and for feelings of fairness, and the presentation discusses these as barriers to equality, drawing on research conducted in Liverpool and Malmö. These include issues of accessibility, representation of LGBTQI+ identities, global conflict and nationality. 

Assoc. Prof. Vicky Heap1 and Assoc. Prof. Clare Farmer2

Sheffield Hallam University1 and Deakin University2

Using Public Spaces Protection Orders to put the brakes on nuisance driving.

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) are used by local authorities in England and Wales to prohibit and/or require specific behaviours within defined ‘restricted areas’. These provisions, passed via the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014), are civil behavioural control orders that become criminal upon breach. Sanctions range from a £100 fixed penalty notice to a fine of £1000 on conviction. PSPOs can restrict any behaviour, and local authorities are using this power in creative ways to tackle a variety of local issues, ranging from swearing in the street to begging and rough sleeping. Increasingly, PSPOs are being used to address ‘nuisance driving’ which can include behaviours such as car cruising, revving engines, performing stunts, playing loud music and organising car meets. For the first time, this paper captures the use of PSPOs to manage nuisance driving in England and Wales. We consider how nuisance driving has been conceptualised in an anti-social behaviour context and examine how these PSPOs have been constructed and implemented. We also map the location and progression of nuisance driving PSPOs across England and Wales to visually represent where this power is being used in practice.

Assoc. Prof. Branislav Hock

University of Portsmouth

Collective Action and Money Laundering: The EU’s AML Authority.

Laundering the proceeds of crime presents a fundamental threat to competitive markets, national security, and well-being of European consumers. The paper explores the case of the European Union Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), which will aim to raise AML supervision standards and coordinate the fight against illicit finance across Europe. Drawing on a collective action perspective the paper argues that the AMLA is yet another example of a decentralised EU agency, which will serve as a classification authority in the EU regulatory space. We know that such classification authorities have proved to be effective in coordinating complex transnational regulatory networks based on a decentralised enforcement model. The collective action perspective is applied in this paper to show the strength and limitations of AMLA in supporting nations&#39; states in their historical struggle to overcome numerous collective action problems associated with policing money laundering. In doing so, the paper sheds new light on the effectiveness of AMLA as a decentralised EU agency in the area of economic crime.

Dr Elina Karpacheva-Hock

Anglia Ruskin University

Profiling of the economic crime offender for predictive and risk management purposes.

Economic crimes, especially corporate and insider fraud, continue to undermine organizational integrity. Traditional compliance and fraud detection systems often struggle to keep pace with the increasing sophistication of these crimes. At the same time the emergence of automation offers significant potential to revolutionize the way organizations detect, prevent, and manage economic crimes by integrating predictive profiling models into their risk management frameworks. While there is substantial research both on corporate fraud and offender profiling, integrating these fields into a framework for predictive purposes still has its caveats (Boddy et al., 2024). This work in progress investigates how psychological and behavioural models of corporate offending might enrich our understanding to proactively identify individuals at risk of committing corporate fraud.  The research objectives of this paper are two-fold: 

1.        to explore complementary theoretical frameworks such as psychopathy theory within the context of fraud prevention; and

2.        to test the implementation of these frameworks within private sector compliance automation. 

This research is critical for advancing the application of automation in corporate risk management, helping organizations integrate more dynamic and effective strategies for fraud detection.

Boddy, C. R., Freeman, C., & Karpacheva-Hock, E. (2024). Fraud and corporate psychopaths: The proposition for reintroducing personality traits of the economic crime offender. Journal of Economic Criminology, 5, 100081 

Mr Ewart Hodge

Keele University

Adjusting Claims of Power/Knowledge: A Post-Intentional Phenomenology of Loss Adjusters and Insurance Claims Fraud

Insurance companies investigate spurious and dishonest claims on a daily basis. Large and more complex property claims are contracted out to loss adjusters who act on behalf of their insurer clients, validating claims, and potentially uncovering fraud. Despite the ubiquitous contracting of loss adjusters within the UK, there is a significant lack of research focussing on their role—notably how handling (potentially) fraudulent claims impacts loss adjusters’ subjectivities. Utilising a Foucauldian power/knowledge analysis and post-intentional phenomenological methodology, this research employed anecdotal writing and unstructured interviews to investigate the lived experiences of loss adjusters whose primary role is handling property insurance claims. This presentation shares findings from doctoral research that loss adjusters transform themselves in relation to others—constructing their subjectivity—via knowledge productions within power relations and practices. This research pierces the hermetic nature of the insurance industry, providing the first in-depth study of the often-hidden work of loss adjusters, visibilising their subjectivities and improving our understanding of how counter-fraud strategies affect the lived experiences of frontline claims staff.

Ms. Jianxuan Hu

Durham University

Penal Populism: Emotional Demands for Power and Punishment as ‘Legitimate Vengeance’

Penal populism is a form of populism, described by John Pratt (2007) as a phenomenon where the public exhibits extreme hostility toward crime and offenders, fervently advocating for harsher punishments. This attitude emphasises the interests of the community and the well-being of victims over the rights of defendants. While the conceptualisation of penal populism—and populism more broadly—faces ambiguities, challenges, and controversies, this paper applies a multilayered model based on Gary Goertz’s methodology. Penal populism is defined here as a social phenomenon characterised by radical support for punishing those deemed ‘bad’ and supporting those considered ‘good’, relying heavily on the common sense of ordinary people and dismissing legal formalities and procedures. Building on this conceptualisation, this paper highlights the emotional demands underpinning penal populism, which stem from an increasingly fragile and fragmented society alongside neoliberal shifts since the end of the last century. In this context, people have faced widening class gaps, rising unemployment, and economic crises, from which they derive a sense of powerlessness. This paper argues that support for harsher punishments and the pursuit of ‘just deserts’ reflect an underlying desire to assert dominance over offenders (‘the others’) as part of a broader attempt to regain a sense of power and control. Punishment, carried out through state action, legitimises these feelings by communicating societal contempt and disgust toward offenders in the most authoritative manner. As such, punishment becomes a core method of ‘legitimate vengeance’.

Ms. Sara Hyde

University of Nottingham

Coroners’ Courts - distress, delay, deflection and damage: prison healthcare staff experiences.

Prisoner suicides can have long-term impacts on prison healthcare staff and their practice, so too may appearing as a witness at coroner’s court inquest. Coroner’s inquests are deemed inquisitorial, tasked to understand how, when and why someone died. They are devised as a “fact finding” exercises, with questions of liability and blame attribution allegedly outside coronial remits. There is limited scholarship about coroners’ courts, most concerns their processes or, understandably, the experiences of family members attending them. This paper aims to address this research gap. Drawing on qualitative interviews with prison healthcare staff, it considers their experiences at inquests and the impacts of these on themselves, their colleagues and on their practice with the prisoners in their care. 

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Ms. Camille Ilett

University of Hull

Domestic Abuse-Related Suicide through the Lens of Social (in)Justice.

This positional paper will critically discuss existing research on domestic abuse-related suicides, current limitations and research gaps, and outline plans for doctoral research which will explore this topic within a social justice framework. This project is taking place in the context of a research cluster on ‘Suicide Prevention and Social Justice’ at the University of Hull, which explores how social issues comorbid with suicidality can be addressed through the lens of social justice. Whilst the link between domestic abuse and suicide is firmly established, most of the existing peer-reviewed research has investigated this type of suicide purely from a health (e.g. Devries et al., 2013) or police perspective (e.g. Hoeger et al., 2024) and focused on individual psychological risk factors. There is a gap in understanding these suicides as a social justice issue, and how to specifically prevent them in a context which involves multiple institutions and agencies. The author’s doctoral project will aim to bridge that gap using mixed methods approaches that engage with lived experience to further investigate how interacting with institutions within the health and criminal justice systems play a part in experiencing suicidal ideation and attempts.   

Dr Kristina Ilieva 

University of Gloucestershire

Biopolitics and detention of asylum seekers in a European border town.

This paper explores misinformation and the biopolitical process of constructing asylum seekers from the Middle East as carriers of 'contagious and exotic diseases'. Engineered by white European 'concerned citizens', this process significantly influenced the state-managed refugee centre during the ‘summer of migration.’ It examines two events linked to the quarantining of asylum seekers (pre-pandemic), justified by human security concerns in Europe and leading to calls for refugee encampment. It traces knowledge production that legitimised the state’s illegal confinement of asylum seekers, shedding light on ‘care’ discourses and technologies developed by European 'concerned citizens' to mask the state crime of forcible detention. These unlawful detention practices are linked to often-overlooked 'ordinary citizens' engaged in anti-refugee protests and everyday bordering. Rather than viewing refugee detention centres as total institutions, this paper presents them as spaces shaped by the outside environment and citizen. The paper critiques the power of citizenship over migrants’ bodies, especially male bodies deemed unworthy of care and racialised as 'contagious'/‘terrorist’ Other. Drawing on media analysis and a year-long ethnographic fieldwork in an EU border town, it documents how the local intelligentsia and far-right protests constructed biopolitical threat narratives, assuming roles akin to medical experts to justify the illegal closure and 'quarantine' of the refugee centre in 2016. Situated on former military barracks in a European border town, this state-run institution was framed as unsafe for local citizens. The paper contributes to camp studies in European border regions, emphasising biopolitical processes in refugee encampments and illegal state detention. It suggests for the need to abolish detention of asylum seekers.

Mr Mohammed Jahirul Islam1, Ms. Umme Aymon Tazally2 and Ms. Nelly Chakma3 

Carleton University1, Utrecht University2 and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University3 

State Violence against Indigenous Political Women Activists and their Resistance in Bangladesh: The Case of “Hill Women's Federation” and Kalpana Chakma.

Indigenous women activists in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) in Bangladesh face state violence, human rights abuses, and vulnerability due to colonial legacies and military repression. The article focuses on the role of the 'Hill Women's Federation' and Kalpana Chakma's case in the struggle for Indigenous women's rights and understands the complex interplay of gender, colonialism, and state violence. Using a postcolonial subaltern feminist lens, the study reveals how state mechanisms perpetuate gendered violence, silence Indigenous women's voices, and reinforce systemic oppression structures. The article utilizes secondary data analysis from various sources, including articles, personal memoirs, documentaries, journals, NGO reports, theses, YouTube videos, and newspapers, incorporating archival research and government reports. We first argue for the resilience of Indigenous women activists who have been utilizing resistance strategies since 1974 to challenge state violence and reclaim agency and identity within their communities. Moreover, from our perspectives, the Hill Women's Federation in CHT was aggressive and violent until 1997, actively working for indigenous women's rights. After the abduction and disappearance of Kalpana Chakma in 1996, their activities halted around 1997, and they moved under the banner of NGOs and worked through them. By amplifying the voices of subaltern subjects, the article seeks to contribute to the understanding of resistance against structural oppression, particularly for Indigenous women like Chakma. It highlights the significance of acknowledging and validating Indigenous women's activism in broader socio-political movements, paving the way toward justice and decolonization in Bangladesh. 

Mr Mohammed Jahirul Islam1, Ms. Habiba Lilun Nahar2 and ms. Jyoti Chiran3

Carleton University1, University of Kassel2 and Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University3

Labor and Victimization of Indigenous Women: The Case of Indigenous Garo Women in Mymensingh and Tangail Districts, Bangladesh.

Indigenous women, especially in the global south, are historically at a higher risk of exploitation, discrimination, and violence in the informal labor sector. The article examines how labor and victimization coexisted, focusing on the structural and socioeconomic challenges for Indigenous women in the Garo communities in Mymensingh and Tangail Districts in Bangladesh. Despite growing research on labor exploitation in economics and sociology, there is limited academic study on the unique struggles of Indigenous women who face double marginalization due to gender and ethnic identity from a criminological perspective. We address this gap by employing a feminist political economy lens to analyze the victimization and marginalization of Indigenous women through intersections of ethnicity and gender. Through qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and case studies, this chapter seeks to highlight the lived experiences of Indigenous women and contextualize their labor within the broader framework of inequality, marginalization and social exclusion. We aim to contribute to the existing literature by providing new insights into the labor exploitation of Indigenous women, emphasizing the need for more inclusive labor policies. The article contributes to labor studies and critical feminist theory by highlighting the structural inequalities that shape the labor experiences and marginalization of Indigenous women in Bangladesh.

Assoc. Prof. Mujahid ul Islam1 and Mrs. A. Afifa2 

The Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University1 and Independent researcher2

Towards an Integrated Criminology of Genocide: All genocides are ecocides and all ecocides are genocides!

The existing criminological come international legal literature on genocide including the likes of Professors Raphael Lemkin, William Schabas and Nicole Rafter focalize only on the genocidal intent and destruction of human group sans its implications on ecology. Prof. Richard Falk also separately approached the crime of ecocide devoid of human impact. Contextually, the authors in this paper by examining the genocides from Cambodia to Palestine aim to develop an integrated model of criminology (human and ecological) of genocide. To explain, in the advanced nations the use of lethal weapon systems results in catastrophic destruction for both humans and ecology. Whereas in economically disadvantaged regions inter alia the manual killings led removal of human species habitat in the nature will cause ecological imbalance, the non-burial of dead bodies, and the floating of mutilated dead bodies in the water bodies can result into serious pollution of ecological systems. Thus, in reality, in all genocides human and ecological destructions happen cumulatively. Therefore, the better wisdom of criminological knowledge on genocide cannot be partial but ought to represent the integrated knowledge, intent, motive and conduct of the genocidist. Valuably, developing an integrated criminology of genocide can only promote true prevention and rehabilitation in the subject matter. To achieve the above, the researchers shall focalize on: (a) need for an integrated criminology; (b) assessing comparatively the changing techniques of genocidist targeting human and ecological victimization; (c) examination into the narratives of genocidist and victims/survivors; (d) metamorphic symbolization of past genocides to study the destructive impact upon human and ecological systems; (e) holistically use the consolidated findings to promote prevention and rehabilitation.  

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Dr Ben Jarman

University of Southampton

Being Assessed, being processed: Life-sentenced prisoners’ experiences of parole decision-making.

This paper draws on qualitative data from interviews with men serving life sentences for murder to explore their experiences of parole decision-making processes. Whilst research on parole decisions has historically focused on the oral hearing as a discrete event, this paper offers a preliminary investigation into how prisoners perceive and navigate the broader administrative processes that shape parole outcomes. Drawing on an understanding of parole as a ‘social process’ (Tata, 2020) rather than a singular decision point, the paper will consider how prisoners interpret and respond to the compilation of their parole dossiers, their perceptions of risk assessment procedures, and the ways in which their lived experiences are translated by the parole dossier to become evidence of manageable or unmanageable risk, for consideration by the Parole Board. Through this consideration, the paper will reflect on questions regarding power, legitimacy and agency at the intersection of punishment and risk management.

Dr Aitor Jimenez

Basque Country University

The Crimes of Digital Capitalism: Technofascism, Exploitation and Environmental destruction.

Drawing on the approaches of white-collar crime and crimes of the powerful, and complemented by recent contributions from critical legal studies, this paper proposes rethinking the massive social harms perpetrated by Big Tech not as a deviation but as the result of a deliberate strategy inextricably linked to its business model. In doing so, this paper aims to explain why certain specific behaviours of the “digital powerful” are often not criminalised and, moreover, have become essential to the operation of the digital capitalist system of exploitation. I label these behaviours as “the crimes of digital capitalism,” referring to a complex geology of social harms, including labour exploitation, environmental destruction, mass surveillance, algorithmic racism, and the dismantling of public services. Today, digital criminals have scaled up their operations, accelerating their technofascist agenda by seizing control of key aspects of many jurisdictions, including the US government. There are two important points to be made. First, the paper acknowledges that although we all suffer the consequences of a digitised global structure of oppression, the resulting social harms are not equally distributed. The crimes of digital capitalism are, by nature, an inherent and organisational part of an imperialist phenomenon intertwined with pre-existing colonial, racial, class, and gender oppression. Secondly, it is important to highlight that the framing of the “crimes of digital capitalism” is not intended to reaffirm punitive solutions but rather to develop the necessary tools to identify—and, hopefully, abolish—the conditions that enable them.

In The Crimes of Digital Capitalism

“In The Crimes of Digital Capitalism, Aitor Jiménez exposes the insidious ways state-corporate power and digital technologies have reshaped and colonized contemporary social life. Rooted in critical criminology and the study of crimes of the powerful, Jiménez reveals the structural dependence of digital capitalism on crime, showing how it exploits, controls, and dispossesses across key sectors—from the environment and education to labor and warfare. With unmatched clarity, Jiménez elucidates the harmful impacts of digital capitalism—from surveillance and worker exploitation to racialized algorithmic systems—while uncovering the necropolitical dynamics at its core. This timely book challenges the notion that digital economies are environmentally sustainable, demonstrating their reliance on extractive infrastructures rooted in global capitalism. The book critically engages with efforts to criminalize ecocide and offers an unflinching account of the criminogenic force of digital capital. Aitor Jiménez calls for a transformative future, one that dismantles these destructive systems and envisions a world where life can thrive. The Crimes of Digital Capitalism is a powerful blueprint for resistance and justice in the digital age.”

I have attached a copy of the book along with a press release note for your reference.

Dr Phil Jones

University of Derby

Video games as an alternative explanation for the crime drop. 

This research outlines video gaming as a new hypothesis to explain the crime drop. From the 1960s up until about the mid-1990s crime, especially violent and property crime, increased steadily. Quite unexpectedly in the mid-1990s these crimes started to decline simultaneously in many parts of the world. This phenomenon is referred to as  the ‘crime drop’. Drawing on historical expenditure and diary data, this research posits the timing of the crime drop coincides with shifts in the marketing and consumption of video games as a social activity for young people. Using routine activity theory it is argued that video games served as a ‘distraction’ to reduce offending and to reduce the number of vulnerable targets for such crimes. The proposed research therefore intends to contribute new understanding to the process of desistance and how young people might be distracted from offending.

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Dr Hyo Won Kang 

SOAS, University of London (visiting scholar)

Reframing Legal Accountability of Consumers and Bystanders in Digital Sexual Violence: Challenges and Lessons from the Deepfake Crisis in South Korea.

This study examines the legal accountability of bystanders and consumers (both passive and active participants) in digital sexual violence, focusing on the Deepfake crisis in South Korea. Digital sexual violence operates within a complex ecosystem beyond the traditional perpetrator-victim dichotomy. The Deepfake Crisis has highlighted the need to reconsider various participants' roles. In particular, bystanders' legal responsibility remains critical yet unresolved within existing frameworks, despite their contribution to criminal proceeds and incentivizing digital sexual exploitation. Using legal doctrinal analysis and comparative methodology, this research analyzes the bystander effect in digital environments, identifying factors contributing to responsibility diffusion: anonymity, diminished empathy, economic incentives, and permanent recordability of digital acts. Through this framework, the study examines legislative responses in South Korea and the UK, as case studies from different legal traditions, to assess their legal approaches to digital spectatorship and analyze both practical and theoretical implications in combating digital sexual violence. The findings suggest bystander liability in digital sexual violence should be structured through a framework acknowledging the contributory nature of digital spectatorship and its role in sustaining these crimes. The study proposes: recognition of digital contributory liability, differentiation of liability based on involvement degrees, alignment of platform liability with user's individual responsibility, and international coordination for effective enforcement. Drawing from the challenges and lessons of the South Korean Deepfake crisis, this approach contextualizes digital sexual violence within structural gender inequalities rather than individual aberrations, contributing to effective victim protection strategies and offering policy recommendations for legislative reform.

Ms. Dina Kapardis

University of Portsmouth

Secondary Victimisation and Prosecution: A Critical Analysis of X V. Cyprus.

This presentation will critically examine the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) recent ruling in X V. Cyprus (Application no. 40733/22), which addresses a victim’s claim against a member state concerning state failure, procedural shortcomings, and systemic issues that resulted in an ineffective investigation, a lack of protection, judicial bias and secondary victimisation in a case of sexual violence. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) delivered a significant judgment on 27 February 2025 in the case of X v. Cyprus, a hallmark case and miscarriage of justice involving the secondary victimisation and subsequent prosecution of a sexually assaulted woman. The ruling serves as a critical reminder of the obligations that member states have under the Convention to implement procedures that protect and support victims of sexual violence.By situating this case within the wider discourse on victimology and human rights, this discussion aims to provide critical insights for legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers committed to strengthening the legal responses to sexual violence and ensuring the effective protection of victims.

Dr Richard Kapend1, Prof. Mark Button2 and Dr. Peter Stiernstedt3

University of Winchester1, University of Portsmouth2, and University of West London3

Private investigations and ethical orientations: a cause for concern?

Purpose: A significant number of criminal and deviant acts are investigated by nonpolice actors. These include private investigators who charge fees for their services, professional services firms such as firms of accountants who also charge fees, in-house investigators employed by private organisations and in-house investigators of public sector organisations who are not sworn police officers. Some of these investigators, such as private investigators, have been exposed in unethical activities such as illegal surveillance and blagging to name some. In this respect, this study aims to uncover the ethical orientations of investigators using cluster analysis. Design/methodology/approach: This study is based upon an online survey of private investigators predominantly in the UK, i.e. investigators beyond the public police. An innovate statistical inferential analysis was used to investigate the sample which resulted in the development of three ethical orientations of such investigators. Findings: Based upon a survey response from 331 of these types of investigators this study illustrates the extent they engage in unethical activities, showing a very small minority of largely private investigators who engage in such activities. Originality/value:  A unique feature of this study is the use of an innovative statistical approach using an unsupervised machine learning model, namely, TwoStep cluster analysis, to successfully group and classify respondents based on their ethical orientation. The model derived three types of ethical orientation: ethical, inbetweeners and risk takers.

Ms. Didem Karaer

University of Leicester

Understanding ‘Othering’ Experiences of Turkish-Speaking Community Living in Leicester.

This study explores the everyday experiences of Turkish-speaking immigrants in Leicester, focusing on their exposure to identity-targeted victimisation. While hate crime research has traditionally centred on explicit acts of violence or discrimination, this study shifts the focus to the more nuanced, everyday manifestations of hostility and exclusion that shape the lives of immigrant communities. By adopting a qualitative, reflexive approach, this research aims to understand how individuals navigate these challenges and the broader social consequences of their victimisation. The study is based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with forty-five members of the Turkish-speaking community, supplemented by participant observation and autoethnographic field diary notes. Thematic analysis, using a participant-centred and inductive approach, reveals recurring patterns of discrimination, microaggressions, and social exclusion. Findings highlight the psychological and social toll of such experiences, demonstrating how they reinforce feelings of "otherness" and marginalisation. Moreover, the research uncovers the coping mechanisms employed by individuals and the role of community networks in providing resilience. By situating these findings within broader criminological discussions on hate crime, migration, and identity, this study offers critical insights into the lived realities of immigrant communities in the UK. It argues for a more nuanced understanding of victimisation that extends beyond physical violence to include the everyday forms of exclusion and hostility that shape social belonging. 

Assoc. Prof. Vasileios Karagiannopoulos

University of Portsmouth 

The future of hacktivism through the lens of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality.

As emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) become gradually more popular, they introduce opportunities for hacktivists to innovate and develop both tactically and ideologically. The talk will explore the implications of AI tools, such as large language models and deepfakes on future hacktivist operations and how such activities can challenge and transform traditional cybercrimes as well as civil disobedience. Additionally, it will assess how VR platforms can serve as new arenas for digital protest, but also offer novel techniques and tools for protesters to develop new forms of Meta-hacktivism.  The discussion will provide prospective examples of AI and VR protests and will critically assess the risks and challenges posed by these innovations. Finally, the presentation will conclude with an examination of potential countermeasures and mitigation strategies to address the emerging regulatory and security threats posed by such novel hacktivist practices.

Securing Funding 

This session will explore different opportunities for seeking funding in the area of criminology and criminal justice. Vasileios will discuss stories of success and failure and the lessons learned from these efforts and his role as a reviewer for funding organisations. 

Dr Maria Kaspersson

University of Greenwich

‘It felt as if someone else was acting on my behalf:’ Voices of Women Sentenced for Infanticide in Sweden 2000-2024.

In earlier studies of infanticide in Sweden, I used the verdicts in seven cases of attempted and completed infanticide between 2000-2024 to discuss legal aspects of the Swedish infanticide section. The material can also shed light on the more personal aspects, which is explored here, as the verdicts contain, among other things, a retelling of what the women themselves said during the trial and in police interviewing and even if written in third person, they still provide an insight into what the women themselves experienced, felt and how they tried to make sense of their actions. A lot of research on infanticide look at background factors and it is less common that the women themselves are actually heard. I therefore analyse the women’s stories as they appear in the verdicts and utilise a thematic approach to identify issues the women brought forward, whether these were accepted by the court or not. Identified themes regard the awareness, denial and concealment of pregnancy, another theme regards the inability to speak – either about the pregnancy or about their mental health after birth – and a third theme regards post-natal mental health such as depression, suicidal thoughts and the development of psychosis. These insights challenge the common description of infanticide committed by rational women who consciously chose to kill.

Dr Rachel Keighley

University of Leicester

Whose Countryside? The Exclusion of Minoritised Ethnic Communities in Rural England.

Rural England is often imagined as a white space, shaped by white-centred narratives of belonging and the exclusion of racialised minorities. This presentation explores how minoritised ethnic communities experience exclusion within rural spaces through racism and socio-structural barriers. Drawing on findings from The Rural Racism Project, a major nationwide study funded by the Leverhulme Trust, it examines themes of connection and belonging to rural spaces, cultural accessibility, and the rural-urban divide, highlighting how discourses of ‘Britishness’ continue to define who is seen to belong in the countryside. The paper also considers the impact of a lack of diversity, gatekeeping and exclusion, which restrict access to the countryside and reinforces racial inequalities. By unpacking these dynamics, this presentation calls for a reimagining of rural spaces. It advocates for policy and structural changes, community-led initiatives, and a shift in public narratives to ensure that rural England is a welcoming space for all.

Dr Rachel Keighley, Professor Neil Chakraborti and Dr Amy Clarke

University of Leicester

Doing Justice to Lived Experience

This roundtable explores how criminological research can ‘do justice’ to lived experience. Within a facilitated and interactive discussion, panellists reflect on what it means to do justice through reference to their own research approaches and evolving understandings of undertaking fieldwork alongside people from minoritised, disadvantaged and disconnected communities. The session includes a screening of the award-winning short film, Revisiting the Harms of Hate, alongside other lightning pitch insights drawn from research undertaken with rural minority ethnic households and with new immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees. In doing so, the panellists reflect upon their own approaches and assumptions, and facilitate conversations about the realities, barriers, challenges and joy associated with researching lived experience. The session is structured to encourage audience participation and to acknowledge the collective expertise that sits beyond the speakers’ table within conference panels. In doing so, we seek to foster fresh ideas which inform how we can undertake research with marginalised communities in ways which are ethical, respectful, meaningful and impactful.

Dr Omar Phoenix Khan

University of Bath

Judges as Agents of Coloniality: Understanding the Coloniality of Justice at the Pre-trial Stage in Brazil.

This paper exposes how colonial ways of knowing and being shape judicial behaviour in Brazil, where pre-trial detention is excessively used against racialised groups. I argue that judges continue to conceptualise and operationalise justice according to colonial logics and thus reveal the coloniality of justice. Drawing on decolonial theory from across South America and from interviews and court observations in Rio de Janeiro, I reveal how judges understand themselves as heroic crime fighters, acting beyond the law in a modern moral crusade. I examine how violence remains a central component of justice and consider how judges deal with the contradiction of neutrality and aggression. I argue that judges, by endorsing or tolerating violence, become agents of coloniality.

Mr Scott Kidd

University of Lincoln

Reimagining Inclusivity in Higher Education, Addressing the Needs of Justice-Experienced Individuals.  

Higher education is often celebrated as a vanguard of inclusivity; however, justice-experienced individuals remain systematically overlooked in institutional efforts to promote equity and diversity. This group, encompassing individuals directly impacted by incarceration, community sanctions, or familial involvement with the criminal justice system, faces profound and multifaceted challenges. These include pervasive stigma, institutional exclusion, and structural barriers that obstruct their integration and sense of belonging within academic environments. Despite the complexity of these experiences, their voices are conspicuously absent from diversity and inclusion discourses. This research underscores the urgent necessity of recalibrating inclusivity frameworks within higher education to address the needs of justice-experienced individuals. Their continued exclusion perpetuates cycles of marginalisation and reinforces societal stigmas, thereby undermining the transformative ethos of academia. Addressing this gap requires dismantling the systemic and cultural barriers that inhibit access, participation, and success for this population. We will critically analyse the imperative for integrating justice-experienced individuals into the fabric of higher education, interrogating the consequences of their exclusion and exploring actionable strategies for fostering truly inclusive academic spaces. In doing so, it highlights the broader societal and institutional obligations of higher education to act as a transformative force for equity and justice. The inclusion of justice-experienced individuals represents not only a moral imperative but also a pivotal opportunity to reimagine higher education as a genuinely equitable and inclusive domain. The urgency for institutional reform is both significant and immediate.

Dr Ashton Kingdon 

University of Southampton

Digital Shockwaves: Far-Right Responses to the Southport Attack on Alt-Tech Platforms.

In July 2024, the small coastal town of Southport was left devastated when a 17-year-old attacked a children’s Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop, killing three young girls aged 6-9 and injuring ten others in a deadly act that ignited far-right violence across England. This paper examines the digital aftermath of the Southport attack by employing non-participant observation of online spaces, semiotic analysis, and thematic coding to document how the far-right have systematically responded to each phase of the tragedy – from the initial attack through nationwide protests to trial proceedings and sentencing. It examines how extremist networks on the alt-tech platforms of Gab, Bitchute, Rumble, and Odyssey strategically repurpose content from both traditional media outlets and mainstream social media platforms including X, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to advance their ideological agenda. The research identifies a concerning bidirectional flow of content: mainstream users increasingly venture into alt-tech spaces seeking uncensored information, while extremist narratives originating in these fringe environments are simultaneously repackaged and distributed across more conventional platforms, gradually exposing ordinary users to increasingly extreme ideologies and conspiracy theories. The findings reveal how these platforms leverage emerging technologies – including generative AI, algorithmic recommendation systems, and cross-platform sharing mechanisms – to amplify extremist narratives, expedite mobilisation, and normalise racist rhetoric. Ultimately, this research illuminates how alt-tech platforms function as vectors in a digital ecosystem where extremist content can influence broader political and social conversations. 

The World White Web 

The World White Web provides an interdisciplinary analysis of far-right radicalisation in the digital age, drawing from criminology, history, and computer science to explore how technology and imagery accelerate extremist recruitment. The book examines 20,000 internet memes to reveal white supremacy’s deep historical roots. It demonstrates how far-right propagandists leverage historical narratives and symbols to influence modern-day recruitment, bridging fringe and mainstream ideas across diverse time periods, countries and contexts, amid technological and social changes. Topics include racism and xenophobia in Greek and Roman antiquity, antisemitism in the Middle Ages, anti-Black racism rooted in the Antebellum South, the weaponisation of the Reconquista in Spain, the memeification of the Rurik Dynasty in Russia, Crusader iconography in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, eco-fascist propaganda in the Balkans, neo-Nazi mythology in India, and Völkisch ideology in Germany and Austria. The book emphasises the importance of interdisciplinary, socio-technical and multi-stakeholder approaches to truly comprehend and address the contemporary manifestations and threats posed by the global interconnectedness of the far right online. 

Dr Matthew D. Kirk and Ms. Jenny Galbraith

Scottish Police Authority

Policing, Confidence, and the Community: Final Insights of Community Relationships with Local Police in "Deprived" Areas of Scotland.

In 2021, the Scottish Police Authority and Police embarked on a 3-year, place based, participatory action research Project called the Community Confidence Action Research Project (CCAR). The aim of the project was to engage with local police teams and local communities across some of the most “deprived” areas in Scotland to gauge and improve trust and confidence in local policing. The project engaged with Police Scotland, local government, local businesses, schools, and community initiatives to enhance the policing system’s understanding of what drives public confidence in policing at a day-to-day community level; to improve understanding and awareness of modern policing demands and challenges; to develop insights into what communities consider to be confidence-building, small-scale, sustainable interventions that the police and partners can put into effect; and to develop a model for engagement and positive action that Police Scotland can utilise to improve confidence in local policing. This presentation presents final insights across the project’s four localities: Levenmouth (Fife); Irvine Fullarton (North Ayrshire); Wick (Highlands); and Letham (Perth City). It will highlight shared areas of concern, as well as areas of positive engagement from participants. This presentation will also provide a case study of the Levenmouth locality, including key statistics, participant testimonies, and will offer crucial messages to help local police teams across Scotland and the U.K. to understand the concerns of “deprived” communities and what can be done to improve engagement and trust between local police teams and their communities. 

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Prof. Adam Lankford, Dr Jason R. Silva and Dr Michael S. Barton

The University of Alabama

Do White People and Racial/Ethnic Minorities Face Different Threats from Mass Shooters? A Victim-Focused Analysis of Extremism, Prejudice, and Possible Hate Crimes in the United States.

For this study we explored the possibility that people of different races or ethnicities face different threats from mass shooters. To learn more, we analyzed data on all public mass shooting fatalities in the United States from 1966-2023 in which both the victim’s and offender’s race were known (N = 1,154). Quantitative tests revealed that White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian people were disproportionately killed by mass shooters of their own race, and this threat was especially pronounced for White people, who accounted for 77% of all victims killed by same-race shooters. When different-race victimization was analyzed, non-White victims were far more likely than White victims to be killed by public mass shooters with extremist beliefs and racial or xenophobic prejudices. We discuss the implications of these findings and how they might lead to deeper understandings of the racial elements of these crimes.

Assoc. Prof. Caroline Lanskey and Ms. Angelique Mulholland

University of Cambridge

Returning to the UK after a prison sentence overseas: perspectives on resettlement and desistance.

Many studies have highlighted the challenges that a prison sentence presents to processes of resettlement and desistance from crime but comparatively little is known about how imprisonment in a foreign country affects these processes. This paper reports on emerging findings from a unique mixed-method study of life in the UK following a period of imprisonment abroad. A collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the charity, Prisoners Abroad, the study aims to understand experiences of returning to the UK after an overseas prison sentence including barriers and facilitators to resettlement and desistance. Drawing on data from a cross-sectional online survey and follow-up interviews with British citizens formerly imprisoned overseas, the paper describes how intersecting identities such as ethnicity, nationality and gender, shape the experiences and pathways both towards and away from crime on return to the UK. It reflects on the role of support from Prisoners Abroad, family relationships, community ties, encounters with authorities and structural barriers to resettlement with a view to informing critical debates on desistance from crime.  

Ms. Maya Lahav

Oxford University

Bait, Bind, and Broadcast: Human Trafficking in a Digital Age.

The digital age has redefined how human traffickers operate, with various social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat playing an increasingly central role in enabling the recruitment, manipulation, and advertising of victims. Despite a growing body of literature on human trafficking, significant gaps remain in understanding how traffickers exploit these online ecosystems. This paper builds upon my doctoral research, focusing on the intersection of trafficking strategies and technology to address this gap. By examining the ecosystem in which trafficking occurs, the paper highlights two critical phases: targeted recruitment and marketed advertising. Through a review of existing literature and analysis of trafficking patterns, I explore how traffickers utilise these social media platforms to scale their operations while maintaining anonymity. Key questions include the role of online personas in recruitment, the impact of AI-driven tools on manipulation, and the use of coded language and covert methods to advertise victims. By situating trafficking within its technological context, this paper also connects the ecosystem of online trafficking to the broader themes of criminal justice and foreign policy. Traffickers' reliance on digital platforms challenges states' crime governance across borders. Efforts to combat online trafficking via legislation, policing, and platform accountability show how states assert control over transnational digital spaces. This paper argues that understanding the interplay between technology, trafficking, and policy is crucial for developing effective and ethical responses. Overall, effective anti-trafficking strategies necessitate a nuanced grasp of these digital dynamics. 

Dr Christopher James Lawless

Durham University

The Regulatory Negotiation of UK Forensic DNA Imaginaries.

UK policymakers continue to promote visions of genetic science as delivering more efficient policing, albeit accompanied by a complex regulatory landscape.  Laws regulating the UK’s Police National DNA Database have been critiqued for constructing genetic suspects, who while technically innocent or unconnected with serious offences, remain under suspicion through retention of their genetic data.  It has also been claimed that these laws perpetuate discrimination.  The UK has however so far shown reluctance to use other ethically contentious DNA technologies such as Investigative Genetic Genealogy or phenotyping.  This paper examines how an array of regulators, commissioners and advisors have shaped ethical discourses concerning forensic DNA, but also demonstrates how this regulatory landscape has been vulnerable to political intervention.  The paper considers how genetic subjects, and their ethical status, continue to be constructed through regulatory actors reflexively negotiating and challenging forensic imaginaries in the face of technological advances and socio-political developments.

Mx Jess Lawrence

Interventions Alliance

Working with transgender people in community justice settings.

HMPPS policy and operational guidance for working with transgender people is heavily focussed on trans people preparing for, or in prisons and Approved Premises, and this focus on carceral institutions is also reflected in the research literature on trans people in the justice system. Meanwhile, the experiences of justice involved trans people in the community on probation orders or prison licence, have received very little attention or insight. This presentation describes research addressing this gap, exploring the experiences of trans people attending HMPPS CFO activity hubs, and the staff who work with them. These hubs work alongside probation, providing holistic support to people on community orders or licence, to improve employability, help change lives and reduce reoffending. The research explored the views and experiences of hub staff and trans hub service users, and assessed organisational culture and practice relating to trans awareness and inclusion. This presentation will consider the unique needs of justice involved trans people in the community and how to create a space where they feel safe to engage. We will also discuss how practitioners balanced risks both to and from trans people with inclusive practices, and the impact on staff of the pressure to make defensible decisions on this.

Dr YongJei Lee and Dr. SooHyun O

University of South Florida

From Streets to Addresses: Rethinking Crime Concentration with the Information Theory.

The uneven distribution of crime across space and time, clustering in specific locations and persisting over periods, is a well-documented phenomenon in criminology and geography. Seminal work by Weisburd et al. (2004) revealed that a small proportion of street segments in Seattle accounted for most of the city's crime over several years, using street segments as the unit of analysis based on social disorganization theory. Yet, this approach has limitations, as crime within these segments can be highly localized or scattered, highlighting a need for more refined analytical methods. Eck (1992) argued for a micro-level focus on specific addresses to effectively reduce crime, supported by later studies indicating that targeted interventions at problematic properties can significantly reduce crime. This paper aims to bridge the macro-level analysis of street segments with the micro-level focus on specific addresses by introducing the Shannon index from information theory. This index assesses the spatial concentration and temporal stability of crime, providing a nuanced understanding of crime distribution and its persistence over time. This study also proposes a comprehensive framework for urban crime prevention beyond the street segment level, utilizing the Shannon index to enhance strategies for tackling crime's complex nature.

Dr Liam Leonard

University of Winchester

Using Problem Based Learning as a pedagogy in criminal justice education.

This paper will outline my approach to teaching Criminology students about Justice related issues through the use of Problem Based Learning (PBL). It will also outline my use of the Case Study methodology to support this pedagogic approach. I will discuss my work with both recruit prison officers and policing students in the UK, US and Ireland. Furthermore, I will describe my goals in relation to the use of PBL to help students develop what Hmelo-Silver, 2004 describes as  ‘flexible knowledge, effective problem-solving skills, effective collaboration skills, and intrinsic motivation'. In addition, I will detail how my use of PBL in the classroom promotes cooperation and skills building which develops confidence and resilience in the student’s research and communication skills, all of which are important in the context of learning about Justice. In addition, the paper will explore how a case study approach is utilised to facilitate a multi-disciplinary approach, to assist my students, who come from diverse disciplines including criminology, policing, prisons/penology, law and sociology. Here, I am influenced by Yin (1993) who says case studies can be used ‘to construct validity by using multiple sources of evidence and establishing a chain of evidence’. The PBL approach I use will be shown to support the creation of learning groups working together to solve a particular problem related to criminal justice.  In planning this approach, I was influenced by Hmelo-Silver (2004) in getting students to ‘learn new content and thinking strategies’ to develop learning and collaborative skills. With PBL, I also ‘flip’ the classroom from the traditional 'lecturer' role into that of a facilitator. In this way, I am replicating Laurillard’s idea of the teacher as ‘travel guide’, who uses their role to guide students through a combined methodology of facilitation, guidance, virtual learning and embracing of diversity in the classroom. Furthermore, I will discuss how the PBL approach allows for the development of team-building skills , important for jobs such as policing or prison work, which links the classroom with future employment in the criminal justice system. Here, I am again influenced by Hmelo-Silver (2004) in trying to get students to focus on a complex problem that may have multiple answers, as is so often the case with work in the criminal justice system. My paper will reflect on an international  teaching career lasting over 25 years, which is also informed by my research work during that time. 

Dr Jade Levell

University of Bristol

Violent Childhoods: Examining spatial experiences of violence, and professional intervention responses, of children who experienced fatal stab wounds in England and Wales.

This paper reports on analysis from case files collated by the National Childhood Mortality Database (NCMD) on children in England and Wales who died through stabbing. 145 CYP who died of knife wounds and submitted to the NCMD between April 2019 and March 2024. A detailed analysis was undertaken of 57 eligible CYP where full NCMD records were available after the completion of the child death review process. The case file analysis that is focused on in this paper is particularly the experiences of violence prior to the fatal injury. The findings were that the fatal violence that the children experienced was often not the children’s first experience of violence victimisation. Contemporary policy thinking frames serious youth violence (SYV) as a distinct and separate issue to domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Analysis of the NCMD case files presents these forms of violence as more intertwined in the lives of children who die through stabbing; a substantial proportion have been both victims and perpetrators of diverse forms of violence before they died. Findings in this paper highlight the importance of children who experience domestic violence and abuse being offered specialist support services at the point of disclosure.     

Dr Piotr Lewulis

University of Warsaw

Social Media Evidence in Sexual Crimes Against Children

This presentation draws on an empirical study of Polish criminal cases (n=181), examining the role of social media and other digital content as evidence in the prosecution of child sexual abuse. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study analyses a dataset of adjudicated cases, identifying the types of digital evidence introduced, their evidentiary functions, and the challenges associated with their use in court. Quantitative findings highlight the prevalence of digital traces—such as social media messages, images, videos, and metadata—in investigations. Qualitative analysis explores how these materials contribute to case narratives, from corroborating victim testimonies to exposing offender behaviours and patterns of online grooming. The study further examines the procedural and forensic challenges in securing, authenticating, and admitting digital evidence, as well as judicial attitudes towards its reliability. By mapping the role of social media evidence in these cases, the presentation aims to contribute to discussions on the practical and legal implications of digital forensics in prosecuting child sexual exploitation.

Dr Yijing Li, Dr Yu Luo, Prof. Robert Haining, Ms Sijie Tan & Mr Rui Wang

King's College London

Advanced modelling on Stop and Search Disproportionality investigation.

The study was conducted in 2024 to revisit London's Stop and Search practices from 2019 to 2023, and designed disproportionality indices by crime rates, population, footfall and positive rate respectively. It further investigate the localised influential factors driving disproportionality among geographies by integrating Bayesian Hierarchical Inference model and machine learning algorithms, geospatial deep learning regressions, to arrive at insightful conclusions on area-of-interest, "hot" periods and regional features driving or alleviating such disproportionality. 2024's data is then applied to test the predictive model's accuracy in the aim to suggest an optimal range of Stop and Search. 

Asst. Prof. Keng-hui Lin 

Central Police University

A comparative study on the receptivity of evidence-based policing between Canada, USA and Taiwan.

Evidence-based policing (EBP) has significantly expanded globally, transforming policing into a profession emphasizing analytical skills and research-informed practices. Despite these advancements, broad acceptance among police officers remains limited due to disagreements over research evidence quality, scarcity of accessible evidence, and philosophical divides between researchers and practitioners. The primary obstacle, however, is resistance to integrating research into daily policing practices. Successful EBP implementation hinges on officer receptivity, yet existing literature largely focuses on Anglo-American contexts, overlooking non-Western perspectives. This study addresses this gap by examining officer receptivity within three Taiwanese police departments—Taichung City (urban), Hsinchu County (suburban), and Chiayi County (rural). A total of 1,192 officers participated, utilizing the Telep and Lum survey to compare their views with Canadian and American counterparts. Results reveal distinct attitudes among Taiwanese officers. Only approximately 30% reported reading professional journals, compared to 63.3% of Canadian officers. About 45% of Taiwanese officers regularly used analyst-produced materials, compared to over 70% of Americans and 60.7% of Canadians. Regarding decision-making, approximately 60% of Taiwanese and Canadian officers favoured personal experience, while over 70% of American officers shared this preference. Additionally, about 60% of Taiwanese officers agreed on the importance of researcher collaboration, versus roughly 80% of their Canadian and American peers. This pioneering study in Asia highlights significant challenges in advancing policing professionalization in Taiwan. Findings indicate Taiwanese officers may be more resistant to EBP, underscoring the need for deeper investigation into barriers that limit openness to research integration in policing practices.

Dr Sean Looney

University of Plymouth

Extremist Websites: Directions for Future Research.

This chapter serves as an introduction to an understudied area of online violent extremism: websites. These standalone, largely non-interactive, multimedia sites are appealing to extremist groups as they allow them to distribute propaganda, recruit followers and fundraise on platforms which are resistant to content moderation efforts. While initially popular, these websites fell off with the rise of social media. However, with the increased efforts of social media platforms to remove violent extremist content websites have experienced a resurgence. This chapter provides a historical context for extremist use of websites since the early 2000s before discussing three websites as case studies to demonstrate the different ways in which violent extremists can use these sites to manage their web presence, and how they can be disrupted.

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Dr Kennedy Kaumba Mabuku

Namibia University of Science and Technology

Beyond Solitary Reliance on the Namibian Police Force in Preserving Internal Security.

This study underscores that while the Namibian Constitution designates the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) as the authority responsible for preserving internal security, it acknowledges that addressing the multifaceted factors that impede the realisation of internal security requires other stakeholders' involvement. The analysis of participants' views and a thorough review of the current security landscape have shed light on the complexities and challenges faced by NamPol in its sole responsibility for maintaining internal security. Employing an exploratory qualitative approach, I conducted non-probability purposeful sampling, engaging in face-to-face and semi-structured interviews with a diverse pool of 20 participants, including police, military, correctional officers, municipal police, and personnel from legal assistance and NamRights. Thematic analysis was the chosen methodology, guided by a fundamental query: should the responsibility of preserving internal security be entrusted to the police alone or should countries consider moving beyond solitary reliance on the police?. The prevailing conditions emphasise the need for a collaborative approach to address these multifaceted challenges effectively. This is based on the limitations of the police force in addressing the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, social issues, and porous borders. While the police play a crucial role, it is evident that their capabilities are insufficient to comprehensively address these complex issues. The findings suggest that NamPol's constitutional mandate, as stipulated in Article 118 of Namibian Constitution Third Amendment Act, 2014 (Act No. 8 of 2014), should be amended to incorporate the involvement of other stakeholders in the preservation of internal security.

Dr Chris Magill

University of Brighton

Women after Policing: Reflections on Police Culture and Misogyny.

Misogyny and sexual harassment have long been debated in academic circles as features of police ‘culture’. Despite developments and reforms, misogynistic attitudes and behaviours amongst officers in forces across the UK and further afield seem to endure. Their continuing presence and endemic nature are now truths the police themselves have at last publicly acknowledged. From ‘spy cops’ deceiving women into having sexual relationships; police perpetrated domestic abuse; to the rape and murder of women by serving officers it is, at last, impossible to ignore the darkness within. As a recent Inspectorate report notes, a ’culture of misogyny, sexism and predatory behaviour’ is ‘prevalent in many forces’. This research explored police workplace culture from a seldom heard perspective, i.e., women police officers. Eight interviews with women who were former police officers and recent leavers were completed. These semi-autobiographical interviews asked about experiences of misogyny and sexual harassment in the workplace; how interviewees navigated these experiences; what (if any) avenues for support were available, and to what extent experiences impacted continuing professional development and/or career. Initial analysis has revealed the extent to which misogynistic attitudes and behaviour from other police officers was a significant, often recurring, feature in the lives of the women whilst serving officers. Voice (or lack of voice) and loss were also key themes. The research adds further evidence to existing scholarship on policing as a site of misogyny. It simultaneously raises questions about what more needs to be done to counter misogyny attitudes and behaviours within the police. 

Ms Claire Norman Maillet 

University of Portsmouth 

“We don’t have any insider fraud…” - Insider Fraud and its Risks to FinTechs.

Internal fraud, otherwise known as employee fraud, occupational fraud or insider fraud, is where a prospective, current or outgoing employee defrauds (or attempts to defraud) their current, prospective or past employer, respectively. Differing from corporate fraud, whereby the organisation benefits from the crime, insider fraud is purely for the employee’s benefit and the organisation’s detriment. It is unpalatable to think of a colleague perpetrating fraud against the company paying our salary, thus it is often denied by organisations. We are used to envisaging individuals as victims, not companies. Since the economic crash of 2008, Financial Technology organisations have overtaken legacy banks as the financial institution type of choice for many. Prioritising digitalisation, agility and latest technologies, these organisations commit to providing the best products, services and experience for customers. Further exacerbated by recent socio-economic changes such as the Coronavirus pandemic and cost-of-living crisis, insider fraud has risen substantially, according to some studies. This research explores the vulnerabilities of Financial Technology organisations to insider fraud and identifying effective controls. Existing research has focussed on large global banks and the psychological makeup of its perpetrators. This research explores new ground, focussing on UK-headquartered Financial Technology organisations and interviewing their consultants and employees. The acquisition of empirical data provides first hand insights into how this industry can better detect, deter, prevent and respond to insider fraud through operational, risk and strategic evidence.

Where Counter-Fraud Controls and Processes Collide with Disability and Prejudice.

According to the House of Commons, about 24% of the adult population are considered disabled, and STAMMA (formerly British Stammering Association) states that between 1-3% of UK adults stammer. Moreover, in 2024 the UK Government introduced a Disability Action Plan, aiming to make the UK the most accessible place in the world. However, the Plan does not mention invisible disabilities, only physical and visible ones. It is common that people who stammer covertly will, for a large proportion of their speaking time, substitute words to avoid stammering: therefore, a heavily relied upon avoidance technique. However, what happens when what needs to be said cannot be substituted; personal details for instance...? As a counter-fraud practitioner in a financial institution, it is often best practice to contact the customer to ensure their data and assets are protected. To be assured that the genuine customer is the individual on the phone, they are required to answer security questions - most likely ones for which answers are fixed; name, email address, phone number, account number, postcode, et cetera. The American Psychological Association states “when people pause before replying to a question […] their answers are perceived to be less sincere and credible than if they had replied immediately" (2021). Combine these factors and the outcome is a potential disaster, not only for the customer, but the company too. Claire presents her unique insights on how having a stammer impacts customer experience and fraud detection, based on lived experience as a counter-fraud expert who stammers.

Assoc. Prof. Rebecca Maniglia

Northern Arizona University

Critical Criminology: Oppression Narrative or Call to Social Action?

As a discipline, critical criminology is dedicated to examining the role that power plays in the definitions of crime and in the development of systems to prevent or punish criminal activity. As a pedagogy, criminal criminology is, therefore, concerned with assisting students in recognizing and reacting to these issues as they develop their knowledge about the field generally. The goal is to expose the flaws of the current system in hopes of assisting students to develop their own critical thinking skills as they become practitioners within the criminal justice system. This paper is a theoretical examination of this process. It specifically explores to what extent the pedagogy of critical criminology can become simply an oppression narrative, particularly for students of color, thus actually disempowering them to see themselves as systemic change agents. It further explores the ways liberatory pedagogies may provide an antidote to this phenomenon and examines the role diversity, equity and inclusion approaches help or hinder these efforts. For this specific analysis, the author uses the results of an infomal survey and focus groups with undergraduate students participating in a critical crim oriented undergraduate degree program in the United States. It then draws on the literature of transformative or liberatory pedagogy to discuss new approaches to teaching this material which combine critical thinking and opportunities for practicing advocacy and system change. 

Ms.Áine Bernadette Mannion

University College Cork

“I Think I Have Been Ghosted… Again.”: Perspectives And Learnings From Undertaking Research With Irish Judges And Police.

Conducting social research with any cohort presents its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. This paper explores some preliminary findings, experiences and lessons learned from engaging in research with members of the judiciary and An Garda Síochána (police) for a PhD research project. A study which is exploring the relationship between Gardaí and judicial decision-making with the children in detention in Ireland. The participants were invited to take part in in-depth qualitative semi-structed interviews to illuminate on an area which is untheorized. Not only is the topic of the study underexplored but reflections on methods utilised or on the experience of undertaking research with these cohorts, particularly in the Irish context, are hard to come by. This paper will reflect on lengthy ethical review processes, significant access and recruitment challenges, and provide perspectives on being in the room interviewing decision-makers in the Irish criminal justice system. While drawing on my experiences as the researcher of this project I will yes, highlight the obstacles and ethical considerations faced, however, this paper also aims to provide strategies to mitigate these challenges, including the importance of persistence, effective communication, and having a good grounding in qualitative interviewing skills. By analysing the nuances of undertaking research within the Irish judicial and policing contexts, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of how researchers can navigate similar environments, ultimately offering valuable insights for future studies involving underexplored, or hard-to-reach professional or elite cohorts.

Ms. Georgia Marriott-Smith

Liverpool John Moores University 

Ethical processes for individuals in prison/on probation: A form of protection or a form of silence?

This paper will consider whether ethical processes currently in place for individuals who are either in prison/on probation are a form of protection or a way to silence these individuals’ voices. The paper will be based on my current experience of the ethical procedures and my own thoughts, in conjunction with other academic opinions. Freedom of opinion and expression is a human right, yet it appears that particular populations within society are being deprived of this right. The ethical processes to conduct research with individuals in prison/on probation are rigorous, and rightly so, with previous exploitations of power and abuse occurring within these environments. Ethical bodies have adopted a protectionist approach for these populations, but is it also possible that they could provide an enabling environment for the ethical inclusion of these vulnerable populations? Does it have to be one or the other, or could there be a middle-ground? The notion of vulnerability also creates an issue in this area, as are all individuals in prison vulnerable? What constitutes an individual as being vulnerable? Is it just their environment? Is it fair that this term is used in a blanket fashion for the whole population and is used in a way which could exclude their voices from research? The paper will explore these views, providing academic support from a body of literature which has suggested the unnecessary exclusion of this population from research. The question posed is whether ethical procedures are a form of protection or a way to silence.

Doing Time during Covid Times – The time experience of individuals living in prison during COVID-19.

In March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a COVID-19 pandemic (WHO, 2020). In response, on 24th March 2020, His Majesty’s Prison Service (HMPS) moved to an exceptional delivery model in prisons within the UK and adopted restrictive measures (House of Commons Justice Committee, 2020). These measures included: 23-hour cell confinement, reduced socialisation, halted visits and termination of non-essential work (House of Commons Justice Committee, 2020). Ultimately, the restrictions created an environment whereby time stood still. In this paper I will examine the impacts of the introduced restrictive measures during COVID-19, with specific reference to time. The paper will evidence how an abundance of time, but a lack of activities/ways to pass this time resulted in individuals experiencing a lack of hope and a feeling that they were being disadvantaged by a lack of opportunities. The paper will firstly discuss my findings in relation to how time was experienced during this period for individuals who lived in prison in COVID-19, but have since moved into the community, before linking these findings to the wider notion of Social Justice and explaining how the restrictive measures violated human rights and prevented individuals from access to equal opportunities upon release. The paper will focus on preliminary findings from several individuals who lived in prison during this time and recount their experiences, with specific reference to time. Participants provided their own suggestions on how prisons could help individuals to navigate time during their sentence, and these suggestions will be provided within the paper.

Dr G.R. Mawhinney

Sheffield Hallam University

What behaviour should we criminalise in preventing the spread of illness?

A decade ago I first attempted to generate a debate within the academy about whether general transmission of illness should be criminalised. To that extent, the paper failed; we lacked a cool, considered and thorough dialogue about should there even be criminal liability for spreading non-STIs, let alone what form it should take. Consequently, when the coronavirus pandemic struck five years ago, we were sadly ill-equipped, without a modern legal framework to govern it. Instead, in the heat of panic, laws were made at the drop of a minister's hat criminalising aspects of ordinary life which were hitherto unthinkable as crimes, with the purpose of limiting the spread of covid-19 amidst a national crisis. The pandemic affected everyone, so whether we criminalise transmission or exposure to contagious diseases like coronavirus is important to all of us. Now in calmer times this paper will examine the criminality of contagion cognisant of the panoply of differing dimensions that this matter encompasses. It will establish fundamental principles that can be used to begin determining the ambit and circumstances of any criminal responsibility for infecting others. Armed with this theoretical platform it will look to more firmly sketch out what should, and shouldn't, fall under the purview of criminalisation in this field, providing a framework for determining whether merely 'risky' activities, and aspects of quotidian life, ought to be met with criminal censure and sanction if there is so much as a chance of transmission. 

Dr Nokukhanya Neptune Mbonambi

University of Pretoria 

Overcrowding in Women's Correctional Facility in South Africa: Implications for Rehabilitation and Well-being.

Women are the fastest-growing incarcerated population worldwide, with incarceration rates rising most rapidly among young, poor, racialized, and Indigenous women. Among the pressing challenges they face in correctional facilities, overcrowding severely undermines rehabilitation efforts and negatively impacts their well-being. While overcrowding in women's correctional centres is a global issue, it is particularly acute in South Africa, as the most aggressive incarcerator on the continent and the world’s most unequal society. Drawing from participatory arts-based research workshops, an 18-month ethnographic study, and interviews with 30 women incarcerated in a South African Correctional Centre this study amplifies the voices of women navigating life in overcrowded correctional spaces. The study explores the lived experiences of incarcerated women, highlighting the detrimental effects of overcrowding on their physical, psychological, and social well-being. The findings reveal that single cells, originally designed to accommodate one person, now house up to three individuals, forcing some women to share beds while others sleep under beds or on the floor. Communal cells meant for 40 occupants, often hold over 60 women, with limited access to showers and toilets. The women’s testimonies demonstrate how overcrowding compromises their privacy, hygiene, and mental health, exacerbating trauma and impeding their capacity to participate in rehabilitation programs. This study links overcrowding to the deterioration of hygiene, strained resources, and increased interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, the participants argue that the incarceration of undocumented foreign nationals, short sentences, and inadequate administrative measures exacerbate overcrowding. The study calls for urgent reforms aligned with the Mandela Rules, particularly Rule 12 on accommodation and Rule 21 on the provision of separate beds. It emphasizes the need for improved resource allocation, alternative sentencing measures, and deportation policies to alleviate overcrowding. By centering the perspectives of incarcerated women, the study advocates for gender-responsive correctional policies that prioritize dignity, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.

Dr Daniel McCulloch1 and Dr Laura Kelly-Corless2 

The Open University1 and University of Central Lancashire2

Changing roles in the prison: A case study of the transition from deaf prison officer to imprisoned.

Whilst existing studies have explored the experiences of both prison officers and imprisoned people, very little is known about the experiences of prison officers who become imprisoned. This paper explores one such experience, considering the case study of ‘Ashley’, an individual who committed an offence whilst being a prison officer. Adding a further dimension, Ashley is deaf, and experienced both prison roles (prison officer and imprisoned person) as a deaf person.

Ms. Michelle McDermott1, Ms. Laura Haggar1, Ms. Canol Oracki1, Prof. Sarah Charman1, Dr Jemma Tyson1

University of Portsmouth1

Retention challenges in criminal justice professions

Retention in criminal justice professions is an escalating concern, with high attrition rates among police officers, probation officers, and prison officers receiving notable media attention. This roundtable discussion brings together key research findings on workforce retention across these professions, exploring the structural, cultural, and emotional factors that contribute to officer exits. By examining commonalities and distinctions across probation, prison, and police services, this session aims to generate meaningful dialogue on improving retention strategies within these critical public service roles. A major challenge facing the probation service in England and Wales is its chronic staff shortage, directly affecting public protection and service delivery. Research examining the experiences of ex-probation officers highlights role misalignment, emotional labour, and work-life conflict as central factors influencing decisions to leave. Furthermore, studies applying concepts such as workplace harm and post-traumatic organisational environments reveal that identity, values, emotional impact, and organisational climate significantly shape retention challenges. These findings indicate retention strategies must extend beyond recruitment, addressing systemic issues contributing to high attrition rates. The prison service faces similar workforce retention challenges, with prison officers leaving due to austerity measures, early departure schemes, deteriorating conditions, and rising violence. Drawing on qualitative insights and theoretical perspectives on role exit, research on prison officer departures reveals the complexities of transitioning out of the service and the erosion of essential knowledge transmission (‘jail craft’) to new recruits. The emotional toll of prison work, alongside the high-pressure environment and exposure to trauma, mirrors challenges found in both probation and policing. At the same time, positive aspects such as solidarity, pride, and helping prisoners suggest targeted interventions could encourage retention by reinforcing professional identity and improving workplace conditions. In policing, voluntary resignations have reached record levels. Findings from interviews with former police officers point to organisational injustice as a core issue, with concerns over lack of voice, promotion barriers, poor leadership, and inflexible working arrangements driving attrition. The discussion will focus on organisational inflexibility, exploring how policing structures fail to accommodate officers’ additional needs, caregiving responsibilities, and requests for part-time work. These challenges are echoed in probation and prison services, where rigid organisational cultures contribute to burnout and resignation. Cultural expectations of overwork and assimilation further exacerbate these issues, disproportionately affecting female police officers. By bringing together insights from probation, prison, and police workforce research, this roundtable fosters cross-sector discussions on workforce sustainability. The session will explore practical recommendations for improving retention, including enhancing professional development, addressing organisational injustices, promoting flexible working arrangements, and fostering a culture of support and well-being. Recognising that emotional labour, exposure to trauma, and structural constraints are shared across these professions, the discussion will emphasise the need for systemic change and cross-sector learning. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, this session will provide valuable perspectives on creating more sustainable and supportive working environments within the criminal justice system, ultimately strengthening the workforce and improving public service outcomes.

Dr Judy McDonald

University of Ottawa

Gold medal policing: Operational readiness and performance excellence.

To produce peak police performers, identifying the skills that set the best officers apart is essential. Like elite athletes, police must excel under pressure. This study, grounded in Olympic-level performance research, integrated physical, technical, and mental readiness to enhance frontline officers’ consistent performance. The study examined 81 “excellent” Canadian officers, anonymously identified by peers and supervisors across seven units, including Patrol, Tactical, and Coach Officers. Using the Operational Readiness Framework revealed mental readiness (44%) as most critical for peak performance, followed by technical (30%) and physical (26%) readiness. Mental readiness increased by 10% from 2003-2019, while the other two factors slightly decreased. Sixty police-specific mental readiness practices were identified, including focus, mental preparation, and commitment. Confidence, derived from quality training and camaraderie, varied across units. Distraction control and evaluation practices differed—tactical officers preferred informal debriefs, while School Resource Officers valued public feedback. Technical readiness emphasized law proficiency and conflict de-escalation, while physical readiness involved safety, wellness, and vehicle operations. The study uncovered 45 performance blocks and highlighted trends such as balancing team-individual, workload-burnout, and AI-privacy. Ten recommendations were offered to improve recruitment, training, and assessments. This operational readiness research extends to high-risk professions like surgeons and air traffic controllers.

Mr Mike Mckue

University Of Hull

What are the barriers to trust and confidence in policing, and its impact on minority and seldom heard community groups?

This paper investigates why minority and seldom heard voices in the community have barriers to trust and having confidence in the police. In contemporary policing, community policing is at the heart of any good community and forms the basis of police and community relationships. Using an interdisciplinary lens, this study will analyse historical foundations and contemporary applications, examining how community perceptions and relationships with law enforcement, In particular, the relationship between police and the development and maintenance of trust and confidence across diverse communities will be considered. This research is poised to contribute valuable insights to policing strategies, guiding law enforcement agencies in fostering positive relationships with the communities they serve. Ultimately, understanding the dynamic interplay between modern policing dynamics and community engagement especially the challenges of cultural disparity will enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement practices and contribute to the evolution of policing and cultural change  in the 21st century.

Dr Robert McLean1, Professor Ross Deuchar1 and Ms Gillian Booth2

University of the West of Scotland1 and South Lanarkshire Council2 

Problem Solving Justice: Mid-term findings from Scotland first Alcohol and Drug Problem-Solving Court.

This presentation reports findings from the mid-term evaluation of the two-year pilot Alcohol and Drug Problem Solving Court (ADPSC) operating out of Hamilton Sheriff Court, between December 2023-December 2025, and overseen by South Lanarkshire (SL) Justice Social Work (JSW). Over the past five years, drug deaths in Scotland have remained not only the highest in the UK, but also Europe (Scottish Government, 2022). Determined to tackle the problem, adhering to the 2023 national mission statement, SL JSW, working in partnership with Hamilton Sheriff Court (HSC) and third sector organisations, adopted a blended statutory and third sector service provision to best utilise collaboration efforts to provide service users with a public health, trauma-informed strategy, taking a whole system approach to aiding recovery-oriented treatment. The mid-term report adopted a mixed methods approach. Qualitative methods used to carry out the evaluation included a total of 17 interviews, 3 questionnaires, 4 sets of written feedback from a single court observation and documentary analysis. In total the report captures the views and experiences of 24 participants involved with SL ADPSC. The sample included SL JSW social workers, support workers, nurse, service users, service user family members, and sheriffs. Quantitative data presented in the report was gathered from a) a larger body of statistical data held by SL council and b) involved third sector organisations. Findings are overwhelmingly positive with data indicating the ADPSC to be making positive contributions to the wider criminal justice system and the lived experience of service users on Structured Deferred Sentence (SDS). 

Dr Bevis Edward McNeil

Leeds Beckett University

The Innovations and Challenges of the Nordic Model of Imprisonment.

This paper will provide a close exegesis of the radical Nordic model of imprisonment, which implements a socially-progressive and rehabilitative approach towards incarceration and has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the world. Firstly, the merits of the Nordic approach will be used to counter Foucault’s deeply pessimistic argument that prison reforms cannot succeed, as they merely reinforce and replicate the disciplinary power relations of the prison environment, which erode prisoners’ mental health and identity. Secondly, the focus will turn to Halden Prison, in Norway, and how it succeeds in providing a more ‘therapeutic’ and humane prison environment, which imports medical and mental health care services, ensures only single-cell occupancy, and places emphasis on the rapid reintegration and resettlement of prisoners back into society. Thirdly, prisoners’ ‘activation’ and their development of key life and work skills, facilitated by the dynamic and nurturing role played by prison officers in Nordic prisons, will be closely scrutinised. However, as there is only a small quantity of prisoner-centred research relating to prisoner experiences in Nordic prisons – which is mostly negative – a balanced, critical appraisal will be made of the Nordic model, which will illuminate the more nuanced pains of imprisonment which still persist in such environments. The paper will conclude by proposing a novel union between Convict Criminology and the Nordic approach to imprisonment, to empower prisoners, ex-prisoners and ‘non-con’ academics, to generate important research which can help accelerate the global implementation of the innovations of this unique approach towards imprisonment. 

Dr Darren McStravick

Kingston University London

Police Encounter Panels. Accountability and Openness in a Suspicious Space.

There has been an ever – increasing concern in recent years over policing standards in the UK. From reports such as the Stephen Laurence Inquiry in 1999 up to the Baroness Casey Review in 2022, some of the practices and procedures employed by various police forces in the UK have been criticised. It has been widely recognised that police forces would benefit from a greater sense of accountability to, and awareness of, the communities that they are bound to serve. This would help to increase integrity, consistency, human rights protections, and fair treatment regarding all stakeholders within the criminal justice system. One example of where this has been potentially recognised is through the practice of Police Encounter Panels as utilised by the Metropolitan Police in various London boroughs. The rationale behind these Panels is that local community members have an opportunity to review important policing incidents including the management of criminal activity and offenders by viewing police body worn video footage and share feedback on how things developed. One of the aims is for the Metropolitan Police to identify areas for consistency and best practice in their management of criminal events and in their interactions with local communities. This paper analyses the workings of one Encounter Panel that I have attended as a community member, and also asks questions about the nature and representative role of community members and police representatives involved, the discourses within panel meetings and the effectiveness and utility of the Police Encounter Panel going forward.           

Prof. Tim McSweeney

Anglia Ruskin University

Outcomes for Life Sentence Prisoners Following Release from Custody.

This paper reports on outcomes for life sentenced prisoners following release from custody, based on secondary analysis of de-identified, individual-level records from the Ministry of Justice Data First prisoner custodial journey dataset. Funded by the Dawes Trust and undertaken in partnership with the Prison Reform Trust and independent consultant Russell Webster, this exploratory, independent study – the largest of its kind to date – describes the life sentence cohort and reports on the extent and nature of post-release rates of recall, custodial reconviction, and serious further offending by ‘lifers’ and other prisoners in England and Wales between 2011 and 2021.  These outcomes were assessed at one, two, three, five, and ten-year follow-up periods. It also identifies risk and protective factors associated with these outcomes for life sentence prisoners. These insights will be used to generate public benefits by informing a better understanding of how the implementation, development, and delivery of parole arrangements can shape post-release outcomes for ‘lifers’ and other prisoners. 

Ms. Boglarka Meggyesfalvi

Eotvos Lorand University

Self-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material in Hungary and the UK: Youth Behavior, Justice Responses, and the Role of Generative AI.

This paper, part of an ongoing doctoral research project, explores the growing prevalence of self-generated child sexual abuse material (SG-CSAM) through a comparative lens, focusing on the United Kingdom and Hungary. It examines youth attitudes and digital behaviors surrounding intimate content, legal and sentencing practices involving minors, and the support systems available to victims. The research highlights the intensifying criminalisation of minors in Hungary, where children who create or share explicit content, — even of themselves, — may face prosecution under "child pornography" laws. This is contrasted with more discretionary approaches in the UK, where outcome-based frameworks allow for non-criminal responses in certain cases. The study further reviews gaps in victim support structures and the implications of inconsistent or punitive practices on children's wellbeing. A key focus is the emergence of generative AI, which enables the creation of hyper-realistic synthetic abuse imagery. These technologies present new challenges for preventing youth crime, detection, accountability, and legal categorisation, often outpacing existing frameworks. The paper compares national responses, including the UK’s recent legal reforms targeting AI-generated abuse tools, with Hungary’s emerging policy discourse. Situated at the intersection of youth justice, digital safeguarding, and technological change, the research advocates for a child-centered, restorative approach. It argues for evidence-based, trauma-informed practices that reduce harm to children.

Dr Shuqin Mei and Prof. Michelle Miao

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Challenges to Identifying and Prosecuting Trafficking in Women and Children’s Cases in China.

Drawing on empirical evidence from law enforcement agencies, this study examines the challenges to identifying and prosecuting trafficking in women and children’s cases and police’s response to trafficking cases. Challenges in identification and prosecution include the hidden nature of cases, uncooperative victims, difficulties in obtaining corroborating evidence, insufficient training among law enforcement personnel, heavy workload, and limited organizational resources. The police have predominantly adopted a reactive response strategy in dealing with cases of trafficking in women and children. This study also provides a theoretical framework to explain the relationship between the challenges of addressing trafficking in women and children cases and the adoption of reactive response strategies. Implications for policy and practice to improve human trafficking investigations in China are drawn from these findings.

Miss Pal Mia

London Metropolitan University

Psychological Abuse Prevention: A Criminological and Educational Perspective

Psychological abuse is a form of violence that involves the use of language and behaviours to harm, manipulate, or control another person. It can occur in various contexts, such as intimate relationships, family, work, or schools. Its recognition has been historically slow due to societal, cultural and systemic factors such as gender dynamics, limited legal recognition, stigma, and normalization of harmful behaviours. Psychological abuse is as damaging as physical and sexual abuse, and one of the highest risks associated with it is that victims can perceive it as normal behaviour, especially when experienced in the formative years of development. This is a significant cause of concern particularly as child exposure to abuse, including psychological abuse and neglect correlates with high prevalence of lifelong trauma, psychosis, suicide and revictimization often overlapping with truancy and the risk of school exclusion. Despite the fact of not being immediately observed, consequences of psychological abuse manifest throughout all developmental stages in life from childhood to adulthood as victims often struggle at later points in life with issues related to their core identity, self-worth and stability of their emotional world. Researchers have identified that psychological abuse can be measured through specific language and behaviours, and it can be prevented if concerns are raised early with education proposed as the primary method for prevention. However, the current policies around psychological abuse are mostly reactive addressing the issue at its latest stages, the sentencing stage, when the abuse has escalated into physical violence, or even homicide. This study makes the argument that by introducing early psychological abuse prevention programs in schools would address and fill an important gap at a policy level in our society with significant implications for social, health care and the criminal justice system as well as for the well-being of individuals and communities.

Ms. Marta Mikolajewska

University of Sheffield

Police decision-making and identification of vulnerable adult detainees - preliminary research findings.

This paper presents and critically discusses the preliminary findings from an ESRC-funded doctoral study, which explored the ways in which vulnerable adult detainees are defined, identified and safeguarded in police custody suites in England and Poland. Due to the scarcity of comparative research on police detention, especially research that would include non-English speaking, post-communist countries, the overarching aim of this study was to critically explore and compare the police practices surrounding vulnerability on an international level, with a view to improving them. Drawing on preliminary qualitative data collected in 2025, including observation and semi-structured interviews with police officers, appropriate adults and other professionals, this paper specifically explores the complexities of detainee vulnerability identification and police decision-making in the English context, offering the first empirical findings on vulnerability identification post the 2018 change of the vulnerability definition within the Code C of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. 

Dr Esmorie Miller

Lancaster University

The Everyday Lives of Black, Racialised Young Women in Interwar British Youth Penal Reform: Battleground Modernity.

Battleground Modernity is a Palgrave book project mapping how racism and racialisation shaped Black, British young women’s everyday Interwar experiences of surveillance and exclusion. Interwar British penal reform purportedly repudiated punishment for youth, while prioritising rehabilitation. Garland deems Interwar criminological inquiry significant for understanding genealogies of youth, while race-blind (denoting racial erasure). Phillips and Parmar encourage historicisation of race matters. Critical traditions, like deviance invention, supports Garland and Colleagues. Deviance invention traditions enable critical genealogies, mapping competing conceptions of youth, amid Interwar reforms. My project takes a cultural studies approach to Black, racialised young women’s omission from Interwar criminological inquiry. Employing a mixed methodology, I draw on Liverpool and Cardiff as case studies, two port cities where Britain’s Black populations historically resided. Other materials come from London’s Black Cultural Archives, Cardiff’s Glamorgan Archives, and Liverpool’s City Archives, each hosting photos and other forms of cultural representations of Black young women’s everyday lives. Interwar cultural commentators like Waugh (Vile Bodies) and Fitzgerald (The Beautiful and the Damned) mapped the moral panics devastating Interwar youth’s everyday lives, observing the amplified scrutiny and consequences that the increasingly autonomous upper-class youth encountered. These youth were deemed The Lost Generation, denoting their supposed threat to social stability. Similar, simultaneous periodic moral panics for Black, racialised youth remain unassessed. The project, therefore, explores racially specific criminological concerns: criminology’s typical exclusion of women, in general, and racialised young women, in particular; and criminology’s de-historicisation of racialised young women’s contemporary concerns, despite canonical commitment to representation and historicisation. 

Mr Mohamed Omar Mohamed 

Buckinghamshire New University

An Investigation into the Underrepresentation of Ethnic Minority Police Officers in Specialised Units in United Kingdom (UK) Police Services. 

The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities within specialised units in the UK police services remains a persistent issue, despite various diversity initiatives undertaken in policing. The purpose of this research is to critically investigate underrepresentation of ethnic minority officers in specialised units in the UK Police Service. The study will adopt a qualitative methodology by applying Phenomenological and Critical Realism theory, utilising the Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis (IPA) to analyse semi-structured interviews of existing serving officers from ethnic minority backgrounds and senior police officers who are decision makers in recruitment using purposive sampling to capture personal narratives, offering insights into the perceptions and experiences of entry or within specialised units, factors that contribute to the underrepresentation, and  the effectiveness of recruitment strategies and initiatives in facilitating their entry into specialised police units. Furthermore, secondary data from the police workforce demographics will be examined to analyse data and trends of the underrepresentation. The extant literature predominantly addresses the underrepresentation of recruitment and promotions of minority ethnic officers and women of colour officers in policing in the UK. Moreover, existing literature highlights institutional barriers, cultural issues, recruitment bias, lack of support and mentoring initiatives and limited access to career progression. The findings are expected to contribute to the existing literature as empirical evidence regarding the barriers to the underrepresentation of ethnic minority officers in the UK, improvement of recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minority officers, as well as to inform the policy makers and police leadership on fostering diversity within specialised units.

Ms. Angelique Mulholland

University College London

Disrupting the ‘School-to-Prison-Pipeline’: Race, Masculinities, Fatherhood and Desistance.

The school-to-prison-pipeline (STPP) is a body of research which investigates how a disproportionate number of boys with racialized and/or working-class identities experience the pathologizing practices of schooling, and subsequently enter early pathways into crime and incarceration. The key markers of the STPP involve targeting by teachers, the use of deficit discourses, surveillance, isolation, suspension and exclusion. The STPP can render students ‘prison ready’, many of whom are often already navigating adversity due to family struggles, living in poverty settings and experiencing additional needs connected to learning disabilities. Although the STPP has become the focus of recent research, little is known about how education intersects with race, class, gender and learner identities later on in life, and features in cycles of reoffending or desistance journeys. This article draws on data from the researcher’s PhD project and considers the narratives of two prison leavers from diverse racial backgrounds and considers the consequences of the STPP, especially on their children’s education, negotiating fatherhood and journeys out of crime. Using insights from a range of theories, including Critical Race Theory and intersectionality, the intersection between race, gender, class, disability, generation and location is considered to understand better how education can both harm and later on in life help those moving away from crime. In the narratives discussed, participants’ investments in their children’s education appears to disrupt key indicators of the STPP, thereby halting intergenerational cycles of reoffending. This article discusses the ‘rituals of redemption’ and the key signifiers of desistance journeys, spotlighting the importance of a transformative masculine identity in moving away from crime.  

Mr Opeyemi Mumuni

American University, Washington, DC.

Reporting and Clearance of Identity Theft Incidents

Identity theft has garnered increasing scholarly attention, with most research focusing on post-victimisation behaviours, such as reporting patterns, while mainly neglecting clearance rates. This limits our understanding of how effective identity theft is addressed. This study fills this gap by analysing predictors of reporting to authorities and clearance outcomes. This study uses data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimisation Survey Identity Theft Supplement (NCVS-ITS) to explore the roles of incident seriousness, solvability characteristics, and victim demographics in shaping these responses. Building upon foundational research, I extend traditional criminological theories to the context of identity theft while incorporating recent trends. Beyond fundamental analysis, this study provides well-organised descriptive statistics and deeper insights into the mechanisms driving reporting and clearance behaviours.

Prof. Pat Mungroo

International Society of Clinical Criminology

Revolutionising Criminology: The Urgent Need for Clinical Approaches in Crime Prevention.

Revolutionising Criminology: The Urgent Need for Clinical Approaches in Crime Prevention As global crime rates surge, exacerbating societal instability, the criminological community remains anchored in classical and modern paradigms that fail to address the evolving complexities of criminal behaviour. The rising crime rates in the UK underscore the inadequacy of traditional criminological tools—outdated and ineffective, much like relying on conventional maps in an era of real-time navigation. This paper advocates for the urgent adoption of Clinical Criminology, a transformative approach that integrates psychological, medical, and behavioural sciences to address the root causes of crime, including mental illness, substance abuse, and maladaptive behaviours. By bridging the gap between criminology and clinical sciences, this paradigm shift offers the potential for more effective interventions, targeted rehabilitative strategies, and a proactive response to crime. This presentation will examine empirical evidence, innovative methodologies, and policy implications, challenging the criminological community to embrace a more dynamic, interdisciplinary approach to crime prevention.

Dr Emma Murray1, Ms. Paula Harriot2, and Assoc. Prof. Gill Buck3  

Anglia Ruskin University1,  Unlock2, and University of Chester3 

(Re)imagining research ethics: a creative participatory-futures study.

Recognition of connections between personal experience, our lives and our work as academics, is not exactly new. Think of C. Wright Mills (1959: 196) exhortation in The Sociological Imagination: “…you must learn to use your life experience in your intellectual work: continually to examine and interpret it. In this sense craftsmanship is the centre of yourself and you are personally involved in every intellectual product upon which you work”. As well as embracing and reinvigorating these legacies, we (criminologists with lived experience) also need to ask why the recent interest in Lived Experience seems to coincide with the resurgence of forms of political populism that trade heavily in the assumed wisdom of ordinary people and their supposed ‘common sense’ over ‘establishment’ figures, experts and institutions. Some of the current interest in ‘lived experience’ seems attracted to the dubious proposition that knowledge is being reclaimed from ‘elite’ groups in society. If this were the case it would be a great achievement, but there is not much evidence that any elite group in society is troubled by lived experience narratives in criminal justice and growing evidence that they are more likely to be opportunistically and cynically exploited.  Are there examples of experiential insight or lived experience radically shifting or challenging a conventional discourse in criminology or anywhere else?  Identifying brief case studies in sociology, working class studies, history, feminism, critical race theory, post-colonial studies and post-structuralism where an academic’s lived experience demonstrably informed their academic contributions, I suggest there might be.

Mx Avery Myles

University of Strathclyde

When Silence Speaks: The Long-term Impacts of Caregiver Information Management Styles on Children with Imprisoned Family Members.

Despite ongoing debate about whether familial imprisonment constitutes a unique adverse childhood experience, the impact on family dynamics remains underexplored in criminology. Even less attention has been given to how information about a family member’s imprisonment is communicated to children. How caregivers manage this information may have lasting consequences for a child’s personal autonomy, psychological well-being, and relationships into adulthood. This research will examine micro and mezzo-level effects of information management on children with imprisoned family members and its long-term impact. This study will explore how varying disclosure styles shape psychosocial outcomes. It will draw on the theoretical frameworks of ‘information vacuums’ and ‘information attenuators,’ the latter referring to a management style in which communication occurs without appreciable distortion of the disclosure narrative. By examining how disclosure styles shape psychosocial outcomes, this research will explore whether information management mitigates or exacerbates distress. While non-disclosure is often intended as protective, research on family secrets suggests it may be paradoxical – heightening anxiety, fostering self-blame, and contributing to long-term psychological distress. If similar patterns emerge in the context of familial imprisonment, appropriate disclosure strategies may help reduce these negative lasting consequences. This study will analyse retrospective accounts from adults who experienced familial imprisonment as children, alongside insights and observations from practitioners at prison visitor centres. By contributing to the interdisciplinary understanding of (non)disclosure, this research aims to inform best practice models for caregivers, NGOs, and policymakers – ultimately raising awareness of and enhancing support available for the hidden population of children affected by imprisonment. 

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Ms. Khadijah Na'eem

Royal Holloway, University of London

Guardians of the Free Market or Passive Subjects? Civil Servants and the Regulatory Failures that Led to the Grenfell Tower Fire.

The complexity of civil servants’ thinking and behaviour when they facilitate government failures is under-explored, and research tends to focus on specific moments in time and immediately observable circumstances. Through a historically sensitive analysis of individual civil servant testimonies and accounts, this study considers the behaviour, motivations, and thinking of civil servants responsible for the government’s regulatory failures in the lead-up to the Grenfell Tower fire. Instead of viewing civil servants’ failures as limited to specific moments, the article advocates for understanding their behaviour as reflecting decades of work by successive governments to change the Civil Service into a pro-market, pro-business and deregulatory space. It is argued that the government used modes of communication beyond explicit words to convey these priorities, leading fire safety civil servants to believe their regulatory work was unimportant. This paper argues that civil servants did not react to these modes of communication by being passive subjects to deregulation. Instead, they manifested free market logic by embodying the role of its guardians, preventing regulatory expansion when it came at an economic cost and gatekeeping knowledge about fire safety issues. The paper contributes significantly to understanding the processes that led to the Grenfell Tower fire by exploring the complexity of the motivations and thinking of civil servants involved.

Dr Lucy Neville1 and Professor Matt Hopkins2 

University of Southampton1 and University of Leicester2 

‘How can you look at me and not be resentful?’:  An analysis of the emotional labour and emotion work involved in researching acid attacks.

This paper considers the challenges of researching offender motivations for using acid and other corrosive substances as a weapon in violent crime. Through the gaze of the first ever major study to engage with acid attack preparators, analysis is presented of the distinct challenges that arise when researching such an emotive topic with a ‘hard to reach’ population. We argue that, in order to understand decision making and motivations for the use of acid/corrosives, engagement with those who have carried/used acid/corrosives is necessary. However, research engaging with such a population not only generates a number of practical and epistemological issues, but also creates emotional challenges. We frame research with acid attackers as emotion work that requires emotional labour.  Therefore, this paper not only offers important insights into some of the challenges of conducting primary research in a previously unexplored area, it also offers the first analysis of the emotional labour of researching acid attacks. With this in mind, our findings should be of particular value to those considering primary research in this field, as well as other areas of criminology that involve high-profile crimes and extreme violence.  

Ms. Trine Cosmus Nobel

Roskilde University

Legal Ripples in a Moral Pond – Does law shape conceptual boundaries of sexual violence?

The #MeToo movement and its subsequent critical resistance serve as an ongoing site of contestation of the conceptual boundaries of sexual violence. Resistance towards the movement frequently invokes legal classifications, norms, and standards, in turn likening it to a ‘public court’, ‘kangaroo court’, or ‘witch hunt’, contrasting it with the legitimate authority of the formal legal system. The underlying principle asserts that cases of sexual violence ought always to be adjudicated in a court of law. Within this narrative, victimhood and sexual violence is delineated based on unlawfulness and legal verdict. This may marginalise those who have not pursued or achieved legal justice, but also those whose experiences fall outside criminal definitions. While some scholars have discussed the limits of the implications of the prevalence or even hegemony of legal discourse on sexual violence, no studies have examined how individuals use statutory understandings of rape as a benchmark to morally perceive of and attribute meaning to acts as sexually violent. This article addresses this gap by presenting findings from a novel multifactorial survey experiment testing the effects of lawfulness cues on moral judgements and classification as sexually violent. It offers insights on how lawfulness affects who gets to be recognised as a legitimate victim, and how individuals perceive ‘lawful but awful’ acts of sexual violence and the victims subject to them. Likewise, it offers a novel empirical perspective on how perceptions and cultural narratives of sexual violence and victimhood are shaped.

Dr Bhanu Prakash Nunna1, Mr. Siva T2 and Mr. Jayasurya Ramesh3 

RV University1, Olikko Trust2 and University of Madras3 

Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence: Prevalence, Risk, and Protective Factors in University Students in India.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) reported that India is set to exceed 900 million active internet users in 2025. This rapid expansion of digital connectivity has created new avenues for sexual violence. The widespread use of social media, dating apps, and gaming platforms, further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has contributed to the rise of Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence (TFSV). TFSV encompasses a range of harmful behaviors, including unwanted sexual messages, cyberbullying, and image-based sexual abuse. Despite its growing prevalence, TFSV remains an understudied phenomenon, with emerging research indicating significant psychological consequences. This study aimed to (1) examine the prevalence rates of TFSV among male and female students in India, (2) assess the psychological impact of TFSV victimization, and (3) find protective factors that may lessen the negative outcomes of TFSV victimization. This study utilized a cross-sectional design with a stratified random sample of university students from various Indian states. Quantitative data were gathered through an online survey via SurveyMonkey (N = 378). The questionnaire incorporated validated instruments, including the TFSV-V scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and GPCS-M Perceived Control Scale. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were conducted to determine prevalence rates and identify key protective factors. Findings revealed that 63.3% of Indian university students reported experiencing TFSV, with higher prevalence rates among females (83.9%) compared to males (44.3%). The most common TFSV act reported was receiving unwanted sexually explicit images (58%). In addition, TFSV victims showed moderate to severe depressive symptoms (34.5%), lower self-esteem (78%), and decreased perceived control (48.5%) compared to those without such experiences. Regression analysis revealed that social support, self-esteem, and perceived control interfered with the relationship between TFSV victimization and psychological distress.

Prof. Angus Nurse 

Anglia Ruskin University

‘Dangerously Out of Control’: Policing the Dangerous Dogs Problem.

Data suggests that more than 7,000 dog attacks take place each year in the UK with no evidence that XL Bully dogs are a substantial component of attacks. Yet media narratives around these ‘killer’ dogs resulted in placing of the XL Bully on the ‘banned’ dog list, a policy move presented as ‘tough’ and decisive action to address the problem. But the evidence does not support the idea that placing this breed on the banned list is effective. Banned breeds continue to be involved in attacks so too are other dogs not classed as dangerous. Action under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is only one of the means through which dog attacks can be dealt with despite often being presented as the only solution to the dog attack problem. This paper contends that this approach does not address the underlying issues of dog attacks and is ultimately ineffective. The enforcement and policy response to dog attacks often involves destruction of the dog using provisions under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, arguably a reactive rather than preventative measure. Yet legislation to deal with dog attack problems already existed in the form of the Dogs Act 1871 while use of other anti-social behaviour legislation can also target owner dog control failures. This paper presents an analysis of enforcement and court action and identifies how preventative measures often are and should be deployed by courts, identifying that dog attacks are a complex issue requiring a holistic approach aimed at both dog and owner.

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Dr SooHyun O and Dr YongJei Lee

University of South Florida

Land Use and Youth Crime.

Numerous studies have investigated the link between land use and crime, revealing that crime tends to concentrate around specific facilities such as fast-food restaurants, parks, playgrounds, and public schools. These findings have implications for place-based crime prevention measures. However, limited research has explored youth offending across different land use types, resulting in insufficient knowledge to develop place-based crime prevention approaches for youth crime. The current study aims to understand how various facilities are spatially related to youth offending. We examine over 30 different land use types and compare the spatial distribution of crime across facilities between adults and juveniles. Drawing on opportunistic perspectives, the study hypothesizes that similarities outweigh differences in crime distribution across land uses for adults and juveniles. The spatial regression model is estimated using crime data, with the goal of offering potential place-based crime prevention strategies for youth offending.

Ms. Esme O'Donnell

Edinburgh Napier University

Desecuritising through Reflexivity – Rethinking Risk, Gender, and the Ethics of Care in Criminological Research.

This paper explores how heteropatriarchy affects – and is affected by – research relationships, shaping how qualitative researchers navigate risk, relationality, and care in the field. Reflecting on my embodiment in the field, I examine how ‘hermeneutic labour’ – the affectively charged work of interpreting emotions for conflict resolution – functioned as a security practice to mitigate risk. However, risk was not an external metric against which participants could be assessed, but an emotional intensity entangled with gender essentialism that shaped how participants materialised in the field. While this labour can feel protective, experiencing research relationships through a lens of insecurity creates distance between the self and others – constructing masculinised bodies as threats and reinforcing my identity as a ‘vulnerable woman’. This constrained the possibility for care to emerge as an ethical commitment in itself, rather than as a defence mechanism. Incorporating insights from Securitisation Studies and Feminist Care Ethics, this presentation reflects on what it means to practise reflexivity in contexts shaped by gendered assumptions about risk, and highlights how institutional processes – such as ethical review and safeguarding protocols – can subtly reinforce gender essentialism. By revisiting moments of discomfort in fieldwork, I aim to open a conversation about how we might engage differently with care in criminological research. I argue for a desecuritised approach to research relationships, where care is not instrumentalised as a security practice but becomes a form of unconditional, ethical engagement – creating space for new materialisations of care, knowledge, and subjectivity.

Dr Aidan O'Sullivan, Dr. Damian Breen, and Dr. Nathan Kerrigan

Birmingham City University

Not-so Critical Race Theory: A Retort to Hodgkinson et al’s “critical assessment” of the Black Lives Matter Movement in the UK.

This presentation will present the findings of our retort article published in 2025 in Justice, Power and Resistance. In late 2021 Hodgkinson and colleagues presented several critiques of the centrality of race to the political underpinnings of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. The article proposed that the marginality of black individuals was instead bound up with socio-economic marginalisation. They included seemingly racialized inequities in the criminal justice system (CJS). The argument implicitly undermines the lived experiences of racialised minority groups and their concerns about race and criminal justice. It also suggests that racial inequalities are not substantive enough to be a central disciplinary theme in criminology. Hodgkinson et al’s argument conflates Black Lives Matter (BLM) with Critical Race Theory (CRT). The article's premise was a ‘critical assessment’ of BLM via the medium of critiquing CRT. However, the authors draw on a plethora of works, embodying a wide range of political positions on ‘race’ and assumed that they are works of CRT. This produced recurring straw premises. Because students and other readers unfamiliar with CRT might uncritically absorb the subtext of the article as representative of a consensus in the field of criminology, we felt it appropriate to provide a critical retort. 

Dr Neil Olley 

University of Wolverhampton 

The Expansion of Transnational Sub-state Governance through Counter Terrorism Liaison Officers. 

Whilst many countries deploy their state security agencies as their lead in gathering counter-terrorist intelligence there has been, since 9/11, a growing response and effort among police services to deploy resources across the globe. This forms part of the widening role of informal bilateral and sometimes multilateral expansion of policing arrangements. This expansion has often run alongside the even more extensive network of international liaison officers focussed on organised crime. CTLOs (other acronyms are used globally) are often housed within the host specialist counter-terror team, such as the UK CTLO in France, or in UK embassies such as Nairobi. These specialist teams are also often part of their own international network such as the Police Working Group on Terrorism. These are the networks along which police, needing information and intelligence regarding terror suspects and activity, use. Some organisations have arrangements where they work alongside their intelligence counterparts in Counter Terrorism Command whilst others have gone a more independent route, often with some conflict with other agencies, such as the experience of NYPD and the FBI. The purpose of this paper will be to provide a preliminary sketch and update of the current levels of commitment and deployment of a wide variety of police agencies in their counter-terrorist endeavours. 

Dr Abdullah Enes Özel

Yalova University

Visibility and Police Power: Rethinking Surveillance and Accountability in Light of Walter Benjamin’s ‘Critique of Violence’".

Going beyond the effects of new countersurveillance and sousveillance practices—as well as the increased visibility of the police—on police activities, this presentation aims to explore the complex relationship between visibility and police power and to examine whether these new practices fundamentally impact the essence of police power. Many studies attempt to analyze how this new visibility influences police work, particularly the excessive use of violence. They suggest that various forms of sousveillance and countersurveillance can enhance police visibility, thereby making the institution more transparent, accountable and law-abiding. At this point, two main theoretical models emerge regarding the relationship between visibility and power: the liberal notion of transparency and Michel Foucault's perspective, which considers the asymmetry of the gaze as a mechanism that reinforces power imbalances.  However, key questions remain unanswered: How does visibility factor into the construction of police power? Do the police derive their authority from their invisibility? And does increased visibility make them less violent and more compliant with the law?  This presentation seeks to address these questions through Walter Benjamin's seminal text, “Critique of Violence,” arguing that police power is not primarily constructed through its level of (in-)visibility but rather through its intrinsic relationship with violence. The police are not merely a law-preserving institution bound by a predefined legal framework; they also function as a law-making force. Regardless of whether they are visible or to what extent they are visible, the police are the ones who determine the legality and excessiveness of their use of violence.  

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Ms. Agnes Xun Pan

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Politics of Knowledge Co-production: How Politics Shape Prosecutorial Decision-making in Corporate Criminal Enforcement in China?

Academic discourse widely acknowledges the role of politics in shaping corporate criminal enforcement and compliance. However, the precise mechanisms through which political forces exert influence remain underexplored, especially in the Global South. The complexities inherent in corporate enforcement are often oversimplified due to limited access to high-quality empirical evidence, hindering a nuanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms. This article addresses this gap by examining how politics influence corporate criminal enforcement through knowledge co-production. Under the 'optimizing the business environment' policy in China, prosecutors aim to balance economic protection and corporate crime control in the compliance campaign. Based on six-month in-depth ethnographic fieldwork and publicly available materials, this study investigates how prosecutors, regulators, corporations, and other stakeholders interact to produce and utilize corporate enforcement knowledge. The policy campaigns, power struggles, and political ideologies shape the co-production of corporate criminal enforcement knowledge. It argues that while knowledge co-production in the regulatory workgroups enhances prosecutorial capacity in regulating corporate misconduct, political dynamics constrain the prosecutorial independence in the corporate criminal enforcement process. It contributes to understanding the intricate interplay between politics, prosecutorial capacity and autonomy, and effective corporate enforcement. 

Assoc. Prof. Daniel Pascoe

 City University of Hong Kong

Terrorism Sentencing in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's terrorism laws have undergone a recent overhaul. While originally only extending to parties subject to UN sanctions as periodically updated since 2001, the recent enactment of a National Security Law in 2020 expanded the scope of terrorist offences more broadly to consider 'domestic terrorism', a move prompted by the 2019 anti-government protests. This paper first takes account of these legal developments before moving to a summary of trends in terrorism offence sentencing by the courts, including at both the trial and the appellate level, comparing principles of terrorism sentencing with sentencing in non-terrorism cases in Hong Kong. Tong Yin Kit (jailed for nine years in 2021) is the best known of Hong Kong's terrorism cases, but this paper will shed light on the lesser-known outcomes in terrorism trials, as well as reviews of sentence on appeal and trends in early release / post-incarceration supervision.

Assoc. Prof. Dominic Pearson1, Gary Goodley2, Daniele Molino1 and Andrew Bates2 

University of Portsmouth1 and HM Prison and Probation Service2    

Using Cooperative Inquiry to Enhance Probation Practices in Risk Management.

Background.  Serious Further Offences (SFOs) constitute a significant challenge for probation services, with a recent independent review highlighting patterns of deficiencies in risk management (Pearson & Carey, 2025). Current systems often fail to capture dynamic risk effectively, leading to disastrous gaps in the supervision process. Purpose.  Here we present our proposed project.  The project aims to examine, in real-time, information that community probation officers receive regarding individuals on probation currently/recently at high risk of serious harm to others. The focus is on understanding how this information is processed and applied in managing high-risk cases. Methods. Utilising a ‘cooperative inquiry’ approach, the study will engage probation practitioners in a series of inquiry groups.  These groups, consisting of three cohorts supervising high-risk cases, will foster collaborative exploration of risk information sources, types, and applications in decision-making.  Through iterative cycles of reflection and discussion, participants will contribute to a shared understanding of effective risk management practices. Practitioner pre-post self-evaluations will also be captured. Originality. This research is innovative in employing a cooperative inquiry methodology to probation research, allowing practitioners to actively participate in the examination of their own practices.  This collaborative approach complements traditional top-down management oversight, offering real-time insights and fostering practitioner-led improvements in risk management. Implications. Findings are expected to inform policy by identifying key information gaps and inefficiencies.  By empowering probation officers through collaborative inquiry, the project aims to enhance practitioner training and develop more effective risk management strategies, ultimately contributing to a reduction in the likelihood of SFOs.

Mr Sam Pears

University of Leeds

Investigating the prevalence and nature of sexual violence within coercive controlling relationships.

Intimate partner abuse (IPA) and sexual offences often intersect. The Crime Survey for England and Wales estimate one in two rapes are committed by a current or ex-partner (ONS, 2021), while Operation Soteria identified that “almost a third of RASSO (rape and serious sexual offences) occur within a domestic abuse context” (NPCC, 2024, p. 8). However, these offences are often treated as separate issues. Accordingly, this work seeks to investigate this intersection - intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) - and how it is perpetrated in the context of coercive control. Despite their prevalence and profound harms, sexual violence and coercive control, and their interconnectedness, are misunderstood by police (and wider society) with a focus on physical violence that belies the true nature of controlling relationships. Deconstructing this is paramount in improving responses to victim-survivors. Coercive control is highly gendered as it involves the maintenance of patriarchal paradigms which, by their very nature, view women as subservient and as sexual objects who are to be controlled (Stark, 2007). Within this, “control of the woman’s sexuality, sexual degradation, rape, and constant “low-level” sexual assaults and threats form part of the abuse” (Weiner, 2023 cited in Hohl and Stanko, 2024, p.71). Therefore, sexual violence is almost always present in coercive control (Wiener, 2023). To improve outcomes in IPSV cases it is essential to improve understandings of the nature of this abuse situated within a context of coercion and control, and the prevalence of sexual abuse as a lever of control in such relationships.  

Dr Diana Peel

University of Manchester

‘I Pray for a Deterrent Sentence’: Gender Discrimination in Sentencing for Intimate Partner Homicides in Uganda. 

Uganda has one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, with an estimated 65% of women experiencing some form of abuse. In the absence of effective prevention or support, domestic homicide, both female and male perpetrated, is prevalent, but little is known about how gender impacts sentencing. Using a population of 389 cases of domestic homicides tried in Uganda’s twelve high courts since the abolition of the death penalty in 2009, this research examines gender discrimination in sentencing for intimate partner homicides. Results show that men are more likely to be found guilty and receive harsher sentences than women, although women plead guilty in almost 75% of cases. Women are more likely than men to plead, or be found guilty, of manslaughter than murder. The death penalty is only passed in 3% of cases, but half of those are in one High Court. Prior instances of domestic violence are presented in just 12% of cases, but result in more lenient sentences for male perpetrators, on the grounds that a history of violence demonstrates lack of malice aforethought. The findings suggest that while men commit more serious crimes and receive harsher punishments for domestic homicide, women’s experience of abuse at the hands of their victim is not taken into account during sentencing. 

Dr David Peplow1 and Dr Jake Phillips2

Sheffield Hallam University1 and University of Cambridge2

Insights on Insight: exploring the role of insight in parole oral hearings.

In parole oral hearings, prisoners are generally expected to possess heightened levels of insight, evidencing for example meaningful participation in rehabilitation programmes, positive changes in behaviour, and awareness of risk factors. As such, judgements concerning prisoner insight play an important role in parole board decision-making over release. However, little is known about insight, and definitions of the term in psychological and criminological literature are scarce. This paper will shed light on how the concept of insight is operationalised on the ground in the interactions between prisoners and parole board panel members in oral hearings conducted in England and Wales. The aim of the research is to understand how the term insight, and related concepts, are used discursively in oral hearings, and how factors such as the mode of hearing (remote vs in-person) and particular questioning practices used by panel members might affect prisoners’ ability to demonstrate what is deemed to be ‘good’ insight. This research draws on a dataset of 40 oral hearings from across different modes (in-person, remote, hybrid) and involving prisoners serving a range of different sentences. Once insight-relevant passages of talk are identified in the oral hearings discourse, we will explore linguistic patterns in the ways that questions are asked and responded to on this theme. From this analysis, we will seek to understand the role insight plays in relation to attempts to measure and manage risk in the oral hearing context. 

Ms. Anna Perowne

University of Portsmouth

Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to Explore the Lived Experiences of those who Voluntarily Resigned from the police service (England & Wales).

In March 2024, the police service in England and Wales recorded their second highest number of recorded leavers since comparable records began in 2003. Of those who left, 56% (5,058) were recorded as voluntary resignations, the highest rate ever recorded, despite the overall number of leavers declining from 9,192 in the year ending 22/23 to 9,080 in the year ending 23/24. Whilst there has been a rise in research focusing on voluntary resignations from the police service, there has been few committed to smaller participant samples, thus restricting the voices of those who have voluntarily resigned. Despite being criminological in nature, this research uses the traditionally placed psychological method Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). A recognised qualitative methodology, IPA is idiographic in nature, encouraging a shift away from generalisable data to discover how individuals make sense of their own lived experience. This research explored how 8 participants interpreted their own individual experience as a serving police officer, including their own voluntary resignation from the police service, connected by the interpretation of facing ‘challenges’ within their career. The use of IPA has demonstrated a chronological journey of each participant's career, with one of the most prominent themes highlighting a distinct change in personal feelings at the start of their careers compared to the end. This demonstrates a significant shift in both attitude and self-worth for all 8 participants upon voluntary resignation from the police service in England and Wales.

Ms. Nicki Pierce

University of Lincoln

“I miss you daddy, when are you coming back daddy?”  Men in prison are fathers too: the transformative impact of targeted support for young dads in prison. 

The aim of this research was to explore targeted and person-centred support for young dads in prisons in the UK, such as that delivered by the prisons advice and care trust (Pact), can be a catalyst for transformation. Qualitative methods were used to investigate retrospective and prospective accounts of young fathers’ biographies, parenting journeys and criminal justice pathways. The interviews were oriented around a temporal framing, exploring their life histories, current experiences of fathering from prison, as well as their aspirations and future orientations. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve fathers, aged between 18 and 30 years old in two Young Offenders Institutes (YOI) and four Pact professionals. There is a clear need for consistent and supportive interventions in prisons that invest in the fatherhood identity as a rehabilitative approach. These young men describe, and have experienced, highly complex and difficult lives shaped by poverty, homelessness, histories of discrimination and violence (both as perpetrators and victims) and associated trauma, insecure relationships with family members, poor mental health and financial insecurity. Fatherhood is therefore one of few positive gendered resources available to young fathers whilst in prison. In adopting a social and strengths-based model of support, as opposed to one that is entirely built on risk, Pact are able to promote the significance and value of sustaining relationships with their children and their baby mums. Investment in fathering and father identities also increases the potential for ameliorating longer term challenges for young fathers in and through rehabilitation and resettlement processes. 

Dr Erin Power and the Prison-Based Arts Research Team

Liverpool John Moores University

Performing Arts, Ethics and Agency: Exploring the challenges and opportunities of implementing a long-term performing arts programme in one women's prison.

This paper draws upon data from research examining the implementation of a long-term performing arts programme into one women’s prison. Performing Arts in prisons is often delivered by external organisations and can be short-term or delivered on a restricted basis informed by funding (Lanskey et al. 2024). This creates a number of practical issues such as practitioners struggling to negotiate establishments and participants experiencing emotional difficulties at the end of projects (ibid), as well as ideological challenges including the infrequent employment of such projects to ‘legitimise’ the prison (Cheliotis 2012).

Dr Erin Power1 and Dr Maria Adams2

Liverpool John Moores University1 and University of Surrey2 

Food waste, gender and prisons.

There is a growing understanding  between climate justice and other aspects of social justice (Robinson 2019) as well as a commitment from successive UK governments to tackle climate through sustainable initiatives (Scott, 2024). Yet, alongside this we have seen the increased criminalisation of those seeking climate justice, with a number of women imprisoned for their role in climate justice protests in the UK. Despite this, the Ministry of Justice recognises the key role that prisons have to play in meeting wider sustainability targets and has committed to a number of key environmental sustainability aims which centre around food and food waste (2024, p.19).  This paper considers this commitment in relation to the testimonies of women (n=108) from the Doing Porridge Project, which explored role of food in women’s prisons. Adopting qualitative approaches, we identified that food waste was a significant concern to women in terms of key themes around waste management, food hygiene and environmental justice. In this paper we explore spaces of food waste, including kitchens, visiting halls, cells and communal eating spaces and reflect upon how sustainable these spaces are when it comes to the preparation, consumption and disposal of food. We consider how access to food preparation areas and opportunities to both grow and cook food can impact women’s experiences of food waste and environmental justice and discuss what this can mean for incarcerated women’s wider experiences and understandings of (gendered) justice.

Mr David Pritchard

University of Portsmouth

Researching the Far Right.

Researching the Far Right has been problematic and challenging given the suspicion and hostility that extremist groups and actors hold towards academic researchers (Allen, 2019). Research in this area has often been shaped by externalist and internalist approaches (Goodwin, 2006; Blee, 2007; Winlow, Hall and Treadwell, 2016; Winlow, 2025). This paper considers key methodological approaches for researching the Far Right drawn from the scholarly and multi-disciplinary research traditions in Political Science and Criminology. Ethnographic approaches and other multi-faceted research methodologies will be assessed which are being deployed in current research work. The paper also examines ethical issues, in particular the loaded term of “going native” which was first coined by Malinowski (1922) in anthropological fieldwork. This is a live concern for researchers working in this area, particularly given exposure to extremist actors and their ideological worldviews, and the real risk of harm that they face (Goodwin, 2021; 2025).

“Someone else’s dream” - Reflections on the mental health and wellbeing of researchers

There has been reluctance to acknowledge the impact that working in academia can have on

researchers, in particular ECRs. This is changing (Nicholls et al, 2022; 2023). Growing awareness of

statutory duty within the EDI framework, the emergence of EAPs within the ecosystem of

occupational health, and the development of networks of support are steps in the right direction.

This panel paper considers the growing evidence base which suggests that the mental health of

researchers can impact upon wellbeing, research activity, and career development (Hall, 2023; Di

Giacomo et al, 2024; UKRIO, 2024). The paper also draws upon personal experience, and considers

strategies and tactics to address these live issues to protect against harm (Lackner, 2022).

Ms. Daria Przybylska

University of Cambridge

Moral communication and power in open prisons: The case of ROTL Boards.

In a recent introduction to a special issue on “The Moral and Ethical Worlds of Coercive Confinement”, Ievins and Williams (2025) make a compelling case that ‘confinement is saturated with moral concerns for its inhabitants and administrators’. Thus, they invite penologists to step outside their long-lasting fixation on penal power and culture, and to dedicate empirical attention to ‘the moral experience of imprisonment’. This paper makes an original contribution to this emerging field. It does so by exploring the moral dimensions of Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) Boards, a procedure for assessing prisoners' suitability for temporary release, observed during ethnographic fieldwork in women’s open prisons in England. First, the paper introduces what ROTL Boards are, and considers how they reconfigure the flow of penal power in the unique context of women’s open prisons. Next, building on emerging scholarship on prisons as morally communicative institutions (Ievins, 2023; Laursen & Mjäland, 2025; Jarman, 2024; Schinkel, 2014), this paper argues that ROTL Boards act as ‘pockets of moral dialogue’ in which staff incite conversations with the incarcerated women – as moral agents – about their offending, decision-making, and personal development. As part of this dialogue, positive and negative moral messages are conveyed to prisoners about their conduct and personhood. Ultimately, this paper problematises ROTL Boards in their current form through the lenses of moral communication and hierarchies of penal power.

Ms. Medha Pushkarna

University of Cambridge

Rehabilitation versus Accountability: Analysing India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

In the Nirbhaya case (2014 SCC OnLine Del 1138), a 23-year-old woman was gang-raped by six men, including a 17-year-old boy. Despite being one of the main perpetrators, he received a sentence of three years in a reform home (Talwar, 2013). Although below the age of criminal responsibility of 18, the boy demonstrated cognitive maturity and the ability to understand the consequences of his actions. Following this incident, Section 15 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 was introduced, allowing young persons aged 16 to 18 to be tried as adults for “heinous offences” (Kumari, 2016). However, the adequacy of these amendments in addressing the cognitive and moral agency of today’s youth remains an open question. This exploratory research examines the Act’s alignment with the objectives of addressing modern youth agency while balancing rehabilitation with accountability. It adopts a theoretical framework based on Rational Choice Theory (Cornish & Clarke, 2011), which recognises youth as rational decision-makers who weigh the costs and benefits of their actions. The advent of technology and access to vast online resources has significantly influenced this decision-making process, making today’s youth more socially and psychologically aware of the consequences of their actions. Exposure to social media, smartphones, gaming systems, and internet applications accelerates their mental maturity beyond their developmental age (Tsai et al., 2018). The concept of ‘youth,’ therefore, must be understood not just as a biological stage but as a social construct that evolves as society advances (Jones, 2009). This raises a critical question: Is India’s Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, adequate in responding to the youth agency? To address this, the research conducts a thematic analysis of Supreme Court case laws from the past five years (2019- 2024). The study explores the values adopted by policymakers that influenced the scope and operation of the Act, as well as examines factors affecting the Supreme Court’s decisions regarding youth offenders. Further, the research incorporates a comparative analysis of juvenile justice frameworks in the UK and the USA to provide a broader perspective. These jurisdictions represent opposite extremes in addressing youth offending, with the UK’s rehabilitative approach emphasising community-based corrections and education programmes (McGuire, 2003) and the USA’s punitive approach subjecting youth offenders to adult trials and lengthy prison terms (Muncie, 2008). It assesses the effectiveness of each model and the lessons India could adopt to reform its legal framework for youth justice. Additionally, the increasing accessibility of online resources has made youth more capable of committing cybercrimes such as identity theft or online harassment (Joshi et al., 2023). This raises concerns about the Act’s ability to address modern forms of delinquency. The research also identifies legislative gaps and explores how the Act can evolve to reflect the cognitive maturity and moral responsibility of today’s youth. The implications of this research extend to policymakers, the judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. By evaluating gaps in the current framework and proposing measures to balance accountability with rehabilitation, this paper aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on juvenile justice in India. Ultimately, it seeks to support the development of a balanced legal framework that effectively addresses the unique challenges of modern youth delinquency while ensuring fairness and protecting youth offenders’ rights and societal safety. 

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Dr Emily Quin

University of Cambridge

'The Copper's Nose': A Grounded Theory of a Policing Phenomenon.

This flagship thesis paper presents the seminal grounded theory on 'The Copper’s Nose' (Policing Sixth Sense): a phenomenon observed within policing. Derived from large-scale primary data and employing Classic Grounded Theory Methodology, the theory utilises interview data collected from over 100 officers across England and Wales to propose a substantive theory of the phenomenon. Integrating biological, psychological, and social dimensions, the resulting theory conceptualises the phenomenon and conducts retroductive analysis to posit the mechanistic and contributory components of its manifestation and development. The theory introduces three core concepts: 'Mediating', 'Updating', and 'Navigating', which are central to understanding the phenomenon's constitution, genesis, and influence. The phenomenon is defined as a context-dependent mediator between an officer and their environment, shaped by biopsychological factors, exposure(s), experience, and learning, and influencing sporadic operational decision-making and behaviour within the policing role. The paper outlines areas for theoretical development, including the potential to empirically measure aspects of the theory, specifically those concerned with perceptual ability and interoceptive awareness. Future research avenues are also proposed, including those relating to officer evaluations of 'risk' and threat detection, as well as recruitment and training strategies aligned with precision policing. This flagship thesis paper proposes the factors that must be considered when legitimising the use of 'The Copper’s Nose' in practice, ensuring its appropriate application alongside practical models, such as the 'National Decision Model'. BSC 2025 would serve as the final theory's first presentation.

Defining 'Risk' in Policing

The concept of 'risk' is central to policing practice, shaping operational decisions made at all levels. In England and Wales, ten 'risk' principles are outlined within the 'Authorised Professional Practice' (College of Policing) and are intended to guide decision-making within the policing function. These principles aim to support risk assessments, interventions, and strategic priorities, with the expectation that officers and decision-makers apply them consistently. However, the concept of 'risk' – particularly within the unique policing environment – lacks robust empirical qualification and a clear conceptual definition, raising questions about the validity of the foundation underpinning these risk principles.

Dr Emily Quin and Dr Matt Bland 

University of Cambridge

Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme: A Geographic Lottery?

It has been over a decade since Clare's Law was introduced in England and Wales. Following the murder of Clare Wood, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) was established, granting police forces the ability to disclose partner histories of domestic violence or abuse to those in intimate relationships, upon request. Since then, research has explored the efficacy of the legislation (Fitz-Gibbon & Westlake, 2017), victim-survivor narratives on the use of the Scheme (Barlow et al., 2024), and the contested legalities (Grace, 2015); however, research exploring (in)consistencies in the rates of applications and disclosures across geographies and police forces remains notably absent. This paper presents a comparative data analysis covering 2014 to 2024, obtained from police forces across England and Wales, examining the rates of disclosure and the reason(s) for rejection or dismissal, across both Right to Ask and Right to Know. The data highlights regional heterogeneities and differences between individual forces and answers the question: Are potential victims of domestic violence being subject to a geographic lottery in accessing the measures intended to protect them? If so, what can be done to minimise future harm?

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Ms. Ella Rabaiotti

Swansea University

Exploring the importance of values in probation work in Wales.

Four years after reunification, Probation faces continued crisis, with the current Chief Inspector stating the service “has too few staff, with too little experience and training, managing too many cases”. In Wales, Probation Officers have the added challenge of working within the ‘jagged edge’, where justice policy is reserved to the UK Government and the levers to support desistance – health, education and housing - are the responsibility of the Welsh Government. Based on reflections of initial thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 32 current and former probation practitioners, this paper explores changes within values in probation practice in Wales and their relevance for organisational development. It will consider why people join probation, how probation values have been impacted by changes in probation, and the challenges of achieving value-based practice. The paper will explore these themes within the context of probation delivery within Wales’ partial devolution settlement, the introduction of the Probation Professional Register, and consider future implications should probation be devolved in Wales.

Dr Sulbha Rai1, Ms. Muskan Rajput2 and Dr Divya Dubey1

OP Jindal Global University1 and NCPCR India2

Branded by Law, Cursed by Culture: A Socioeconomic Study on the Children of Denotified (DNT) Communities of India.

This paper is an attempt to peek into the lives of the children of the denotified tribes of India. As one of India’s indigenous inhabitants, followed by being declared as criminal tribes by the Colonial administration, and then finally being denotified as habitual criminals, these people have walked a long and difficult road and still continue to survive one day at a time, in the most contemptible conditions imaginable. The children are not only the progeny of the future but also the flagbearers and leaders of tomorrow. They need an extremely protected, neoteric, and innovative milieu for proper holistic development. The children of these DNT communities however, fall short of availing this kind of environment while growing up. In light of these circumstances, this paper strives to comprehensively understand the socio-economic challenges faced by these children, while also exploring the profound impact of the deeply ingrained historical stigma attached to their communities as ‘born criminals’. Additionally, the study examines the efficacy of the legal framework designed to protect child rights in India, aiming to discern whether these protective measures are indeed implemented or remain mere rhetoric. Ultimately, this study seeks to propose tangible changes and recommendations for a brighter future for these marginalized communities and their children. By addressing the systemic barriers and advocating for transformative measures, we can aspire to create an environment that fosters the well-being and growth of these individuals, empowering them to overcome the burdens of their past and realize their full potential.

Dr Ilse Astrid Ras

Leiden University

Labour Exploitation in Hansard.

Human trafficking/modern slavery has received increasingly more scholarly attention over the last two-and-a-half decades since the Palermo Protocol in 2000. Much of this attention has, however, been focused primarily on the sexual exploitation of women and young people, despite ILO numbers for 2022 showing that, at least on a global level, the majority of victims/survivors are exploited in the non-sexual labour sectors, particular non-domestic service work, manufacturing and construction.  A recent study into Dutch political discourses on human trafficking/modern slavery has shown that whilst sexual exploitation continues to be a key topic of political debate, labour exploitation is starting to receive more attention as well. That said, discussions on sexual exploitation do tend to describe victims and their experiences in more detail (Donninger et al, 2024). As UK media also tend to focus primarily on sexual exploitation (Gregoriou & Ras, 2018), this study examines representations of labour exploitation in Hansard, also to further research into the (discursive) links between media representations and political conceptualisations of this issue.  To do so, this work-in-progress paper explores Hansard records in which search terms relating to labour exploitation can be found, documenting debates taking place between 2015 and 2020. I employ methods from critical discourse analysis, borrowing from our prior study into Dutch political debates and policy measures on the sexual exploitation of children in tourism and travel (Koning, Ras, Van der Leun, 2023), and framing analysis, borrowing from the Dutch political discourses on human trafficking/modern slavery detailed above (Donninger et al, 2024). 

Ms. Jac Reed1, Mr Elliot Doornbos2,  Dr. Mel Flynn3, Anne-Marie Weeden4, Prof. Angus Nurse5, Dr. Aidan O’Sullivan6 and Dr. Nick Pamment1 

University of Portsmouth1, Nottingham Trent University2, Liverpool Hope University3, Royal United Services Institute4, Anglia Ruskin University5, Birmingham City University6. 

The Uneven Development of Green Criminology in Higher Education: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions

The scale of environmental crime and harm today is unprecedented. Biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, pollution, toxic waste, ecocide, and the climate crisis are pressing global concerns with profound consequences. Environmental crimes, broadly defined, encompass a spectrum of illegal, harmful, or negligent acts that degrade ecosystems and threaten species. These harms transcend national borders, often manifesting as transnational and state-corporate crimes that implicate governments, industries, and illicit networks. The governance failures surrounding these issues expose deeply criminogenic processes that intersect with human and non-human rights, economic exploitation, and environmental injustice. These intersections highlight the critical role of Green Criminology in criminology’s engagement with global power structures, corporate and state complicity, and the production of harm. This roundtable will examine the conditions that have shaped the ‘uneven’ development of Green Criminology within universities, with a focus on two key themes:

1. Green Criminology within Criminology Programmes: Despite its increasing relevance to policy, law enforcement, and global crime prevention, Green Criminology remains marginalised within UK higher education curricula. It is frequently relegated to elective modules rather than embedded within core criminology programmes, raising fundamental questions about how criminology defines its boundaries, prioritises harm, and engages with the environmental dimensions of justice and security.

2. Green Criminology in University Research Contexts: Although Green Criminology has gained traction in policy and research spaces, it remains underdeveloped within criminology’s broader research agendas. This limited academic integration stands in contrast to the growing recognition of environmental crime as a major global security and justice issue. The reasons for this disconnect remain unclear but may stem from institutional priorities, funding structures, and criminology’s historical focus on conventional crime. Discussions will explore how these factors have shaped Green Criminology’s position within academic research and examine the broader epistemological tensions that have influenced its development. Bringing together scholars actively engaged in shaping the future of Green Criminology, this roundtable will provide a critical space for discussion and reflection. Speakers will share their experiences, successes, and challenges in advancing Green Criminology across undergraduate and postgraduate education, PhD research, and academic scholarship. By engaging with those directly involved in its trajectory within higher education, this session will critically assess its current positioning within criminology, considering both its influence in shaping responses to environmental harm and the limitations of its academic integration. Ultimately, the roundtable will provide a platform for rethinking criminology’s engagement with environmental crime and harm and reflect on pathways for strengthening Green Criminology’s presence in university curricula and research agendas.

Mrs Fleur Riley

University of Durham

Exploring trust and distrust with women in and after prison.

Trust is central to social cooperation, interpersonal relationships and institutional functioning. In prison, trusting staff-prisoner relationships contribute to the cultivation of a safe and rehabilitative environment, while distrust may foster harmful coercive practices, resistance and re-traumatisation. Many women in prison have experienced severe and protracted interpersonal victimisation which is seldom brought to ‘justice’, diminishing trust in the justice system and its operators. This qualitative study explores how trust and distrust impact criminalised women’s experiences of the justice system, and how trust operates within women’s prisons. Semi-structured interviews with women in and after prison were thematically analysed to identify commonalities in women’s experiences and perspectives.  Findings indicate a pervasive and increasing distrust of the justice system throughout women’s criminal justice journeys. While some women developed partial trust with some prison staff, and occasional deep trust with fellow prisoners, the development of interpersonal trust was hindered by systemic distrust, implicit within prison operations and compounded by inconsistent, biased or exploitative practices. 

Mr Matthew Rive

University of Manchester

Cuckooing and the Criminological Significance of Home. 

The home is often perceived as a place of safety; however, domestic spaces can also become loci for crime, harm, and victimisation. A stark example of this is cuckooing, wherein people exploit and dominate the homes of vulnerable individuals, often to facilitate illicit activities, such as drug dealing. In recent years, this phenomenon has become a significant concern for law enforcement, safeguarding professionals, and policymakers in the United Kingdom. Addressing this form of exploitation presents considerable challenges, particularly because it occurs within private residences, often beyond the immediate reach of the criminal justice system.

Prof. Kathleen Rodgers

University of the Fraser Valley

The Enduring Puzzle of Women’s Fear in True Crime Media.

One of the most long-standing questions in the study of media and crime is the relationship between crime content and fear (Health and Gilbert, 1996; Surette, 2013).  Research into how these media representations of crime impact the general public link consumption of various types of media to fear of crime and perceived risk of victimization. One part of this puzzle attempts to account for gender, noting that women express significantly higher levels of fear in comparison to men, leading to questions about the impact of media depictions of crime on women (Rosenberger et al, 2023). Despite the popularity of the true crime entertainment genre and it’s capacity to shape perceptions of crime, few studies have given it serious scholarly consideration. True crime media offers a new and novel way to study the construction of fear and this is all the more true since women are most likely to be fearful of crime, consume true crime and to be the victims presented in true crime narratives (Rodgers, 2025; Vicary and Fraley, 2010). Drawing on Bourdieu’s (1992) concept of symbolic violence, I understand media representations of women and violence in true crime as cultural systems that shape our perceptions of the world. Examining these representations in the most-listened to podcasts and most watched true crime documentaries, this research investigates how true crime constructs fear, particularly as it related to women as victims.

Miss Zoe Rodgers

Sheffield Hallam University

Innovating Researcher Safety: How can we improve the safety of researchers through the ethical integration of Smart Technology? 

Researcher safety over recent decades has become increasingly more complex, given that modern risks have become impossible to predict or calculate, resulting in ethics committees questioning the appropriateness of fieldwork or high-risk projects. For example, researchers can experience anything from a medical health crisis to encountering sexual harassment and assault whilst undertaking fieldwork, especially students and early careers. Moreover, intersectional differences between researchers can increase the likelihood of such events. As a result, the following paper reflects on the author's own experience to consider how current monologue practices (e.g. fieldwork agendas) can be updated and innovated through the ethical integration of smart technology (e.g., Smartwatches/Apple AirTags) into research projects. The revolutionary practices outlined within this paper seek to exceed the minimum standard required to consider how such technology can innovate how we assess and manage risks associated with research projects in the field, as well as accounting for the intersectional vulnerabilities and needs of researchers. No previous discussion has considered using this technology for this purpose, only within personal safety, employee health, well-being, and healthcare sectors. So, little consideration exists regarding how researchers can apply the same findings and technology to secure their safety in the field. This paper provides eleven recommendations that will interest individual researchers, research and supervisory teams, universities and ethics committees, technology companies, and funding bodies. 

Dr David Rowlands1, Dr. Larissa Engelmann1, Prof. Adam White2 and Prof. Adam Crawford1 

University of Leeds1 and  University of Sheffield2

Beyond the margins: System gaps and compassionate outreach in Bradford’s homelessness response. 

Against a backcloth of austerity cuts and related increases in vulnerable populations, over the past decade the UK has seen a rise in homelessness. Due to underfunding, system barriers and marginalisation, the multiple needs of people experiencing homelessness often remain unmet, exacerbating vulnerabilities and increasing interactions with the criminal justice system. To understand how these challenges are being addressed, we conducted a case study of homelessness in Bradford city centre. Interviews with both service providers and individuals experiencing homelessness highlight a statutory care system ill-equipped for effective intervention and an under-resourced third sector stepping in to fill the gaps. Despite these challenges, locally driven outreach partnership initiatives showcase best practice and positive outcomes for street homeless individuals with entrenched care needs. Addressing the misalignment between rigid statutory service provision and the instability of homeless people’s lives, these initiatives emphasise flexibility, inter-organisational dialogue, and relationship building. Our findings reveal how a compassionate outreach model—grounded in empathy, person-led intervention, and system navigation—fostered trust and sustained service engagement among individuals experiencing homelessness. Those interviewed described the approach in stark contrast to their past experiences, relating how the approach demonstrated care and respect, encouraged them to engage with services, and, most importantly, gave them hope. Findings are discussed in light of enduring systemic and relational barriers to effective homelessness intervention.

Dr David Rowlands1, Dr Larissa Engelmann1, Dr Oznur Yardimci2, Prof. David Gadd3, Prof. Nicole Westmarland4, Prof. Sandra Walklate5 and Prof. Kate Fitz-Gibbon6 

University of Leeds1, University of York2, University of Manchester3, University of Durham4, University of Liverpool5 and Monash University6

Balancing the scales of justice: Holding perpetrators to account while addressing root causes of domestic abuse.

The Greater Manchester Gender-Based Violence Strategy emphasises a strong focus on multi-agency collaboration committed to exploring how experiences of victimisation and trauma influence both victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse. Fifty-three stakeholders and 12 service users took part in interviews exploring system readiness for such an approach. Stakeholders stressed the importance of holding perpetrators to account whilst underscoring the need for ‘root causes’ intervention, addressing factors driving perpetration to reduce domestic abuse. Stakeholders and service users revealed multiple influences on domestic abuse perpetration, including complex trauma, emotional dysregulation and substance abuse. Yet, with denial of victimisation prevalent among perpetrators, fostering recognition of wrongdoing presented an obstacle, resulting in poor engagement with intervention services, despite availability of numerous perpetrator programmes in the local authority. Our findings suggest that the sequence in which interventions are delivered is key to engaging people who have caused harm and addressing intervention resistance. Initially, trauma-informed interventions may help facilitate engagement; talking through events and accepting responsibility for actions, before identifying the interventions needed to address a perpetrator’s specific emotional and behavioural drivers. Once awareness of feelings and behaviours is developed, a more gender-based lens might help perpetrators to understand the culturally rooted causes of their behaviour. Nonetheless, tensions arise in integrating criminal justice and needs-based approaches, some of which escalate risk and non-engagement. The challenge of balancing criminal justice and needs-led interventions is discussed in view of new domestic abuse orders.      

Dr Natalie Rutter1 and Dr Una Barr2

Leeds Trinity University1 and Liverpool John Moore's University2

Social Media and the Stigma Machine: The experiences of criminalised women. 

In today’s society we are all, in some way, engaged in social media. Its growing prevalence, and purpose, is debated. As an online space it creates an interactive environment that offers instantaneous publication, sharing and user interaction (Rutter, 2021) which can be lifelong, and inaccurate. Criminality, has long been a news staple, with labelling and feelings of stigma experienced, however recognition of the impact of this through interactive social media platforms is under explored. For women, the patriarchal discourse of ‘double’ and ‘triple’ deviance evidences how stigma is gendered, in which women are demonised for not living up to the responsibilised ideals of a ‘good’ women and/or ‘good’ mother. Ideals which neglect the wider structural conditions surrounding women’s criminalisation. By drawing upon the work of Imogen Tyler (2020) who  reconceptualises stigma as stigma power through questioning where stigma comes from, how and by whom stigma is produced and for what purposes this paper will critically reflect on how social media presents a largely suppressive structural environment in which criminalised women are required to navigate (Barr and Rutter, 2023). This results in an accumulative cycles of shame, guilt and criminalisation (Barr and Rutter, 2023)  where the ideals of the ‘good woman’ and ‘good mother’ are open to increased stigmatisation and harder to challenge in an online world where your digital footprint is an often unwanted shadow that is difficult to escape. 

Dr Natalie Rutter1 and Julie Eden-Barnard2

Leeds Trinity University1 and De Montfort University2 

The Gendered Pains of Probation.

This paper will critically build and reflect upon the work of Durnescu (2010) which presents a conceptual analysis of ‘Pains of Probation’ through the development of the seminal work of Skyes (1958/1974) ‘Pains of Imprisonment’ to consider the specific experiences of criminalised women. As an often minoritised group within criminal justice spaces we will reiterate the importance of centralising the experiences, histories and voices of women to work towards equity and wider social justice within practice. To bring this gap in knowledge to the fore we will reflect on how research exploring these ‘pains’ has taken a male centric view, and when considering women this has been in a prison based context. Therefore experiences of the gendered ‘pains of probation’ are not understood. We will critically reflect upon the importance of relational networks for women, the role of motherhood and the unique experiences labelling and stigmatisation of criminalsied women. To do this we will draw upon our combined research and experience with criminalised women whom have experienced probation supervision and enable us to open conversations on the gendered ‘pains’ experienced by women. The paper will show the initial theorising of this idea, in which we hope to explore further through a more conceptual understanding of narratives and practice. 

Ms. Ella Rylatt-West1, Georgia Steventon1, Prof. Simon Hackett2, Prof. Catherine Donovan2, Dr Victoria Butterby2, Dr Rachel Oughton2 and Ms. Sungkyung Kang2

College of Policing1 and Durham University2

Police officers in classrooms supporting the PSHE curriculum.

Our research aimed to understand whether police involvement in personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education affects young people’s trust and confidence in the police and their understanding of sexual consent and the law. Working in partnership, our research team designed and implemented a multi arm cluster randomised control trial of a new teaching intervention on the topic of sexual consent and the law with school students aged between 13 and 15 years old. This builds upon previous LSE research of police-led lessons about drugs and the law. In this paper, we will share findings from the evaluation which include: three pupil surveys conducted with 38 schools across the pilot, interviews with pupils, police and teachers as well as lesson observations. We will consider the methodological, conceptual and practical challenges of this work. This includes reflections on recruitment and randomisation of schools; recruitment and training of police officers and collection methods for feedback from students during the evaluation period. We will discuss how the research is being used to inform education and police strategies.

S

Dr Moufida Sadok, Dr. Erjon Cibaku and Dr. Peter Bednar

University of Portsmouth

Exploring challenges in investigating cybercrimes in the UK: A professional perspective.

Cybercrimes continue to escalate in frequency, severity, and impact. However, the proportion of cybercrime cases that achieve a judicial outcome is significantly low. This research focuses on the investigation phase and aims to produce a better appreciation and understanding of key factors contributing to the loss of cybercrime cases. The empirical study involved 24 Detectives working in various local, regional, and national Cyber Crime Units, and used semi-structured interviews. The key findings reveal deficiencies in the reporting and recording systems, disparities in preparedness among agencies (Cyber Crime Units, Action Fraud, Digital Forensic Units, Crown Prosecution Service), and misalignment between the traditional Criminal Justice System setup and the nature of cybercrime. In addition, the reliance on third parties to conduct the investigation, the dependence on victims' engagement throughout the investigation, and the uncertainty regarding the cooperation of law enforcement agencies in countries without prior agreements with the UK, contribute to the complexity of the investigation, therefore to the loss of cases. Some of the key recommendations include improving the quality of the reports produced by Action Fraud through an interactive reporting system that enhances victim's engagement and experience and supports a more effective exchange of information between the Detectives of Cyber Crime Units and the personnel of the National Fraud Investigation Bureau. It is also crucial to invest in advanced digital investigation tools as well as to provide continious, up-to-date and crafted training in cybercrime for the detectives and law professionals. 

Dr Thais Sardá1 and Dr Willian Araújo2

Nottingham Trent University1 and Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul2

“Hi, this is my new phone number, can you send me some money?”: a study about scams via WhatsApp in Brazil.

The aim of this research is to understand how suspicious activities and scams via the instant messaging WhatsApp affect the trust and use Brazilians make of this social media. Moreover, this research has three key objectives: to determine how Brazilians use WhatsApp in their day to day, in terms of contacts, groups, calls and channels; to measure to what extent Brazilians are exposed to WhatsApp scams; and to understand what the effects are of being a victim of a WhatsApp scam in Brazil. The methodological approach is to use an online survey in Portuguese aimed at Brazilians for data collection; and both statistical and content analysis for the discussion of results. Initial findings suggest that: 48% of respondents were targeted at least once by a WhatsApp scam; the most common scam is the impersonation of an acquaintance followed by a bank transfer request; 8% of respondents fell victims of a scam, most of them with financial lost and mental health impact; 100% of the cases were not resolved by the Brazilian authorities; and finally, people have divided opinions about how these cases affect their trust on the app – part fear the overall lack of security, part focus on user accountability.

Assoc. Prof. VIncenzo Scalia1 and Matt Clement2 

Universita' Di Firenze1 and Royal Holloway University2 

Strategies of tension and the double binds of political violence. 

Political violence is a structural element of how states govern, creating a vicious circle of crimes. Social inequality, persecution of minorities and asymmetric power relations, end up triggering practices outside the institutional and legal framework. Mainstream analysts focus their interpretation of political violence on acts of terror and the violation of laws. The reality is more complex. Firstly, because it often deals with the State run policies, aimed at making the political frame in line with dominant values and purposes, thus cutting off wide sectors of society from the possibility of claiming their rights and a share of power. In part because State apparatuses often commit those crimes that trigger a reaction from below. Moreover, in some cases, governments inherit a legacy of authoritarian past practices that fuel the resentment of those ‘others’ who do not recognize governments as a legitimate actor. In contemporary history, Ireland, Italy, the Basque Countries, Latin America, provide such cases. This paper will rely on two authors to analyse political violence as a double bind process, The first author is Vincenzo Ruggiero, and his concept of cloning the enemy under two aspects: providing extra-institutional groups with both practical and ideological training to undermine democracy. The second author is Norbert Elias, and his concept of double binds that helps explain how the vicious circle of political violence is amplified. Empirical evidence, drawn both from England and from Italy, will provide a background to the discussion.

Ms. Michela Scalpello and Dr Iain Reid

University of Portsmouth

Malta and Justice For All: Public perceptions of justice in Malta.

Although Malta is only a small Mediterranean island, it has been in the headlines for the misrule of law, corruption, and human rights violations. Furthermore, the island’s Criminal Justice System is deeply intertwined in politics, with  the public either blissfully reaping the benefits of those in power, or too concerned for their own health and welfare to openly criticise the system. Public perceptions of the criminal justice system and its relationship between the government and the state are critical because they help shape interactions between state and society. Such perceptions have the power to change government action and the willingness of the people to engage in activist social change. This study explores Maltese residents’ perception of the criminal justice system, and what they understand justice to mean to them. Results concluded that individuals did not have much faith in the justice system in Malta, dubbing it as “corrupt”, “non existent” and “a joke” to name a few. Respondents mentioned that justice in Malta was based on who you are and who you know, with politicians meddling with the running of the country to suit their needs. This paper concludes that for social justice in Malta to be present, individuals need to be aware of the corrupt practices, be ready to research actively and objectively and strive for truth and just practices from the top down.

Dr Raphael Schlembach

University of Brighton

For Queen and Country? How former undercover police officers justify deceptive sexual relationships during their deployments.

In this paper, I analyse detailed accounts from former undercover police officers regarding unlawful and unethical behaviour during their deployments. Several Special Branch officers who were tasked to infiltrate activist groups in London deceived women in these groups into sexual and intimate relationships. Upon exposure, and in the context of a statutory inquiry into undercover policing, how do these now-retired officers justify their actions? Do they apologise and take responsibility? Do they deny and gaslight? This analysis demonstrates that their rationalisations rely on a mixture of cynical distortions and moral disengagement. Despite official apologies from the Metropolitan Police, individual former officers continue to exaggerate the value of their intelligence gathering and present themselves as loyal agents who carried out stressful operations to the best of their abilities. 

Prof. John Scott

Queensland University of Technology

Southern criminologies: where to from here?

The paper examines the disciplinary impacts of ‘southern criminology’, as well as similar projects, such as de-colonial criminology. It also examines criticism of the southern criminology project and attempts to address this by pointing out that there have been a number of competing projects in this space that have often been conflated. Some have draw on ‘realist’ concerns, while other have been more constructionist in their approach. I argue that criticism has missed attempts to situate criminology within the sociology of knowledge production by examining how criminological knowledge is situated in a field of global power relations. Following from this, the paper highlights strategies to address the imbalances created by such power relations, including through publishing. 

Prof. Marie Segrave

The University of Melbourne

Domestic and family violence and the borders of trafficking. 

While internationally the focus on human trafficking has been largely overshadowed by the overarching focus on modern slavery, it remains the case that in countries such as Australia that the legislated criminal offences are those that pertain to human trafficking and slavery-like practices. In Australia the cases of trafficking and slavery offences that have been investigated and (less often) prosecuted, have changed over the past two decades in ways that reflect the shifting and widening scope of understanding and defining what constitutes these crimes. In this paper, I bring together significant research focused on the experiences of temporary migrants who experience domestic and family violence in Australia, and whose experience of violence and abuse includes cross border migration. I also draw on more recent research that is exploring border crossing in the context of domestic and family violence, in its many iterations.  In the paper I explore the ways in which some practices are being pursued as exit trafficking, and interrogate the ways in which the border crossing is privileged in the articulation and recognition of complex and serious forms of domestic and family violence. Drawing on critical border criminology and feminist interrogations of state responses to gendered violence and to modern slavery, I explore the implications of where and when the state recognises a responsibility to non-citizens and interrogate the ways in which the state continues to sustain conditions of gendered violence. 

Ms. Alicja Serafin

University of Warsaw

Femicide in Poland Project – case study results and de lege ferenda proposals for its legal recognition.

The paper focuses on the topic of gender-based homicides against women in Poland – aka femicides. The author will discuss the results of the six years of her PhD study on the phenomenon of femicides. Femicide in Poland Project forms a part of her doctoral thesis in which she states that the lack of legal recognition of femicide in Poland and other european countries contributes to underrecording and underreporting of female homicides increasing in this way the dark figure of crimes against women. The project’s mission is to fill the femicide gender data gap in Poland demonstrate the need for legal and structural changes in the field of counteracting gender-based violence in accordance with the provisions of CETS210 Convention.

Ms. Becky Shepherd

London South Bank University

Vicarious Trauma in Family Court Social Workers: The Emotional Toll of Protecting Vulnerable Children.

This paper explores the impact of family court work on social workers through the lens of vicarious trauma, which is an underexplored field. Family court social workers play a critical role in safeguarding children and advising the courts in cases involving domestic abuse, neglect, and serious harm. However, their exposure to the distressing experiences of vulnerable families, coupled with high caseloads and systemic pressures, places them at significant risk of vicarious trauma. Drawing on qualitative in-depth interviews with family court social workers, this doctoral research examines how they navigate the emotional and psychological toll of their work. It explores their personal and professional coping strategies, as well as the extent to which their social work training and employer, Cafcass, equip them to manage vicarious trauma. Findings highlight that while social workers develop resilience through peer support and professional experience, many feel ill-prepared for the cumulative emotional burden of their role. Participants report that high workloads and time pressures limit reflective practice, increasing the risk of burnout. This paper argues that safeguarding the well-being of family court social workers is essential, not only for their own mental health but for the quality of decision-making in child welfare cases. It calls for trauma-informed organisational support, including improved clinical supervision, lower caseloads, and specialised training to recognise and mitigate vicarious trauma. By listening to the voices of frontline professionals, this research contributes to ongoing discussions on sustaining a resilient and effective family justice workforce.

Ms. Becky Shepherd1 and Dr Esmorie Miller2

London South Bank University1, Lancaster University2 

Decolonising criminology: a toolkit for inclusion

This interactive workshop will explore key themes from Decolonising Criminology – A Toolkit for Inclusion, a critical resource for academics seeking to challenge the colonial foundations of criminology and embed anti-racist pedagogy in their teaching. The book provides concrete strategies to reframe criminological curricula, ensuring that students engage with diverse perspectives and understand the historical and ongoing impact of colonialism on crime and justice discourses. Workshop Structure: The session will begin with a brief presentation of the book’s core arguments, highlighting the ways in which criminology has traditionally been shaped by Eurocentric perspectives and how this can be challenged in teaching. Participants will be introduced to practical steps outlined in the toolkit, such as re-evaluating reading lists, incorporating global criminologies, and fostering critical discussions on race, power, and justice. The second part of the workshop will be a collaborative discussion, inviting attendees to share their experiences, challenges, and successes in implementing inclusive and decolonial approaches in their own classrooms. Through group dialogue and collective problem-solving, participants will leave with concrete ideas for adapting their curricula to better support students in engaging with criminology through a decolonial lens. This workshop is open to those at any stage of learning or teaching, and is designed to be an open, supportive space for sharing with one another.  Expertise in decolonising is not required! We learn together.

Ms. Laura Sibret

University of Portsmouth 

Preliminary results: Identification of Resource Gaps and Support Needs for Minor Attracted People.

Minor Attracted People (MAPs) face significant mental health challenges, including stigma, isolation, and barriers to seeking professional support. This paper explores the preliminary findings from the first study in a larger research project aimed at developing a user-led resource for MAPs. Using a qualitative participatory action research approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with MAPs to identify their unmet needs, concerns, and perceptions of existing support systems. While data collection and analysis are ongoing, this presentation will outline emerging themes and preliminary reflections on participant engagement and early themes emerging from the data. The discussion will focus on how these insights are shaping the next stages of the research. By reflecting on early findings, this presentation aims to contribute to the discourse on improving access to mental health support for MAPs. 

Ms. Clare Simkin

University of Portsmouth 

“An unfailingly rapt audience”: Researching a Police Elite: Positionality and Access.

Accessing senior figures within policing, particularly chief police officers, remains a challenge in criminological research. Despite the importance of understanding the culture, leadership styles and challenges facing chief officers, academic research on this elite group has been comparatively sparse since Reiner's seminal work on chief constables in 1992. This presentation will explore the complexities of researching such an elite, how to gain access and how to gain their trust in the context of the researcher’s own positionality as a (then) serving police staff chief officer. The presentation looks at the difficulties in interviewing individuals occupying high-ranking, influential positions, where power dynamics, concerns about confidentiality, and personal autonomy create barriers to candid engagement. It also looks at how the researcher’s positionality—specifically their seniority and experience of working within the police service —intersects with these challenges. By considering both theoretical and practical aspects, this presentation will consider why there are few academic studies of chief officers in recent decades. In doing so, it underscores the importance of developing a nuanced understanding of power relations and gatekeeping in elite research, ultimately contributing to a broader discourse on access in criminology and social research more generally 

Dr April Smith

University of Portsmouth 

Expanding the scope for understanding peer mentoring: implications for women’s prisons

Peer mentoring is increasingly recognized as a transformative practice in the criminal justice system, with former offenders playing pivotal roles in supporting incarcerated individuals. While much research focuses on its rehabilitative benefits, this study broadens the discussion by examining peer mentoring’s structural and operational impact within women’s prisons. Addressing challenges like overcrowding, understaffing, and high rates of self-harm, it critically evaluates how peer mentoring meets incarcerated women’s specific needs while alleviating systemic pressures on staff. Using qualitative data from over 30 semi-structured interviews and focus groups at a women’s prison in England and Wales, the study highlights how peer mentoring extends beyond personal support to assist institutional operations. Peer mentors contribute by helping with administrative tasks, managing conflicts, and leading induction sessions, reducing staff workloads. Their role as non-authoritative mediators fosters trust and communication between prisoners and staff, reflecting the principles of soft power through relational rather than coercive influence. This dynamic enhances institutional functioning, particularly in resource-constrained settings. However, the research also identifies challenges in the dual role of peer mentors, who navigate complex boundaries between supporting peers and performing institutional labour. While this duality benefits operational efficiency, it raises ethical concerns about exploitation, as mentors assume duties typically performed by professional staff. Furthermore, mentors face emotional strain from supporting others while managing their own challenges, often without formal supervision. The study calls for structured training, supervision, and access to mental health resources to mitigate these risks and ensure peer mentoring remains a complementary, ethically sound practice.

Ms. Anda Solea

University of Portsmouth

“Mainstreamed Misogyny Theory” – Rebranding the Incel Ideology through Looksmaxxing, Sub5s and the PSL scale.

This presentation introduces Mainstreamed Misogyny Theory (MMT), as a concept focusing on the process of misogyny being integrated into mainstream online culture - specifically (but not exclusively) in the context of the misogynist incel (involuntary celibates) movement. Drawing on a 25-month netnography and the investigation of incel TikTok accounts, looksmax.org forum posts and Incels.wiki pages, this talk traces the migration of incel-specific content from the fringes of the internet into the mainstream. Findings reveal a strategic rebranding of the “blackpill” worldview through the concepts of the PSL scale (a systematic framework for evaluating human attractiveness) and PSL looksmaxxing (invasive techniques aimed at correcting supposed inferior genetic attributes). The presentation contends that MMT exposes three critical tensions in the incel movement’s ideological rebranding: (1) the co-option of “self-improvement” rhetoric to exploit male vulnerability; (2) the use of pseudoscientific frameworks to legitimise racial essentialism and white male supremacy; and (3) the scapegoating of women’s autonomy and feminist progress as drivers of male alienation, funnelling insecurity into extreme conformity to Eurocentric beauty standards. Ultimately, this talk underscores how extremist ideologies adapt to evade detection, broaden their appeal to younger, more diverse audiences and radicalise individuals with seemingly benign terminology and across digital ecosystems.

Dr Bhabani Sonowal

Bennett University

Victim Participation in the Criminal Justice System in India: Reinstating Dignity and Human rights.

Human dignity recognized as a constitutional value has come a long way in its conceptual development. The idea of dignity has rebounded as an integral part of Article 21 of the Constitution through various judicial affirmations. This strong constitutional commitment to human dignity has led to the extensive reflection in its scope and extension for “the right to protection against torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment” thus correcting inequality, discrimination, and isolation. Victims play a crucial role in rolling the criminal justice process yet the traditional focus of the criminal justice system on offenders often diminishes the victims, thus questioning their relevance within the system. This paper explores how victims’ participation in the criminal justice process is significant for upholding their dignity and human rights as embedded in the Constitution of India. Through the lens of dignity, the paper highlights the current shift in the criminal justice system towards a victim-centric approach and the judicial affirmations pertaining to the protection of the human dignity of the victims. The subsequent part brings forth the limitations in the existing legislative framework for protecting victim’s rights in India and emphasizes the urgent need for adequate reforms to restore the dignity and rights of victims.

Mr Nicolas Spallanzani-Sarrasin

Université de Montréal

Youth, housing precarity and victimization.

Our presentation draws from a longitudinal study in which we conducted interviews and surveys with young people experiencing housing precarity (n=85) in four Canadian cities (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax) to better understand the challenges they face in their transition away from homelessness. In this paper, we focus broadly on victimization experienced before, during and after homelessness. First, we describe types of victimization, including those taking place in private, public and institutional settings. Second, we report on how youth manage these experiences, engaging (or not), with the criminal legal system, for justice, reparations or supports. Third, we consider both short and long-term consequences of victimization and of engagement with the criminal legal system on their well-being, housing stability, and life trajectories. In our analysis, we engage with debates about how to protect vulnerable young people, how to enhance access to justice for victims and how to support successful transitions towards housing stability.

Assoc. Prof. Keith Spiller1, Dr Xavier L'Hoiry2 and Dr Amy Stevens2

University of Southampton1 and University of Sheffield2

Paedophile Hunters: Uneasy Alliances and journeys of legitimation. 

This paper discusses findings from interviews with Police Officers working on online child abuse and with Paedophile Hunter (PHs) groups. The focus is on the alliances formed and the legitimation that motives interactions between the police and PHs. We consider how PHs engage in activities they portray to be of limited concern to the authorities or police, and their proactive interventions in providing ‘community services’. This as Gary Marx’s (1971) states, may be an ‘uneasy alliance’ between the police and the PHs. Indeed, UK Police forces are very aware of their low reputational standings with the public and are often reluctant to openly critic PHs, moreover PH generated intelligence does not provide a major source of information for the police. As we have observed, some PH groups also appear to have far-right associations; individuals within PHs have been arrested and charged for offences related to the anti-immigration riots that occurred in northern English towns in the summer of 2024. This of course may be more opportunistic than ideological; thus, we are not suggesting that there is a direct relation to the far-right in PHs. However, we would argue groups with far-right tendencies historically, for example, populist movements in Europe, have been targeted in cultivating and enhancing their sense of legitimacy. A tactic that is certainly available to PH groups. 

Mr Ioannis Spyropoulos

Kingston University

A video game simulation of the journey from arrest to the Police interview; Criminal thinking predicting non-optimal decisions.

Background: The statutory framework safeguarding suspects’ rights from arrest to the police interview includes basic legal provisions such as the police caution,  access to documentation on rights and entitlements and to the Codes of Practice, and access to legal advice. Past research explored the effectiveness of these provisions in protecting suspects' rights. Making good use of these provisions requires first opting to use them. At present, however, little is known about what affects a suspect’s decision whether to use them. No prior studies have explored whether criminal thinking style is related to non-optimal decisions of suspects in regard to these legal provisions. Objectives: This study aimed, using a video game simulation of the journey from arrest to the police interview, to explore whether criminal thinking style predicts non optimal decisions in regard to the basic legal provisions. Design & Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative design - sampling from a university student population (N=292) - using measures of criminal thinking process (Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Style) and content (Criminal Sentiments Scale Modified) and non-optimal decisions (video game simulation of the journey from arrest to the police interview) was employed. Results & Conclusions: Results from logistic regression analyses indicated that in this sample elevated criminal thinking was related to non-optimal decisions of suspects in the simulated journey from arrest to the police interview. This study was limited by the use of convenience sampling and risks associated with potentially fake bad and fake good responses in the dataset.

Mr Ioannis Spyropoulos and Dr Aiman El Asam

Kingston University

Criminal thinking predicting non-optimal decision making in a forensic sample; moderating effects of anger and hostile attribution bias. 

Background: The journey from arrest to the court trial requires individuals to make several decisions that may lead to unwanted outcomes. Currently, non-vulnerable suspects and defendants are legally considered as capable of making rational decisions. However, going through this journey with a maladaptive thinking style, higher levels of anger, and biased beliefs may lead them to make non-optimal decisions. Objectives: This study explores whether Criminal Thinking Style (maladaptive thinking and criminal sentiments supporting antagonism against authority) is related to non-optimal decisions in the journey from arrest to the court trial. Furthermore, it explores moderating effects of elevated trait anger and hostile attribution bias on this relationship. Design & Methods: A cross sectional quantitative design - sampling from ex-prisoners in the community (N=137; data collection not yet completed) – using measures of criminal thought process (Psychological Inventory of Criminal Thinking Styles) and content (Criminal Sentiments Scale Modified), Hostile Attribution Bias (Social Emotional Information Processing Assessment for Adults, trait anger (State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2) and non-optimal decisions in the criminal justice journey ( Decision Making Questionnaire in Forensic Contexts)was employed. Results & Conclusions: Results from preliminary analyses (regression analyses) indicated that criminal thinking style is of predictive value to non-optimal decisions. Results from moderation analyses indicated that anger and hostile attribution bias moderate the relationship between criminal thinking and non-optimal decisions. The study was limited by the use of self-report and convenience sampling. 

Ms. Daniela-Irina Stadniciuc

Liverpool John Moores University

Unlocking Realities: The Romanian Prison Experience.

Background: The global prison population has reached its highest level to date, with over 11.5 million people deprived of their liberty on any given day, primarily men. Systemic prison crises such as chronic overcrowding, inhumane living conditions, lack of resources, and mismanagement have been amplified since the COVID-19 pandemic. The Romanian Penitentiary System operates at a 120.6% occupancy rate, with 24,106 people living in prison across 45 institutions, including 33 prisons for males and one for females. The Romanian Penitentiary System faces challenges upholding various international normative standards of detention. In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights issued 74 judgments related to Romanian prisons, with 58 identifying human rights violations. There is a significant absence of data concerning the Romanian prison population demographics, pre-trial and life-sentenced individuals, and bio-behavioural data. This study uniquely contributes to understanding the custodial experiences of people formerly incarcerated in Romania during a global crisis, a group underrepresented in research with limited theoretical exploration. Proving  a contextualised understanding of the challenges and conditions specific to Romanian prisons,  this study captures the aspects of prison life that represent a system dressed in capitalism but with communist roots. Research Aim: to address the existent gap in the literature by exploring the custodial experiences of people living in prison in Romania.Research Objectives: to explore the Romanian prison experience with regard to

•        living conditions.

•        social dynamics.

Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with people who have lived experience of incarceration in Romania. Narrative data analysis approach with embedded reflexivity.  

Dr Amy Stevens1 & Dr Keith Spiller2

University of Sheffield1, University of Southampton2 

Direct action activism or citizen-led policing?: The role of hunt saboteurs and monitors in the policing of illegal fox hunting in England and Wales.

Fox hunting with packs of dogs has now been illegal in England for over 20 years, yet the current legislative framework sets a high evidential threshold to bring a hunting conviction. This leaves the police lacking in terms of tools to tackle the crime and anti-hunt activists frustrated that more is not being done to prevent it. Hunt Sabotage, a form of direct-action activism, disrupts hunt activity with the view of preventing the killing of animals. Before the ban, it frequently attracted police attention as saboteurs were then interfering in a legal leisure activity, often trespassing with violent confrontations a frequent occurrence. This, along with views that there is a lack of motivation to police hunts, has created a legacy of mistrust and suspicion towards the police, with tension and confrontations in some regions still high. Drawing on interviews with hunt saboteurs from across England, this research explores their role in the detection, monitoring and prevention of illegal fox hunting including their unexpected and often reluctant role in contributing evidence to police investigations. The emerging findings suggest that hunt sabotage could be understood beyond animal rights activism as a form of citizen-led policing. By utilising the usually urban-centric concept of citizen-led policing, it aims to provide a better understanding of an under researched area of wildlife crime, providing a new perspective on the practice of sabotage, recognising its unusual role as a contributor to law enforcement, including the challenges this brings for both the police and saboteurs.

Ms. Lauren Stevens

University of Portsmouth

Developing Primary Prevention: A Practitioners’ Perspective on improving prevention strategies and support mechanisms for Minor Attracted Persons.

Minor Attracted Persons commonly tackle stigmatisation for their problematic sexual interest, which makes reaching out for professional support very difficult and unappealing. The motivation for reaching out to professional support is to address the problematic attraction from developing into criminal behaviour, reduce stigmatising affiliations, and develop a positive sense of self or coping strategies to address the mental health implications. However, the fear of ridicule is deeply engrained and carries a multitude of consequences. Stigma-related stress is associated with exacerbating mental health and psychological problems including social isolation, higher perceived social distancing, and a decreased ability to cope. This paper presents the findings of 20 semi-structured interviews aimed to establish a contextual understanding of the barriers, needs and improvements necessary to adapt current primary prevention support and encourage this population to seek help from a practitioners’ perspective - with a particular emphasis on both internalised and social stigmatisation, in context of how assumptions, prejudice and labelling can be influential to the mental health of individuals with a minor attraction, whilst also how it perpetuates negative stereotyping and disadvantages support initiatives for this population and professionals in the field. 

Ms. Lauren Stevens and Ms. Michela Scalpello

University of Portsmouth

Lego Serious Play Methodology: A creative approach to preventing youth delinquency and increase familial communication.

Strong family relationships are crucial for the health and wellbeing of family members, promoting open communication, prosocial behaviour, and self-regulation. Traditional ‘talk-therapy’ are limited in effectiveness and accessibility for some disadvantaged families with complex needs – these interventions may fall short due to their reliance on verbal communication and lack of adaptability. The Lego Serious Play methodology (LSP-M) offers a creative alternative, facilitating imaginative problem-solving and open communication. In this paper, the LSP method allowed young people and their family members to self-reflect and build models freely in preparation for an honest discussion as a household. This paper aims to evaluate various aspects of the family relationship (for example the needs, barriers and their potential solutions), whilst assessing how this impact young people, and how family relationships and communication can be improved. The first aim was to understand the communication barriers with young people and their families, whilst establishing how to create long-term stability through communication via the Lego Serious Play Methodology (LSP-M). Additionally, it aimed to gain an insight into the effectiveness of LSP-M as an alternate methodology for family interventions in terms of encouraging communication between young people and their family. It was concluded that LSP-M was a fun and engaging method for the family involved and participants reflected on how simpler communication difficult areas of family life was through brick building. This was especially the case in areas of neurodiversity and strained family relationships. 

Ms. Lakshmi Sunita Nair 

Kingston University

Whom do the odds favour? Rights Deprivation in Services for Heterogenous Male Sexual Violence Survivors.

Male sexual violence survivors from marginalized groups face compounded barriers when accessing support for their mental health and practical needs, yet little research examines services' capacity to address these intersectional needs. This study explores how services and providers perceive and respond to challenges related to male survivors' sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, and religion, filling a critical gap in rights-based service provision literature. Thematic analysis of interviews with 26 service providers (including providers with lived experience as survivors) and content analysis of 105 support services websites was conducted. Providers reported profound challenges in delivering intersectionally competent care, particularly for gay survivors (facing heteronormative assumptions), ethnic minorities (experiencing cultural mismatches), disabled survivors (lacking accommodations), and religious minorities (encountering stigma). Notably, provider-survivors highlighted how their dual perspectives revealed systemic failures invisible to non-survivor staff. In addition, the websites revealed critical shortcomings in service accessibility and transparency. These findings demonstrate how current support systems violate male survivors’ basic rights to accessible, appropriate care. The study concludes with specific recommendations to develop targeted resources for underserved groups, and to create accountability mechanisms to ensure services meet their human rights obligations. State institutions and communities share responsibility to provide resources and encouragement to develop gender-competent services. 

Dr Evelyn Svingen and Dr Galane Luo

University of Birmingham

Bridging Criminology and Mathematics: Advancing Theory Through Formal Modelling

Good theory is indispensable to any meaningful practical application or policy in criminology. While decades of research have uncovered numerous correlates of crime, integrating these variables into a coherent framework remains a significant challenge. Traditional human experiments and empirical studies, though valuable, struggle to account for the full complexity of criminological phenomena. Mathematics offers a powerful tool to bridge this gap, allowing us to formalise theoretical models and systematically test how key variables interact within a unified structure. This presentation explores the potential of mathematical modelling in criminology, demonstrating how it enables us to synthesise diverse findings into a single explanatory framework. As an illustration, we discuss ongoing efforts to mathematise the Retribution and Reciprocity Model (Svingen, 2023). We derive equations to represent how social interactions cause changes in individuals’ propensities for crime. Computer simulations of these dynamics reveal long-term tendencies towards rule-adherence or rule-breaking, highlighting the mathematical model’s capacity to validate theories, guide experiments and generate applicable insights. By leveraging mathematical approaches, we can refine criminological theory, enhance its predictive power, and ultimately inform more effective policy interventions.

Associate Professor Lisa Sugiura 

University of Portsmouth

The Trouble with Incel Studies: Intervening in Narratives of Violence, Vulnerability, and Victimhood

Recent years have witnessed a concerning trend in academic work that inadvertently validates incel (involuntary celibate) narratives of victimhood. This emerging body of research frequently centres incels’ perceived grievances, echoing the gendered logic that underpins their misogynistic worldview. In attempting to understand or humanise these men, some analyses risk offering inappropriate sympathy to individuals who espouse or enact violent misogyny. Such framings obscure the ideologically driven nature of incel violence, positioning it instead as the tragic consequence of mental health crises or social marginalisation, and thereby contributes to its legitimation. Moreover, proposed solutions often rely on flawed or depoliticised strategies, such as therapeutic or individualised interventions that fail to address the broader structural misogyny and online ecosystems that foster incel radicalisation. This paper critiques these research trajectories and argues for a more critically engaged, feminist approach to studying incels, one that resists legitimising their narratives and centres the harms experienced by women and marginalised communities. Only through such reframing can we challenge the conditions that incubate misogynistic extremism and develop genuinely effective responses.

Mrs Ashlea Swinford

University of Portsmouth

Racial inclusion policies and practices: Insights from former ethnic minority Probation Officers.

Diversity and inclusion policies are widely promoted as essential to fostering equitable workplaces, yet their practical impact remains contested. This research student examines the lived experiences of former ethnic minority probation officers across England and Wales, exploring the intersection of racial inclusion policies and staff wellbeing. Drawing on thematic and statistical analyses from anonymised survey data, this research serves to highlights key experiences faced by ethnic minority staff, examining areas including career progression barriers, emotional labour, and the psychological toll of navigating institutional discrimination. Findings indicate a significant gap between formal policy commitments and frontline experiences. While diversity initiatives exist, many former officers report having felt unsupported, undervalued, and disengaged, raising questions about the effectiveness of inclusion strategies within the Probation Service. This research builds upon previous significant reports, such as the Race Equality in Probation (2021) review, by centring the voices of those who have left the service—offering a unique perspective on retention, resilience, and workplace culture. By shedding light on these experiences, this study contributes to ongoing discussions about structural inequality in the criminal justice system. It provides evidence-based recommendations for meaningful reform, ensuring that inclusion policies translate into genuine organisational change rather than performative compliance. This presentation will engage practitioners, policymakers, and researchers in a critical dialogue about improving racial inclusion and safeguarding the wellbeing of probation staff.

Ms. Bernadett Szilagyi

Abertay University

The ageing prisoner crisis in Scotland: ​understanding the experiences and mental health needs of older prisoners in the Scottish Prison Service and the currently available support services​. 

The global prison population is ageing rapidly, with older prisoners presenting unique and complex mental health needs. In Scotland, individuals in custody are classified as "older" at 50, reflecting accelerated aging due to numerous pre- and post-incarceration factors. Existing research highlights the prevalence of mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, among older adults, with rates significantly higher in prison populations. Institutional ageism and insufficient mental health literacy among both prisoners and prison staff exacerbate these challenges, leading to unmet needs and inadequate care for older prisoners. This PhD project aims to address these gaps by investigating the mental health needs of older prisoners within the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and assessing the preparedness of prison staff to support this vulnerable population. Using a qualitative approach, the project will consist of four phases: (1) interviews with older prisoners to understand their experiences and mental health literacy, (2) focus groups / interviews with residential officers to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes, (3) interviews with other prison personnel for additional perspectives, and (4) discussions with third-sector stakeholders to contextualise external support and family challenges. Findings will aim to inform evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice, hoping to enhance mental health care provision and support for older prisoners. This research seeks to foster equitable treatment, improve mental health outcomes, and equip SPS staff with the tools needed to address these pressing issues, contributing to the broader discourse on aging, incarceration, and mental health.

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Ms. Tahreem Tahir

University of Central Lancashire

Police responses to young people’s experiences of cyberstalking.

In our digitally interconnected world, cyberstalking has become a significant concern for online users worldwide. Young people have embraced new technologies for communication, making social media apps such as Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat and other platforms an integral part of their lives for communicating with each other. Young people utilise digital spaces to create new connections and even initiate, sustain, and carry out part of their intimate relationships online. Consequently, technology has provided opportunities to facilitate online monitoring of others due to the proficiency and ease with which information can be obtained.  The rise of digital technologies has given perpetrators new avenues and opportunities to target victims resulting in a rise of cyberstalking. However, little work to date has explored young people’s perceptions and experiences of cyberstalking. With research consistently revealing very few cyberstalking victims choose to report their experiences to the police. There is notable research gap regarding young people’s reasons not to report cyberstalking incidents.  Guided by the power differentials between police officers and young people. This research examines police officers use of authority to regulate and influence behaviour of young people. This paper will explore some of the key issues identified in the literature review, including prevalence and variations of cyberstalking among young people, experiences and barriers to reporting to the police and other agencies. It draws on insights from interviews with young cyberstalking victims and frontline response police officers. Preliminary findings from the voices of young people indicate age bias among police officers, resulting in misguided advise on cyberstalking incidents, leading to escalated risk and lack of support. The perspectives and experiences of young people emphasise the importance of lasting changes in attitudes, policies and practices. By tackling these, the research aims to contribute to improved victims support, inform policy and refine practices within the cyberstalking sector.

Dr Jacki Tapley

University of Portsmouth

Exposing a cycle of trauma – identifying the needs of vulnerable victims post sentence.

This paper draws on evidence from research commissioned by the Ministry of Defence in 2024. The study is a process evaluation of a pilot study focusing on an extension to the Victim Contact Scheme to victims whose offenders are sentenced to less than 12 months for sentences of domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour and stalking, known as the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS). Focusing on a victim/survivor perspective, the evidence reveals a system that perpetuates a cycle of trauma for some of the most vulnerable and high-risk victims. In particular, current processes place responsibility for managing risk on the victims, leaving them to make everyday choices and plans based on anticipated risks; changing their lives and routines to reduce the risks posed by the offender. For the majority of victims, the VNS has been a positive addition to how they manage these risks, however, a lack of timely and accurate information, and limitations on what information they can be told about the offender’s release date and whereabouts, causes not only further frustration and dissatisfaction, but leaves victims exposed and vulnerable to further harm.

Dr Neha Tanwar1 and Dr Amit Kumar Poonia2

Iilm University1 and Dept. of Energy, Govt. of Rajasthan2

Socio-Cultural Identity in Prisons: Exploring How SC and ST Inmates Maintain Their Cultural Identity While Incarcerated.

The socio-cultural identity of inmates, particularly from marginalized communities like Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), plays a significant role in their psychological well-being while incarcerated. According to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 28% of India's prison population belongs to SC and ST communities, highlighting the importance of understanding how these inmates preserve their cultural identity within the correctional system. This study will adopt a qualitative research methodology to understand how Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) inmates maintain their cultural identity while incarcerated. In India, SC and ST communities often face systemic discrimination, and incarceration can exacerbate feelings of marginalization. The prison system, which is not designed with cultural sensitivity in mind, often fails to accommodate the cultural needs of these communities. This study will explore how these inmates resist cultural erasure and maintain their socio-cultural identity in an environment where they are stripped of many freedoms. The findings will have significant implications for improving prison reforms and ensuring that the cultural rights of marginalized communities are recognized and upheld within the Indian correctional system.

Dr Ramyyata Tewari1 and Ms. Arunima Datta2

OP Jindal Global University1 and Rashtriya Raksha University2

Sociocultural Impact of Media Representations of Gender, Gender Based Violence and Power Dynamics: Insights from India.

We use ethnographic thematic analysis to investigate power and gender dynamics in Indian media by examining popular Hindi movies and OTT web series from recent years. We utilized purposive sampling to select 15 media pieces of Indian origin. Our analysis identifies recurring themes of the depiction of power as an aggressive, gendered authority both at work and at home, as well as the sexualization of power. Women protagonists struggle with subjugation despite achieving professional success, mirroring a real-world scenario in which men's oppression of women often proves to be an unbroken chain, an unbroken system. We highlight the intersection of power with caste, class, and socio-economic factors, emphasizing the need for more inclusive media representation. The study underscores the media's dual role in both validating social stereotypes and promoting changes toward gender equity and progressive narratives of power with some content challenging established norms.

Ms. Megan Thomas, Mr Hayden Slight and Mr Ben Keysell

University of Portsmouth

Teaching Mandated Learners to Work with Involuntary Clients? Learner engagement and motivation on the PQiP academic programme. 

Motivation towards academic study is often shaped by a combination of intrinsic factors—such as personal development and interest—and extrinsic drivers, including employability and status (Ryan & Deci, 2020). However, for learners undertaking the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP), academic study is a mandatory requirement rather than a personal choice. This can create significant challenges in fostering meaningful engagement, particularly for those who do not see immediate relevance between academic theory and their professional practice. Drawing on Trotter’s (2023) concept of ‘involuntary clients’ in probation practice, this presentation explores parallels between engaging individuals in supervision and engaging PQiP learners in academic study. We propose a tentative typology of engagement, informed by our experience of supporting PQiP learners, and critically examine how principles of effective practice in probation—such as relationship-building, strengths-based approaches, and responsivity—can be applied to educational settings. By framing this discussion within a social justice perspective, we highlight the importance of equitable access to learning and the need to address barriers that may contribute to disengagement. We argue that fostering a more inclusive and responsive learning environment for PQiP learners is essential to ensuring that the next generation of probation officers are not only competent practitioners but also critically engaged professionals who can contribute to meaningful change in the criminal justice system. This presentation will be of interest to educators, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with widening participation, professional training, and the intersections of education and justice.

Assoc. Prof.Ozgun Erdener Topak

York University

Border Policing by Artificial Intelligence (AI) Drones 

The European border actors, including the European Union(EU)’s border agency, Frontex, and the national border forces (including the Guardia di Finanza (in Italy), the Guardia Civil (in Spain), and the Hellenic Border Police (in Greece)) have been using drones to surveil migrants trying to reach European territories (systematically since 2018). This form of drone surveillance has been linked to grave human rights violations. The 2022 investigation by Human Rights Watch and Border Forensics revealed that the European drone surveillance data is shared with Libyan militia who is incentivized by the EU to stop migrants from leaving Libya. Using the European drone surveillance data, the Libyan militia locate and pull migrants back to Libya and deliver migrants to armed groups who subject them to crimes against humanity including torture, rape and slavery [1]. The next stage in drone technology is the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The EU has been funding the Real-Time Artificial Intelligence for Border Surveillance (REACTION) project since 2022 and testing it at the Greece-Turkey borders. This project, in the words of the Greek migration minister “will allow drones to identify and monitor “targets of interest”” through the use of AI [2]. The Greece-Turkey borders have long been spaces of migrant push-backs and human rights abuses. The addition of AI drones to the border surveillance arsenal of Greece and Frontex raises new concerns about human rights and ethics. This paper will examine these new developments on AI drones and will discuss their potential consequences for human rights and ethics in the new age of AI. 

Ms. Kate Tomkins

University of Southampton

Preparing for the End: Mechanisms of Accelerationist Influence on TikTok’s Prepper Communities.

The recent escalation of global security tensions combined with the uncertainty that formed during the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019 has led to an increased visibility of "Doomsday Preppers" across mainstream and social media platforms, including TikTok. As a result, preppers, individuals who actively prepare for emergencies, have become increasingly susceptible to far-right accelerationist narratives, which advocate for the often-violent hastening of societal collapse to rebuild a new social order. This paper explores the intersection of accelerationist narratives with prepper content and user response on TikTok. The research utilises Archer’s Morphostatic/Morphogenetic framework to explore how these ideologies emerge and develop within the social media subculture. Through a mixed-method approach integrating reflexive thematic analysis of content and a textual network analysis of the corresponding user response, the study investigates the influence of dynamic (morphogenetic) and stabilising (morphostatic) mechanisms that underpin and shape the discourse. The findings identify themes reinforced by accelerationist narratives, including self-sufficiency, social collapse, and a distrust in authority. Morphogenetic influences, including sociopolitical crises and economic instability, contribute to shifts in discourse, while morphostatic elements—such as conspiracy theories and anti-government sentiment—reinforce and sustain these narratives. Feedback loops between content creators and users amplify the accelerationist narratives and cultivate a self-sustaining digital ecosystem. Through an interdisciplinary collaboration of stakeholders, including researchers, tech platforms, and policymakers, the study emphasises the need for targeted interventions. Positive community engagement and policy development to address algorithmic amplification are essential in mitigating the risk of radicalisation within social media prepper communities.

Ms. Agnes Toweh

Murdoch University

An examination of young people's intersectional experiences of online racial discrimination and appearance-based cyberbullying.

Technology has led to an increase in youths encountering online bullying or harassment. Research shows that between 35-52 per cent of Australian youths have encountered some cyberbullying (Prince et al., 2024). As information and communications technologies (ICTs) continue to gain popularity among youths, cyberbullying directed at an individual’s body and appearance will continue to be a crucial issue for adolescents’ well-being. Appearance-related cyberbullying (ARC) involves unfavourable comments or repeated aggression towards an individual’s physical appearance, and often relates to other forms of bullying such as online racial discrimination targeting adolescents from a minoritised background. While racism and bullying among adolescents have been extensively examined independently, only a small number of studies have investigated the intersectional experience of online racial discrimination and ARC. The small body of work on online racial discrimination has been examined quantitatively, limiting our understanding of adolescents’ lived experiences of this issue. Furthermore, only a small number of studies have documented adolescents' views on coping strategies regarding these forms of online aggression. This study aims to ascertain youth's intersectional experience of online racial discrimination and ARC within Australia and understand the corresponding coping strategies and potential solutions youths adopt. The project is interview-based research with minoritised youths aged 18-25 and uses a grounded theory approach and intersectionality framework to understand the lived experiences of minoritised youths. This research will contribute to the existing literature by elevating youth’s voices about their experiences of online racial discrimination and ARC and contribute to the development of policy recommendations/therapeutic responses.

Ms. Hilary J. H. Tsui and Dr Adrian T Grounds

University of Cambridge

Exploring the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), implicit beliefs, and desistance in people with criminal justice involvement.

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are traumatic and stressful events that occur during childhood, and are common in people with criminal justice involvement (CJI). ACEs such as abuse and neglect have been found to lead to increased risk of mental health needs, behavioural needs, and executive functioning difficulties. A crucial part of the CJI trajectory is desistance: an active, continuous decision to refrain from offending. Desistance is a cognitive change before a behavioural one; thus, people will need to believe they are capable of changing before making the conscious commitment to desist. However, research shows that previous emotional maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse and/or neglect) is associated with lowered self-esteem, reduced feelings of self-efficacy, and increased feelings of hopelessness, all of which may cause people to feel reluctance towards desistance due to a lack of confidence in their ability to refrain from offending long-term. One way to look at how desistance can happen despite these ACEs is by analysing people’s implicit (fixed and growth) beliefs, mediated/moderated by resilience. Fixed theorists do not believe that one’s attributes can be changed, whereas growth theorists believe that change is possible. Thus, people with higher growth beliefs may feel they are more capable of desisting than those with higher fixed beliefs. Study findings will allow researchers to understand how to support people with CJI and their desistance journeys better. Study participants will be English, Welsh, and Canadian adults who experienced emotional maltreatment and have been in the community for at least one year post-prison.

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Dr Gina Vale1 and Hannah Rose2

University of Southampton1 and Institute for Strategic Dialogue2

Firm Convictions?: Unpicking Framings of Child Terrorism Offenders.

No longer confined to conflict theatres nor the periphery of adult-led organisations, recent years have seen a sharp rise in domestic cases of independent teenage attack-plotters, self-initiated travellers to terrorist-held territory, and digital extremist content creators. Despite this trend in organic, self-directed offending, children’s motivations for terrorist engagement are frequently exceptionalised through narrative frames that either over- or under-emphasise their agency. Through analysis of an original dataset of 43 minors convicted of terrorism offences in England and Wales since 2016, this article examines how children are understood as subjects in their offending, and how framings problematise their capacity for independent, rational, and agentic terroristic motivation. Focus is placed on the construction and framing of motivations through analysis of the established “mitigating” and “aggravating” factors considered in their judicial proceedings: maturity, ideological commitment, thrill-seeking, unintentionality, socialisation, and adverse childhood experiences and neurodiversity. The article argues for more nuanced understanding (and reporting) of child terrorist activities that take a holistic, individualised, and youth-centred approach to questions of agency, subjecthood, and capacity in their motivations.

Ms. Myrna van der Heijden and Dr. Craig Collie

University of Portsmouth

‘From informing to co-producing: a comparative analysis of citizen participation in missing person cold cases in England & Wales and the Netherlands using the citizen participation ladder model.’

Missing persons is becoming one of the most onerous tasks for policing, with thousands of cases each year. While most incidents resolve quickly, a small number of people remain missing after one year, becoming ‘long-term missing persons’. The police and other organisations apply a range of approaches to investigate these cases. Over the years, the role of citizens in policing has increased and will continue to increase, resulting in the incentive for police to develop methods of cooperation with the public.  This study critically compares the approaches currently applied by police and related organisations in the Netherlands and England & Wales to engage members of the public in the search for long-term missing persons by thematically analysing semi-structured interviews with practitioners in each jurisdiction. Using the framework of Kop’s “citizen participation ladder” model, the study provides insight into the challenge between involving the public in investigations balanced against the need to maintain control and oversight of cases. It was found that, while the Netherlands utilised a wider range of innovations that climbed higher up the ‘ladder’, that neither jurisdiction reached the standard of full co-production between the police and the public. By further elaborating on this model and the identified challenges, combining the theoretical implications and the established examples of practical applications, as well as inviting the practitioners to share their professional views, we hope to spark an interesting discussion among the attendees, allowing them to broaden their understanding of the possibilities for citizen participation in (missing person) cold-cases.  (Link to an article publication of this study in the International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice: https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2024.2401858.)

Dr Shankey Verma

OP Jindal Global University

Association between child marriage and intimate partner violence: A Kenyan national analysis.

Child marriage and intimate partner violence (IPV) are global health crises that violate individual human rights. Prior research has linked child marriage to IPV in lower-and-middle-income countries; however, information regarding this relationship in Kenya is sparse. The present study aims to (a) estimate the prevalence of child marriage and various forms of IPV (emotional, physical, and sexual) and (b) examine the association between child marriage and IPV among Kenyan women. This study utilized the most recent 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), a large scale and nationally representative dataset. A total of 12,888 participants (Mage = 32.35 years; SD = 7.96) were included in the final analysis. The prevalence rates of child marriage and experiencing at least one form of IPV, emotional, physical, and sexual IPV, were found to be 31.23%, 44.8%, 34.5%, 32.6%, and 10.1%, respectively. Multinomial regression models revealed that the likelihood of experiencing at least one form of IPV was 25% higher (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.16-1.36, p < 0.01), emotional IPV was 19% higher (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.09-1.29, p < 0.01), and physical IPV was 31% higher (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.21-1.43, p < 0.01) among Kenyan women who married before the age of 18 years. Findings highlight the need for effective policy enforcement and implementation to prevent child marriage and safeguard women from IPV inside child marriages.

Dr Shankey Verma and Ms. Palak Gujarathi

OP Jindal Global University

Swiping right into danger: An analysis of online dating app scams in India through  Routine Activities Theory.

The growing popularity of dating apps has significantly amplified the scope for online dating app scams in India. The present study aims to examine how the three elements of the Routine Activities Theory, namely, motivated offender, suitable victim, and absence of a capable guardian, manifest in online romance scams in India. Data were drawn from the leading online news sources in India using a systematic search process. A total of 1449 online news articles were retrieved, which yielded eighteen unique cases of online dating app scams in India. A deductive thematic analysis framework was employed to analyze these eighteen cases. Findings revealed that the majority of these scams were facilitated using Tinder and Bumble and concentrated in Tier 1 and Tier 2 Indian cities. Offenders employed emotional manipulation, impersonation, a gradual grooming process, and exploited the emotional vulnerabilities of targets to facilitate these scams. Financial gains emerged as a primary motivation for perpetrating online romance scams. Emotional vulnerability emerged as a significant factor making victims a suitable target. Lastly, these scams occurred either in public places, in the home of the victim, or online in the absence of capable guardians. Stakeholders must focus on enhanced security measures, public awareness campaigns, and stricter regulations to mitigate these scams and create a safer online dating environment.

Dr Shankey Verma and Dr. Laksheeta Choudhary

OP Jindal Global University

Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparative Analysis of Bihar and Other Indian States.

While alcohol consumption in the Indian state of Bihar has been banned to prevent IPV. However, no research has been conducted to explore IPV in Bihar since this ban. The present study aims to examine the difference in the prevalence of IPV in Bihar since its ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in comparison to the rest of India. This study utilized the most recent National Family Health Survey -5 dataset (NFHS-5; n=63,851). The NFHS-5 data is the fifth in a series that yields information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each Indian state and union territory. Chi-square tests revealed that emotional, physical, and sexual violence were more prevalent in Bihar (18.4%, 41.6%, and 8.3%, respectively) than in the rest of India (12.5%, 27%, and 5.5%, respectively). Further, logistic regressions indicated that women from Bihar were slightly more than two times more likely to experience any form of IPV, 1.7 times more likely to experience emotional violence, 2.1 times more likely to experience physical violence, and 1.7 times more likely to experience sexual violence from their husbands than women from the rest of the Indian states. The current findings suggest that the ban on all forms of alcohol production, sale, storage, and use failed to curb IPV in Bihar. Sensitization of communities regarding alcohol consumption and IPV might be one of the better policy instruments available to lower the probability of women experiencing violence.

Dr Aase Villadsen and Prof. Emla Fitzsimons 

University College London

Early childhood domestic violence and adolescent outcomes: Does maternal aggression matter as much as paternal?

An extensive body of research has established that exposure to domestic violence in early childhood is associated with adverse outcomes for adolescents. However, previous studies have predominantly focused on maternal victimisation, whilst paternal victimisation and bidirectional violence have largely been neglected. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study involving a sample of 12,363 families, this study examines the differential association of maternal, paternal, and bidirectional domestic violence with a range of adolescent outcomes at age 17 (mental health, conduct, substance use, physical health, and academic performance). Our findings indicate that bidirectional violence is associated with the most detrimental outcomes, followed by maternal victimisation, with paternal victimisation showing comparatively weaker associations. We further explore how domestic violence exposure disrupts early family environments, linking it to poorer parent-child relationships, increased parental substance use, and worsened parental mental health. Results of our study underscore the need for early interventions targeting mutual aggression and holistic family-centred approaches to domestic violence screening.

Dr Aase Villadsen, Dr Nicolás Libuy and Prof. Emla Fitzsimons 

University College London

Adverse and positive childhood experiences and their associations with youth violence: analyses from the Millennium Cohort Study.

Youth violence is a cause for concern with offences such as knife and other weapon offences showing an increase in the last five years in England and Wales. A better understanding of the risk and protective factors associated with youth violence is a crucial first step in informing policy makers and practitioners on routes to prevention and intervention. This study uses data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a birth cohort study of around 19,000 children born at the start of the century in the UK who have been followed up at regular intervals through early childhood into adolescence. Three youth violence outcomes measured at age 14 and 17 are examined in the current study (assault, weapon involvement, gang affiliation). We examine how these outcomes are associated with the number of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the number positive childhood experiences (PCEs) that cohort members were exposed to during childhood. In addition, we examine whether positive childhood experiences can buffer against the detrimental effect of adverse childhood experiences on youth violence. 

Ms. Claudia Vince

University of Cambridge

Researching Trauma Among Life-Sentenced Prisoners: Methodological Reflections on a Gendered Exploratory Framework.

Researching trauma among life-sentenced prisoners presents significant methodological challenges, shaped by the complexities of prison life, the sensitive nature of trauma, and the gendered dynamics of disclosure. This study examines how men and women serving life sentences narrate and make sense of their experiences of trauma, while reflecting on the difficulties of conducting qualitative research in prison settings. Drawing on life-history interviews with prisoners in one men’s and one women’s prison, the research adopts an exploratory framework that captures trauma at multiple life stages: childhood and lifetime adversity, offence-related trauma, the trauma of receiving a life sentence, and the enduring effects of long-term imprisonment. Investigating these stages required navigating practical and ethical dilemmas, such as gaining access to participants, building trust in an environment that discourages emotional vulnerability, and balancing sensitivity with the need for in-depth exploration of traumatic events. The gendered nature of trauma added further complexity, with preliminary analysis highlighting that male participants often framed distress initially through narratives of detachment but also described extensive psychological difficulties, while women disclosed cumulative victimisation across different life stages. Methodologically, the study confronts questions regarding the nature and reality of long-term imprisonment. A trauma-informed approach, supported by a distress protocol and flexible interview techniques, was crucial to safeguarding participant and researcher wellbeing. By centring the voices of life-sentenced prisoners and critically reflecting on these methodological challenges, this study contributes to criminological understandings of trauma in prison settings and offers insights into ethical and practical strategies for prison-based qualitative research.

Ms. Claudia Vince and Dr David Maguire

Prison Reform Trust

Long-Term Imprisonment: The complexities of integrating co-production in prison policy advocacy work.

The Prison Reform Trust’s (PRT) Building Futures programme is an initiative focused on involving long-term prisoners in advocacy and campaigning work to improve the prison system. This programme aligns with the 2025 BSC Conference theme of examining the impact of collaborative policymaking, co-production, and systemic change within criminal justice. This programme aims to shift the dynamics of how criminal justice policies are developed by prioritising collaboration between those in prison, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The central tenet of Building Futures is the recognition that prisoners, especially those serving long sentences, have valuable lived experiences that can inform prison policy. Through long-term collaboration over five years, Building Futures is creating pathways for prisoners to actively contribute to shaping the policies that affect their lives, moving away from traditional, top-down approaches to policymaking. This approach gives prisoners opportunities to contribute to addressing challenges both at the individual prison level and across the broader criminal justice system. Areas covered include sentence progression for long-term prisoners, the experiences of older and younger people serving long sentences, the role of connections outside prison, and post-release experiences. This paper will explore how the Building Futures programme facilitates meaningful engagement between prisoners and external stakeholders, with a focus on the ways it attempts to influence policy change. It will also discuss the limitations and ethical dilemmas related to this approach. By highlighting the successes and challenges of the programme, we raise the question as to whether co-production can lead to the development of more inclusive prison policy.

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Dr Fiona Wadie and Professor Sarah Charman

University of Portsmouth

Wellbeing in Policing: Identifying and overcoming the barriers.

This paper explores the barriers to providing effective wellbeing support to those working within the policing sector, emphasizing the importance of understanding not only what works but also what does not work. The research, part of a wider impact evaluation conducted on a single police force in England, examines the effectiveness of wellbeing services provided to both police officers and police staff following investments made to support a range of initiatives.

Dr Fiona Wadie and Dr Mary Watkins

University of Portsmouth

Reimagining the criminological dissertation.

Across the UK, approximately 2.94 million students are enrolled in higher education, with most pursuing a first-degree, often a bachelor’s degree with honours (Bolton, 2024). These degrees typically require the completion of a dissertation, or other substantial piece of work which requires a student to produce “an extended scholarly essay, usually based upon original research, submitted for a degree or other academic qualification” (OED, 2023). However, challenges in the higher education sector are prompting a re-evaluation of undergraduate courses to ensure their continued relevance.  Is the traditional 10,000 word dissertation still the best approach? 

Prof. Sylvia Walby

Royal Holloway, University of London

Theorising trafficking in human beings: the tension between a focus on crime and a focus on exploitation.

The paper explores the tension between conceptualising trafficking as a crime (criminological focus) and conceptualising it as excessive exploitation (political economy focus).  The paper follows this tension through concept and theory to its implications for policy, law and justice.  The criminality of the exploitation lies in the use of coercion that prevents a free market for exchange. This is linked to intersecting regimes of inequality of gender, coloniality, and class.  Consent is legally defined as irrelevant; but this is challenging for conventional notions of crime and to the centrality of agency in contemporary social theory, which is overtaken in the case of trafficking by the significance of exploitation, even if victims do not think in this way.  The usual sites for intervention for crimes are criminal justice for the perpetrator and, for violent and coercive crimes, specialised services for the victims; with some attention to prevention.  When the focus is on exploitation rather than crime, the sites are more institutional, in the regulation of labour market institutions, the intermediaries recruiting migrant labour, and the nature of visas tying people to jobs in ways that generate situations of vulnerability.  The lens could widen to a whole of government, whole of society perspective, with all institutions relevant to trafficking/modern slavery. The most resource effective interventions may lie in the better regulation of the economy to prevent this crime rather than more criminal justice, though its definition as a crime helps its prioritisation.

Dr John Walliss1, Dr Melanie Flynn2, Dr Dan Allen2 

Derby University1, Liverpool Hope University2 

Life on a Leash: Adjusting to the XL Bully 'ban' in public spaces.

The recent ‘ban’ on XL Bully dogs in the UK has profoundly altered the daily lives of caregivers, restricting their routines and exposing them to heightened social stigma. This paper will explore the consequences of the ban on caregivers, focusing on its impact on their ability to exercise their dogs as well as their experiences in public spaces. Based on survey data and in-depth interviews with caregivers in England and Wales, the paper will explore the ways in which caregivers have adapted their routines to avoid interactions with others as well as the emotional toll of increased public scrutiny and social exclusion. The paper will focus on two key areas. First, it will examine changes in the frequency, duration, and location of dog exercise, highlighting how many caregivers have significantly reduced their walks or shifted from public spaces to private hire fields in order to limit public scrutiny and their interactions with others more broadly. Second, it will explore the increasing social stigma caregivers face, including negative reactions, avoidance, and verbal harassment that caregivers and their dogs receive from members of the public. By examining these patterns of avoidance, adaptation, and emotional strain, this paper will highlight the unconsidered social and psychological consequences of the XL bully ban on caregivers.  

Ms. Mengyi Wang and Assoc. Prof. Wang 

University of Hong Kong

'Allowed Deviations': Co–Governance and Patron–Client Relationships in Chinese Prisons.

How is social order maintained in Chinese prisons? Drawing on 53 semi-structured interviews, this article investigates co-governance mechanisms in Chinese prisons by examining the role of patron–client relationships in prison management. Co-governance is manifested in three types of ‘allowed deviation’: the intensive involvement of elite inmates (squadron leaders) in daily prison management, the existence of an informal market where inmates exchange services for basic necessities, and the prevalence of inmate cliques. Taking advantage of patron–client relationships with prison officers, squadron leaders acquire extensive discretionary power, which leads to favouritism and inequality. This research provides a case study of non-Western prison order, enriching criminology literature on prison order and management.

Navigating Emotions Behind Bars: Emotional Governance and the Social Construction of Charisma in Chinese Women’s Prisons.

This article introduces the concept of ‘emotional governance’ to prison studies and explains how emotional governance facilitates effective prison management. Drawing on first-hand empirical data collected from a women’s prison in China, the article explores the emotional vulnerability of female inmates and the strategies prison officers known as ‘police mothers’ use to manage inmates’ negative emotions. On the one hand, it highlights how prison officers manage and alleviate inmates’ negative emotions, thus increasing inmates’ compliance with prison regulations. On the other hand, it suggests that emotional governance enables police mothers to become charismatic leaders, acquiring extensive discretionary power to control and exploit these inmates. This is one of the first English-language studies of the management of non-Western women’s prisons.

Ms. Pei-Ying Wang

University of Reading

Youth Confinement in Taiwan: The Interplay of History, Culture, and Politics.

This study examines the historical and cultural factors shaping youth delinquency and rehabilitation in Taiwan, focusing on how collectivist values and Taiwaneseness influence institutional life. Using historical analysis, ethnographic observation, and semi-structured interviews with 25 young men at a state correctional facility, the research explores how Taiwan’s political transitions—from Japanese colonial rule to Kuomintang (KMT) authoritarianism to democratisation—have impacted juvenile justice. Taiwan’s evolving cultural identity, shaped by influences of ‘Japaneseness,’ later suppressed under ‘Chineseness,’ and now partially reclaimed, informs these shifts.

The study also highlights the role of soft power in correctional institutions. Taiwan’s adoption of the UNCRC reflects a balance of care and control, aligning with international norms despite Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation. Institutional life mirrors Taiwan’s collectivist culture, where youth navigate peer hierarchies through strategic interactions with staff and control over resources. Youth actively shape their experiences, while staff—teachers, social workers, and therapists—build trust through daily interactions. These relationships, often forged through moments of conflict and negotiation, reveal how emotional connections and care contribute to rehabilitation. A significant finding is the role of kawaii (cute) culture in the facility, with Hello Kitty emerging as a status symbol that challenges hypermasculinity and reflects the influence of Japanese culture since the 1990s. By focusing on Taiwaneseness and Global South perspectives, this study contributes to global discussions on youth justice, colonial legacies, and national identity in East Asia. It highlights the importance of a criminal justice system that ensures fair treatment, supports disadvantaged groups, and prioritises rehabilitation.

Ms. Caroline Watson

University of Plymouth

Supporting a community after a mass shooting: the role of community policing.

Mass shootings in the UK are rare, and empirical research on how to support communities that have experienced such incidents is therefore limited. On 12 August 2021, a 22-year-old male killed five people and injured two others with a licensed firearm in Keyham, a small residential neighbourhood in the south of England. In this paper I draw on survey, interview, and focus group data from a Home Office funded research project to explore residents’ perceptions of the impact of the dedicated community policing team deployed to their neighbourhood in the months following the shooting. In particular, I consider how successful the team’s community engagement efforts were in (re-)building trust and confidence in local policing in the area through examining residents’ experiences of contact with police officers, their perceptions of the policing team, and their levels of confidence in the police in general. The overall results evidenced positive perceptions of the policing team by those who had had contact with officers, particularly when they were on patrol. Higher confidence scores for police treatment and community connectedness in the Keyham-specific results compared to the results from the surrounding neighbourhoods suggest that Keyham’s dedicated team had a positive impact in their area. However, some research participants held less favourable views of the impact of the increased police presence in their neighbourhood, questioning its value and appropriateness as a long-term initiative. The findings offer insights into how community policing can support the ‘recovery’ of communities affected by critical incidents.

Dr Siobhan Weare1, Ms. Maddy Millar1 and Dr Dominic Willmott2 

Lancaster University1 and Loughborough University2 

Male rape on trial: how (mock) jurors and juries decide.

It is estimated that approximately 1 in 6 men will experience an unwanted or abusive sexual experience in their lifetime. Research shows that jurors in sexual offences cases present a significant barrier to just outcomes for survivors, yet no mock jury trial research involving rape scenarios where the complainant is male exists in an English legal context. To address the paucity of research on jurors’ perceptions of male rape victims – and to understand whether jurors rely on myths about male rape in their decision-making – we worked in consultation with police and the Crown Prosecution Service to devise a highly realistic mock-trial involving a case of male rape, with a ticketed judge, prosecution and defence barristers, and actors playing the complainant and defendant. 144 mock jurors were recruited to participate in four highly realistic mock trials. They also completed psychometric scales within questionnaires at three time-points during the trial (and one-week post-trial) to explore how attitudinal and psychological characteristics related to juror judgements. Jury deliberations were audio-recorded and transcribed. 

This paper presents preliminary findings from these mock-trials, including the material jurors relied upon during group deliberative discussions, the psychosocial factors that may be relevant to juror decision-making in these cases, and individual juror vs whole jury verdicts. The findings have implications for supporting evidence-based adaptations to policy and practice across the criminal justice system, particularly within the context of prosecuting cases of male rape and effectively advocating for male survivors of sexual violence.

Ms. Anne-Marie Weeden1 and Dr Nick Pamment2 

Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies1 and University of Portsmouth2

“You walk on glass if you are in that space”: Risks and harms of corruption in wildlife justice pathways in Uganda.

Wildlife crime drives existential harms including biodiversity loss and climate change, disproportionately affecting the Global South. Criminal justice approaches dominate the public response, yet scant evidence exists on how corruption, an economic crime, undermines deterrence and exacerbates inequalities. This primary research study utilises a qualitative approach to examine the risks and harms of corruption within wildlife enforcement and justice in Uganda. Using a red-green criminological perspective and drawing upon semi-structured interviews with experts and practitioners from government and civil society, this paper identifies corruption risks in wildlife criminal justice and explores their related harms and consequences. This paper finds wildlife enforcement in Uganda suffers from institutional corruption, including perverse incentives which distort targeting and resource prioritisation, leading to discrimination against low-level offenders. Furthermore, differential access to individualist corruption opportunities along the justice pathway enables wealthy or well-connected suspects to avoid sanctions, resulting in sentencing inequities. Despite resulting in differential outcomes for affluent and subsistence offenders, the study concludes that corruption in wildlife justice neutralises deterrence for both offender types. By creating impunity for elites, organised crime actors are attracted to the trade. Moreover, by amplifying sentencing inequalities, subsistence offenders are further impoverished, increasing re-offending. Corruption in wildlife justice thus drives significant long-term environmental, socioeconomic, and political harms, and erodes the rule of law. 

Dr Chalen Westaby

Sheffield Hallam University

It’s the same concept, it’s just a different environment, isn’t it?’: Emotional labour and occupational culture amongst Prison Offender Managers in England and Wales. 

In a fundamental change to probation practice within prisons,  the Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model – launched in 2018 – sees Probation Officers and Prison Officers, acting as Prison Offender Managers (POMs) from within an Offender Management Unit in prison. The aim of the OMiC model is to manage and support prisoners to engage ‘in their own rehabilitative journeys’ (Ministry of Justice, 2021: 63) and probation and prison POMs work together to support and prepare prisoners for release and successful reintegration into the community. In this paper we explore through the lens of emotional labour (Hochschild, 1983) how probation and prison POMs occupying distinct occupational cultures, work together in its delivery. The study provides an in-depth analysis of descriptions by 17 POMs working in 4 prisons (Cat A, Cat B Private, Cat C and Women’s Estate respectively) of their performance of emotional labour expectations. Analysis focuses on shared understandings and points of divergence between probation and prison staff. We then use this as a way of considering more broadly implications for the future of probation thinking specifically about the erosion or otherwise of probation culture, practitioner wellbeing both within and outside of the prison environment, and the prisoner experience.

Dr Chalen Westaby1, Ms. Sam Ainslie1 and  Dr Colette Barry2 

Sheffield Hallam University1 and University College Dublin2

‘Babysitters’, ‘butlers’ and ‘middlemen’. Exploring the identity, occupational culture and experiences of prison officers working to deliver the Offender Management in Custody model in England and Wales.

The Offender Management in Custody (OMiC) model – launched in 2018 – introduced the key worker role into most prisons in England and Wales. All prisoners are allocated a key worker who through weekly one-to-one keyworker sessions are expected to ‘develop constructive, motivational relationships with people in prison’ with the aim of ‘giving them hope and responsibility for their own development’ (HMIP, 2022: 5). A thematic inspection of the OMiC model in 2022 concluded that the model was not working as intended highlighting significant disconnect between key worker activity and sentence planning designed to support rehabilitation (HMIP, 2022). This article seeks to address the gap in research exploring the key worker role in the delivery of the OMiC model by presenting findings from a larger study analysing emotional labour and boundary spanning in the delivery of OMiC across four prisons in England. We shed light on how key workers experience and understand their role through the analysis of data from interviews with 28 key workers in a range of prison environments (Cat A, Cat B private, Cat C and Women’s Estate). We explore how prison officers conceptualise and enact the key worker role and compare this to the expectations set out in the OMiC policy framework. Analysis highlights the centrality and complexity of key worker relationships, both with prisoners and other prison staff (including prison-based Probation Officers) as well as the impact of prison officer occupational culture on how key workers understand custody, care, and control objectives within the prison environment. 

Prof. Louise Westmarland and Dr Steve Conway

The Open University

Police ethics: culture, corruption and the code.

This paper reflects on over 20 years of in-depth research on police culture and the blue code of silence which is said to protect and perpetuate police misconduct. It draws upon first-hand research, so far unpublished, with many serving police officers and some police support staff. Such studies not only provide evidence of the police code but are also 

useful for examining why and how to prevent its ill-effects. A recent (post 1950s) history of 

police cultural research which concentrates on ethics and integrity is used to reflect upon continuity and change with a discussion of the College of Policing’s introduction of a code of ethics in 2014, including subsequent updates and changes. It asks whether anything has changed in policing regarding the blue code over the past 50 years or so, by analysing some individual studies and what the potential lessons learnt are from the various scandals that have come to light. 

Dr Niki White

University of Gloucestershire

Gendered Stigma-Vulnerability Discourses about Women who use Drugs in Prison.

This paper explores the intersection of discourses around gender, stigma and vulnerability in the context of Spice use in English women’s prisons. Using Feminist Critical Realist Discourse Analysis, the study analyzes 15 semi-structured interviews. Two themes of gendered stigma-vulnerability are explored. First, embodied and social othering and second, gender norm non-conformity. The findings highlight how vulnerability and stigma are deeply entwined with gendered expectations and power dynamics in institutional settings. While criminalized women and drug users may share such experiences, the paper highlights the distinct nexus of gendered stigma-vulnerability discourses increasing marginalization for women who use Spice in prison. 

Ms. Ella White

College of Policing 

Video first response to domestic abuse.

Video first response (VFR) is the use of video conferencing to respond to non-emergency domestic abuse calls for service, as opposed to physical attendance which is often significantly delayed. VFR can be delivered using differing models: during ‘rapid video response’ (RVR) the victim and officer are connected almost immediately after they have called the police, whereas during ‘scheduled video response’ (SVR) the police response is delivered on an appointment basis, at a date and time convenient to the victim.  Video first response is aimed at, among other outcomes, improving victim satisfaction, disclosure and feelings of safety, police efficiency and police effectiveness. In this paper, we will present the findings of a randomised controlled trial and quasi-experiment in two forces which used police force data and a survey with domestic abuse victims. We will also share the findings of 37 interviews with police officers and staff, stakeholders from domestic abuse charities, and the CPS. The interviews explored views on the intervention, how it worked in practice, what worked well and what challenges were faced. Finally, we will shed light on how these findings are being used to inform the roll out of RVR across England and Wales. 

Dr John Whitehead

Nottingham Trent University

Legal Pluralism and Autonomy: Empowering Indigenous Communities in Australia and Aotearoa.

Despite attempts at redress by settler governments in Australia and Aotearoa, Indigenous peoples and communities have little voice in their governance. Customary leadership principles and actors have been overruled by westernised systems, limiting many communities’ ability to respond to their own unique challenges. Drawing upon examples from the above countries, this paper uses a Southern Criminological lens to highlight the importance of legal pluralism in 3 key areas of Indigenous governance: transnationalism, promoting autonomy, and cultural resilience. In doing so, it emphasises that traditional leaders in Australia and Aotearoa are acting to benefit the wider South Pacific, while also beginning to reinstate their customary authority. However despite these efforts, limited self-governance and hostility from settler-governments does challenge many of these efforts. Greater pluralism would negate such challenges and allow Indigenous actors in these countries to engage with customary processes, empower their communities through international dialogue, and halt the slow erosion of their culture. 

Mr Josh Woods 

University of West London

Making sense of neighbourhood crime in areas of relative deprivation.

This work builds on ultra-realist criminology as a critical approach that seeks to confront the current criminogenic conditions of late-capitalism to offer a more accurate understanding of the underlying, real causes of crime, deviance, and harm. Ultra-realism accounts for both structure and agency but has an incomplete model of subjectivity, and is thereby limited. By incorporating Linda Zagzebski’s concept of epistemic authority, this research intends to enhance ultra-realism's analytical framework and theory of subjectivity. In doing so, it will create a more fundamental understanding of the underlying, epistemological elements of deviant behaviour broadly, and specifically within my case study of relatively deprived neighbourhoods in East London. 

Ms. Sylwia Wypyska-Kieram

City St George's, University of London

Applying a Psychosocial Lens to Schools’ Responses to Boys’ Harmful Sexual Behaviours.

Harmful sexual behaviours (HSB) are a major concern for educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals. Schools are uniquely positioned to drive change through norm shaping, education, and the protection of young people at a crucial stage of development. This poster presentation examines how a psychosocial lens can inform and improve secondary and tertiary prevention strategies within schools. Drawing on insights from a study on schools' responses to reports of HSB, this work critically explores learning opportunities within the processes schools are required to follow. Schools' ability to respond effectively is shaped by their unique contexts, with leadership, staff experience, and relationships with external agencies and charities playing a crucial role. Schools must navigate risk assessment, the Child First principle, and expectations from police and other agencies, all within the constraints of statutory and legal frameworks—often limiting the space for meaningful intervention. While a whole-school approach is widely recognized as an effective preventative measure, lower-level HSB remains a challenge with no evidence-based, equitable solution. Applying a psychosocial lens to schools' responses enables the inclusion of developmentally appropriate interventions that consider trauma, socio-economic background, and gender factors. This approach not only addresses immediate behaviour but also promotes long-term social and emotional growth. Ultimately, it contributes to broader discussions on social justice in criminology, emphasizing prevention, rehabilitation, and reintegration in ways that uphold young people’s rights and development. 

Ms. Linda Wystemp

University of Oxford

Examining IUU Fishing in the Arctic through a Green Criminological Lens.

This research explores the socio-ecological drivers of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Arctic, drawing on ideas from environmental sociology, ecological Marxism, and ecological disorganisation theory, with a particular view to uncovering the core challenges of preventing and policing IUU fishing. Rather than adopting a regulatory or legal framework, I plan to take an environmental harms and justice perspective to examine the intersections of ecological crime and capitalist expansion in the Arctic. To investigate these dynamics, I aim to conduct interviews with polar scientists who have firsthand experience in the region and aboard fishing vessels and are, thus, able to offer unique insights into how economic and ecological interests shape Arctic fisheries. If interviews prove unfeasible, I will instead employ discourse analysis to examine the ways in which Arctic IUU fishing, the associated environmental degradation, and competing political-economic agendas have been rendered in public narratives. This research hopes to contribute to broader discussions on the governance of fragile ecosystems and the structural forces that drive environmental exploitation and will be situated within the green criminological tradition. While there is some criminological literature on IUU fishing in other jurisdictions, the problem remains understudied with regard to the Arctic and the research, therefore, hopes to make a novel contribution to a criminologically under-explored jurisdiction. The results of this research may be relevant to any criminologists with an interest in green criminology, environmental harms and crimes, ecological justice, transnational crime, and the socio-economic and political dimensions of environmental regulation and enforcement. 

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Mr Enzo Yaksic1 and Dr. April Chai2 

Atypical Homicide Research Group1 and Texas State University2 

The Deadly Spiral: Unraveling the Escalation Patterns of Violence in Serial Murders.

Previous research in serial murders has traditionally reviewed escalation by examining offenders who begin with less severe crimes, such as voyeurism or rape, and then increase their severity of crime. It has been widely assumed that serial murderers increase the frequency of their homicides and the severity of their crimes over the course of their series, but little evidence exists to support these claims. Some literature supports the assertion that escalation occurs while others refute its role in serial murder. Most studies that support this notion were mainly qualitative in nature. The purpose of the current study is to examine the concept of escalation in serial murders through quantitative methods. Escalation was operationalized as evidence of ‘overkill’, a proxy for offense severity. In a sample of 387 serial murder cases, various factors were analyzed, including the total number of victims, the offender, victim, and crime characteristics to predict the occurrence of overkill in a murder series using binomial logit regression. The results suggested that when the offender sought out a specific victim to kill, there was a decrease in the likelihood that overkill will occur. On the other hand, killers frequently switching their method of killing and mutilating the victim’s body significantly predicted an increase in the likelihood of overkill in the series. Implications of these findings are discussed in further detail.

Mr Yasuki Yamaguchi

Ministry of Justice, Japan

Ally, Stranger or Enemy?:  Exploring desistance thinking in the youth justice arena.

Desistance thinking has struggled to make a soft landing in the UK youth justice arena, despite the Youth Justice Board's initial apparent acceptance of desistance thinking. This situation has been exacerbated in part by criticism from Child First advocates. This research explores how desistance thinking is situated in youth justice through analysing policy documents and conducting semi-structured interviews with practitioners in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. Desistance thinking appeared to play a significant role in everyday practice in a situation where different concepts and approaches, including Child First, intersected in practice. This research concludes that framing desistance thinking as the enemy of Child First, which is a recent trend in the academic literature, may lead to unnecessary confusion in practice.

Ms. Wenxuan Yang

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Private Criminal Investigation in England and Wales—from Common Informers to Anonymous Witness.

Since the 15th century, private individuals, especially the “common informers” then, have played a critical role in criminal investigations in England and Wales before the establishment of professional modern police forces. Officially recognized as a “necessary evil”, these informers received legal protections still reflected today in prosecution disclosure rules and public interest immunity (PII). Although these private individuals significantly facilitated crime detection, reliance on them also resulted in serious abuses, including perjury, private entrapment, and systemic police corruption, undermining justice and violating defendants' fair trial rights under Article 6 ECHR. In the digital era, growing police dependence on covert intelligence has further intensified these risks. Existing scholarship predominantly critiques disclosure procedures, neglecting private investigation's broader historical and contemporary contexts. Addressing this gap, the paper examines the historical development of private criminal investigation and its latent threats to trial fairness, arguing that current judicial mechanisms inadequately manage these threats, and that the domestic court’s resistance undermines the corrective potential of ECtHR judgments.

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