The Centre for Crime and Policing provides world-leading research on crime and policing that will enhance understanding and practice in relation to some of the key global challenges of the 21st Century.
These include transnational organised crime, the use (and abuse) of technology, social harm, forensics, law enforcement and criminal justice cooperation, and a host of related matters. This work is an important contribution to the development of evidence-based policy-making to inform the work of stakeholder's globally, nationally, and regionally, including both domestic and international criminal justice systems, governments, third sector agencies, private companies and civil society organisations.
Policing is understood, in its broad sense, to include this broad catalogue of organisations and agencies engaged in the regulation of contemporary societies. Crime is also conceived, in broad terms, to include a social harms as well as criminal offences.
Working in partnership with agencies regionally, nationally, within European networks and internationally.
Developing recommendations for the good governance of policing technologies
Affective properties of police buildings, images and material culture in visible policing
Over recent decades there has been what many have called a 'visual turn' within the social sciences. Within visual criminology important research agendas have developed on prisons and community punishments, the fear of crime and punitiveness, and media representations of crime and deviance. Against this context, it is difficult to understand why policing has not also been more significantly subjected to research that is theoretically and methodologically informed by the visual. One of the reasons why this lacuna is particularly puzzling is that there is a long-standing body of work within the sociology of policing that emphasizes the significance of symbolism, that police embody state sovereignty, and that there are strong performative and communicative dimensions to police activity. Police uniform and patrol cars, for example, together with ceremonial flags and regalia, are considered significant to public perception, trust and legitimacy. Analysis of these is further developed in this study but wider dimensions of visibility are also included. The location, design and architecture of police buildings, material cultural representations of policing in children's toys, and social media imagery of policing are among the novel dimensions of police visibility considered in this research. No previous study has considered these broad terms or tested public perceptions of these different dimensions using visual research methods.
In policy terms, visibility in policing has been primarily addressed in narrow terms regarding the potential for patrol officers to provide reassurance to anxious publics. In the context of recent policy debates about future deployment of diminishing resources there have been frequent commitments to the provision of visible frontline policing. Against a background of funding cuts imposed in the years after 2010, government ministers have tended to claim that such reductions could be focused on aspects of policing that would not reduce visible police presence. Opponents, however, have argued that spending cuts ought to be reversed in order to preserve frontline services. From whatever side of the debate, the provision of visible patrols has been presented in terms of staff on foot or in vehicles as a physical presence in public space. Building upon an emerging body of research in sociology, criminology, media, cultural studies, and human geography, this project examines the nature and impact of visible policing through the study of a wider range of activities and material practices that increasingly shape perceptions of policing, but have been neglected in research terms. Three strands of visibility are identified:
1. The symbolic power of police stations. This is particularly important since the architecture of the police estate changes as new properties (often in new locations) adopt contemporary forms and as pressure on resources leads to co-location with other agencies in shared premises.
2. The symbolic properties of police material culture, including ceremonial uniforms, flags, badges, tourist souvenirs, and children's toys. This strand will incorporate analysis in terms of the organisational and professional identity of police staff as well as public perceptions of legitimacy.
3. Police visibility in social media, incorporating official police accounts as well as those owned by individual officers, staff associations and other networks. These will be considered in terms of their impacts on the public, including whether the police play an online role analogous to real world patrol, for example, in providing for public reassurance.
Photo elicitation and photo narrative techniques will be used to generate data that will address the key research questions and also provide a body of visual material that will inform focus group discussion. Visibility will be enhanced through the dissemination of findings via a dedicated website, a public exhibition and via production of a documentary film.
The project runs until 2021. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and run in conjunction with Edge Hill University and the Open University. For more information contact Liam Ralph, or visit www.visiblepolicing.com
Dr Diana Miranda has conducted qualitative research on the use of body-worn cameras and the impacts these technologies have on police-public encounters in the UK (2018-2019). She has been working with 2 British police forces and she will be disseminating results from this project in the following months. She is also still disseminating results from her doctoral research (2011-2015) that aimed to explore the uses of biometric technologies through the perspectives of those involved in criminal identification practices in the Portuguese context (such as individuals convicted of crime, criminal investigation detectives and prison staff). She has already published book chapters and peer-reviewed articles in several international journals written in English and Portuguese.
For more information contact Dr Diana Miranda
Dr Marion Oswald’s work on law, ethics and algorithmic policing is at the cutting-edge of national and international debates about the use (or abuse) of big data among law enforcement and partner agencies. Police forces collect and use vast amounts of digital data and are increasingly deploying forms of machine learning algorithms to derive insights, inform decision-making, prioritise resources and assess risk. This work outlines the potential benefits of these technologies to policing in the current resource constrained environment, and the legal and ethical issues that must be considered, including the risk of bias. It also explores the role of specialist ethics committees in providing a form of independent oversight of the use of these models. Some of this work has been published in a joint report with the Royal United Services Institute on data analytics in policing and algorithmic bias which was commissioned by the UK government’s Centre for Data Ethics & Innovation
For more information contact Dr Marion Oswald
Issues of governance and accountability are a theme of recent work exploring the potential of Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and ‘predictive policing’ to transform demand management and forecasting, criminal investigation and workforce planning. Professor Michael Rowe has provided Continuing Professional Development in conjunction with the N8 Policing Research Partnership, published book chapters, and given keynote addresses to international conferences on these important emerging themes. His work suggests that ethical, human rights and civil liberties issues need to be taken seriously if key principles of accountability are to be continued in new digital policing mechanisms. Also significant, but widely overlooked, are concerns about the quality and veracity of police data gathering and processing, and the operational implications of new approaches.
For more information contact Professor Michael Rowe
Dr Liam Ralph has recently completed a study on policing and social media in Scotland. This research was conducted with Police Scotland and explored how social media is used in Scottish policing and how citizens respond to police use of social media. Forthcoming publications cover the topics of police legitimacy, and democratic policing.
For more information contact Dr Liam Ralph
Dr Matteo Gallidabino’s work on gunshot residue and extensive profiling explores ways in which technology can be applied in Crime Scene Investigation. The extraction of reliable, robust and useful information from physical evidence is a key objective of forensic science. Current routine analytical methods for many kinds of chemical trace, however, still just allow trivial information to be obtained in an intelligence, investigative or evaluative context. Such traces include, for example, gunshot and explosive residues. In recent years, great advances have been made regarding the evolution of analytical instrumentation and statistical methods, especially in interface fields such as computational chemistry and data analytics. Forensic science is quickly realising the potential held by these novelties for enhancing the role of chemical traces and new applications have begun to appear in specialised literature. Matteo is a member of both the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chartered Society of Forensic Science and has worked extensively with practitioner partners across Europe.
For more information contact Dr Matteo Gallidabino
Dr Nicola McLeod is a forensic linguist studying ways in which the application of language analysis can improve the delivery of justice. Such approaches have informed her work on online paedophile behaviour and ways in which rape cases are reported. Forensic linguists have assisted investigators and legal decision makers, either in pursuit of particular operational goals or in making improvements to their day-to-day professional practice. Nicola has considerable experience as a forensic linguistic consultant who has provided expert assistance in cases of fraud, blackmail, and murder, and delivered training on particular aspects of investigative practice, such as interviewing and online identity assumption.
For more information contact Dr Nicola McLeod
Professor Carole McCartney’s work focuses on criminal justice and policing collaboration across borders, with a particular interest in the regulation of DNA and the exchange of forensic information. She has published widely in these fields, and the wider nature of trust as a bedrock for cross national policing and criminal justice cooperation. She has worked in Britain and Australia, established an Innocence Project to address miscarriages of justice, and worked for the Nuffield Council on Bioethics.
For more information contact Professor Carole McCartney
Staff at Northumbria University have completed two projects charting stakeholder engagements with leading international policing agencies: EUROPOL and CEPOL (European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training). Both projects were conducted in partnership with Blomyer Sanz, a consultancy firm based in Spain.
Both projects sought to establish the extent to which the organisations a) identified appropriate partners within law enforcement, b) liaised effectively with stakeholders, c) provided appropriate services that added value to the work of the stakeholder, and d) the extent to which the agencies were achieving their broader mandates.
Both projects made use of quantitative data emerging from online surveys of stakeholders and expert key informants. State-level and regional Policing agencies, including some customs and border guards, from across Europe responded, including more than 160 agencies in relation to the study for CEPOL. This was supplemented by qualitative interviews carried out by the research team.
The CEPOL project report is available at https://www.cepol.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2018-cepol-stakeholder-engagement-survey_en.pdf
For more information please contact Professor Michael Rowe
Much of the work within Social Sciences focuses on policing related to various forms of vulnerability. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Francis Dr Pamela Davies, Dr Jamie Harding, Adele Irving, Dr Mary Laing, Professor Mike Rowe and Associate Professor Sarah Soppitt have completed a range of studies of domestic violence, homelessness, sex workers, sexual assault, and young offenders with a particular focus on police innovation in these areas.
Other dimensions of vulnerability are examined by colleagues, within the Northern Hub for Excellence and Innovation in Child and Adult Safeguarding. Staff in the Hub undertake multi-method research that aims to optimise the life chances of children and adults who experience a range of vulnerabilities and who often have multiple and complex needs. The Hub member’s work reflects particular expertise in child protection, child deaths and serious case reviews, adult safeguarding, mental health, mental capacity and psychological therapies. Members of the Hub include qualified social workers, health and allied healthcare professionals, teachers, barristers and solicitors.
A number of colleagues within Northumbria Law School are actively researching in areas relating to policing and vulnerability including; Professor Tony Ward, Professor Ray Arthur, Associate Professor Nicola Wake and Ann Creaby-Attwood. Professor Tony Ward and Associate Professor Nicola Wake are researching in the area of human trafficking and Professor Ward has recently submitted an application for British Academy funding to work with police officers in further researching this area. Professor Ray Arthur is a leading scholar in the field of youth justice and Ann Creaby-Attwood’s research focusses on vulnerable offenders in the criminal justice system and in particular offenders with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs).
The Social Sciences Dissertation Work Experience module provides a rare opportunity for our most talented students to undertake a research based dissertation with an external organisation. Northumbria University is proud to work with Northumbria Police to offer student research dissertation placements. Students spend 1 day a week on placement and undertake an agreed research project, based on a police research priority. The placement provides a unique opportunity for students to put into practice their research training, whilst also gaining first-hand experience of the importance of evidence based policing. If your organisation might be interested in benefitting from hosting placement students who can contribute research please contact as.placements@northumbria.ac.uk or Shân Williams on 01912437496. Below are some examples of recent student research projects:
Using qualitative research, this study investigates if there is a relationship between domestic violence and austerity.
Using qualitative interviews and literature research, this project aims to address the lack of opinions from offenders currently on the offender management programme. This research has identified minor yet resolvable issues but highlighted women require an entirely different approach to that applied to men.
This small scale qualitative research project aims to identify whether there has been a decline in alcohol use amongst youths engaging in low level criminal and deviant behaviour and whether there has been a growth in drug usage, including new psychoactive substances (legal highs).
This small-scale research explored the relationship between the police and domestic violence victims. The research found that whilst victim satisfaction overall was high and pleasing, there was room for improvement in the ‘follow-up’ areas of a case.
This is an exploratory study on the nature of the role of an Integrated Offender Management (IOM) police officer, based on their perceptions and experiences. The research concludes that the nature of the role of an IOM police officer is diverse but effective in managing offenders, although there is currently a lack of statistics and research to support this.
Ever since the first PCC election in 2012, anti-social behaviour has been a policing priority for Northumbria police and has been part of their police and crime plan. This small scale research project focuses on how Northumbria Police aim to reduce anti-social behaviour, particularly through working alongside partnership agencies.
PhD students add considerably to the cutting-edge policing research carried out across all faculties of the University. Collaborative PhD scholarships offer cost-effective opportunities for organisations to commission bespoke research, if your organisation would benefit please visit https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/research-degrees/ or contact graduateschool@northumbria.ac.uk. Current on-going and recent projects are underway on a wide-range of topics, including:
A key feature of our work at Northumbria is that research into crime and policing is multi-disciplinary and brings together expertise from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. We have 360° perspectives on the important challenges facing contemporary society. Some of the breadth and depth of our work is illustrated in relation to four key research themes.
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