My current and most recent projects (below) use interviews to gather in-depth data on people’s experiences of miscarriages of justice and of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exploring Experiences of Miscarriages of Justice
(2019-; BA/Leverhulme funded)
Miscarriages of justice may arise from inadequate defence, poor forensic science, mistaken eyewitness
testimony, official wrongdoing, and false confessions (Wildeman et al., 2011). Individual vulnerabilities
and systematic biases increase their likelihood of occurrence. For example, previous involvement in
criminal activity may lead to confirmation bias in an investigation, resulting in exculpatory evidence being
overlooked, or erroneous interpretation of forensic evidence (Dror & Bucht, 2011); false confessions are
increasingly likely from individuals with intellectual impairments or personality characteristics such as
suggestibility, particularly where pressured interviewing techniques have been used (Gudjonsson, 1992);
and implicit bias towards marginalised groups such as the homeless or those suffering with mental illness
potentially impacts upon the course of justice at all levels, and including those working in the Criminal
Justice System and members of the public who may be eyewitnesses or jurors in a case. Through
interviews with individuals who have experienced a miscarriage of justice we are exploring individual
vulnerabilities that may have contributed. This project will broadly enhance our understanding of
vulnerability to miscarriages of justice and how these vulnerabilities affect how the person experiences
life before, during, and beyond incarceration.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Justice Voluntary Sector
(21-22, funded by Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector Forum)
Through individual interviews with staff representing service delivery through to senior management,
and across a range of Third Sector Organisations (TSOs), we explored how organisations and the sector as a whole have
been impacted, and how they have adapted in these circumstances to ensure continuity of support to
service users. The study captured important learning, such as the main challenges faced by the sector
during COVID-19, new ways of working established in this context, and the priorities and needs of
organisations for the future.
Linked output: Covid-19-impact-on-the-justice-voluntary-sector_CJVSF-1.pdf (ccpscotland.org)
Coping with COVID-19: Experiences of Third Sector Criminal Justice Workers (2020-21)
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) had to quickly pivot to new
ways of working whilst supporting more service users with more complex needs than ever
before. Whilst experiencing changes to their jobs, a stressor in itself, third sector staff had the same
pandemic-related anxieties around health, job security, finances etc. This inter-disciplinary project
explored how people’s jobs have changed, how they coped with those changes, and how
organisations have adapted to ensure continuity of support for service users.
Linked output: Covid-19-impact-on-the-justice-voluntary-sector_CJVSF-1.pdf (ccpscotland.org)