Capturing online safety risks offline: working together for a whole community approach

Screenshot of animated video "What do children want to help them stay safe online? - Views from children in Blackpool", featuring adults and children sat down using laptops

By Dr Larissa Engelmann, Professor Corinne May-Chahal and Dr Christine A. Weirich, published: 06/02/2024. Efforts to prevent online harm among children mostly take place after harm has occurred, e.g. using artificial intelligence to detect images online, or beforehand through schools and educational initiatives. Yet online sexual abuse continues to increase. Most significantly in the aftermath of the …

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Through the Cracks in County Lines

A white and orange train moving at speed on railway tracks

By Dr Tobias Kammersgaard and Dr Chris Devany, published: 23/10/2023. This blog was originally published on the N8 PRP website. The term ‘county lines’ is used to refer to the practice of drug sellers from larger cities travelling to smaller towns to distribute illicit drugs. Exploitation is common as those involved will often recruit, groom …

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Police learning: a way to rebuild trust in policing?

Two female police officers stood with their backs to the camera, both wearing hi-vis fluorescent jackets with the word 'police' on them.

By Dr Larissa Engelmann, published: 06/06/2023. “There is a crisis of confidence in policing in this country which is corroding public trust. The reasons are deep rooted and complex – some cultural and others systemic. However, taken together, unless there is urgent change, they will end up destroying the principle of policing by consent that has …

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Uncovering the causes of police racial disparities

Two Metropolitan Police officers wearing hi-vis stood in Trafalgar Square, London, with members of the public walking around

By Dr David Rowlands, published: 18/04/2023. The disproportionate stop and search (S&S) of young black people is an enduring issue that sparks significant media coverage and political discussion, with implications for police legitimacy. Indeed, racial disparities exist in other areas of policing and are repeated in the wider Criminal Justice System. While the MacPherson Inquiry (1999) …

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