Tell us about yourself

I’m deputy director for Transform Justice, a national charity which uses research and advocacy to work for a fairer, more effective, more compassionate criminal justice system. I lead Transform Justice’s work promoting the use of ways to resolve crime without going to court. We challenge the enthusiasm for use of courts and prisons to solve problems in our society and advocate instead for greater use of ways to resolve crime without going to court, including out of court resolutions, diversion and restorative justice. We have produced research on public and victim views of out of court resolutions and wrote a good practice guide for police forces on how to increase effective use of these options.

I have also co-authored reports on assaults on police and NHS staff, use of detention in police custody, and the overuse of custodial remand for children. I lead Transform Justice’s CourtWatch London programme which brings members of the public into magistrates’ courts to observe criminal hearings and report back what they see.

I’m a trustee of the charity Unlock, which supports and advocates for people with criminal records, and volunteer for the charity Circles South East and the Tower Hamlets police community scrutiny panel.

Why did you want to become a Research Affiliate?

Having reached the end of my Translational Research Fellowship, becoming a research affiliate seemed an excellent way to remain connected with the Centre, particularly on our shared interest of diversion and out of court resolutions. I was also keen to engage with the Centre’s researchers and co-investigators, as well as the wider network of fellow Affiliates.

Transform Justice is always seeking opportunities to engage with others on the issues that we care about. I hope being a research affiliate will provide one more route through which those opportunities will arise. If you would like to discuss any aspect of Transform Justice’s work – be that on resolving crime without going to court, assaults on police, use of police remand for children, or localising criminal justice – I’d be delighted to hear from you!

How does your research connect to the Centre’s mission and values?

The Centre is currently undertaking a programme of research on promoting the effective use of police-referred diversion of (adult) vulnerable people away from court/prosecution. I believe our work promoting out of court resolutions will complement this broader piece of work.

More broadly, our work promoting the effective use of diversion for vulnerable people drawn into the criminal justice system aligns closely with the values and principles of the Centre and the aim to improve outcomes for vulnerable people. It also advances the findings and conclusions of completed Centre research projects such as its scoping review on defendants as victims.