Institute of Criminal Justice Studies

Research at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies

The Institute of Criminal Justice Studies (ICJS) is a multi-disciplinary department with an extensive range of research activity, pure and applied. A number of our staff are leading figures in their fields of scholarship and ICJS has over 20 research active staff. A full listing of staff research interests and staff publications can be found on our academic staff pages.

Our research is organised under four interconnecting Research Clusters, which are responsible for delivering our research strategy, for our research seminar programmes, for our Visiting Research Scholar scheme and for research mentoring and development.

Comparative and International Crime and Justice

Cluster Leader: Dr Francis Pakes

The Comparative and International Crime and Justice Cluster fosters research on criminology and criminal justice from a comparative and international perspective. This includes studies that involve comparisons examining multiple jurisdictions but also research looking at transnational crime, international terrorism and manifestations of globalisation and its impact on criminal justice discourses and arrangements is also part of the Cluster’s focus. A number of key research themes are listed below:

Policing, Crime and Investigation

Cluster Leader: Professor Stephen Savage

The Policing, Crime and Investigation Cluster is a multi-disciplinary umbrella for research on policing, probation and criminal and forensic investigation. As well as staff from ICJS, the Cluster includes staff from the School of Law, the Portsmouth Business School (forensic accounting) and the Department of Psychology, all of whom are part of the University of Portsmouth’s ‘Forensics Forum’. The Policing, Crime and Investigation Cluster embraces the following research themes:

Risk, Security and Counter Fraud

Cluster Leader: Dr Alison Wakefield

The Risk, Security and Counter-Fraud Research Network brings together a diverse body of researchers, students and practitioners sharing research interests in societal and organisational risk, the delivery of security from both public and private sector perspectives, and the distinct challenge of fraud and its effective control. Coming from a variety of disciplinary and career backgrounds, we are interdisciplinary in our outlook and committed to the development of applied research that can inform policy and practice. Our research interests cut across the following areas:

Youth, Crime and Social Justice

Cluster Leader: Professor Carol Hayden

This research cluster focuses primarily on research to do with young people and families in trouble and the youth justice system. It includes broader issues to do with crime prevention and social justice. Aspects of our research that focus on social justice are wide ranging and include access to education, training and employment for vulnerable groups. A number of studies are based on comparative research.