Criminology

Research in criminology at Keele is dedicated to the advancement in the fields of crime, punishment and criminal justice, grounded in sociological, theoretical, public policy and systematic empirical approaches. We regard criminology as a multidisciplinary field of study. Research conducted by our academics reflects our strengths and expertise in policing, crime prevention and community justice, the third sector in criminal justice, victimology, professional practice in criminal justice, cultural representations of crime and punishment, risk, governance and regulation, and race, gender and citizenship in criminal justice. We also conduct historical, comparative and psychosocial research on crime and justice, deploying a wide range of methodologies.

Research clusters, projects and institutes

Crime, social justice and policing cluster

Members of this team also make a significant contribution to the development and extension of criminological knowledge and social theory in general – helping to locate current, emerging and future potential challenges in their wider cultural and socio economic context. This in turn contributes to our ability to work with partners in ‘horizon scanning’, the prompt identification and analysis of emerging challenges and the formulation of strategies for proactive early intervention.

Keele Institute for Social Inclusion

Some of our researchers are also associated with Keele Institute for Social Inclusion, which draws together a vibrant community of partners across sectors to tackle the issues of inequality on a local, national and global scale. The Institute promotes and supports a wide range of interdisciplinary research, co-created with external partners, that seeks to identify, explain and overcome social, economic, political and cultural obstacles to egalitarian respect and social inclusion.

Police Knowledge Fund

Some of our researchers are also involved in the Police Knowledge Fund (PKF). The College of Policing has published an important report highlighting the PKF, a national programme of fourteen collaborative research projects, funded by the College with HEFCE and the Home Office.