Centre
Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE)
Unit(s) of assessment: Social Work and Social Policy
Research theme(s): Health Innovation
School: School of Social Sciences
Overview
The Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE) contributes to:
- the understanding of victimisation risk and crime harm which has informed crime reduction strategies and initiatives at an international, national and local level;
- the transformation agenda for change in the Criminal Justice System through the development of new knowledge that is co-constructed with those who offend, in order to change lives, influence policy, and innovate criminal justice practice;
- enhancing the evidence base around community engagement in order to enable police forces and their partner organisations to more effectively involve local citizens in helping prevent crime;
- promoting narratives of inclusion and prevention to improve the reintegration and wellbeing of people who have offended, and/or those vulnerable to offending.
Our work relates to School Themes, such as:
- Crime reduction
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Safety and security of societies
Research groups
COPE includes individual researchers from the departments of Social Work, Education, Youth Justice, Psychology and Sociology, as well as four research hubs. You can learn more about them below.
Harm and Stigma Prevention in Forensic Psychology (HASP-FP)
The Harm and Stigma Prevention in Forensic Psychology (HASP-FP) is a multidisciplinary research group made up of academic researchers and practitioner psychologists. They focus on topics within forensic psychology, with a dedication to evidence-based practices and making a real, tangible difference for those involved in their research and for stakeholders engaged in forensic practice.
Learn more about the Harm and Stigma Prevention in Forensic Psychology (HASP-FP) research group
Critical Criminology and Social Justice Research Group
The Critical Criminology and Social Justice Research Group seeks to challenge conventional understanding of crime, deviance, and the social process of criminalisation; question the assumptions, concepts and categories through which criminology frames its concerns; and the methods by which it seeks to arrive at these understandings. We aim to challenge the legislative definitions of crime, problematise the limitations of ‘crime’ as a centre of analysis, and focus instead on issues of social harm and social justice.
Learn more about the Critical Criminology and Social Justice Research Group
Quantitative and Spatial Criminology Research Group
Our research identifies the individual, household and area characteristics that shape your risk of being a victim of crime. The research knowledge we have generated directly informs crime reduction policy and initiatives. Recent research has focused upon topics such as international crime drop and the role of security in reducing crime, crime inequalities and victimisation, understanding prolific shop theft motivation and perception of security, and violence in the night-time economy.
Hate Crime Research Group
The Hate Crime Research Group brings together NTU academics, researchers, ECRs and PGR students to discuss research, develop research ideas and facilitate collaboration on hate crime. Specifically, the group focuses on examining the causes, consequences and responses to hate crime both nationally and internationally. Correspondingly, the Hate Crime Research Group has two key aims: advance understanding of hate crime and promote knowledge exchange.
Learn more about the Hate Crime Research Group
Part-time self-funded PhDs with COPE
The Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention & Engagement (COPE) specialises in criminal-justice related research that can change minds, shape policy and practice and benefit society. We have a compassionate and inclusive approach, and we welcome people with lived and worked experience of the CJS.
Information about part-time PhDs can be found on our PhD pages. Typically, people complete part-time PhDs alongside other work -ideally spending at least one day a week on their PhD. Find out more about fees for a part-time PhD. Fees in 23/24 were approx. £197 per month.
We have numerous training courses to support people on their PhD journey. We also invite applicants to look at NTU's research themes.
COPE Project 01
Professor Belinda Winder - please contact belinda.winder@ntu.ac.uk
What evidence is there for licence conditions contributing to public safety and/or the reintegration of people with a criminal conviction? Do they 'work'? Are they 'harmful'? Are they fair? Do people receive appropriate licence conditions? Are there differences based on ethnicity? gender?
COPE Project 02
Dr Ian Mahoney - please contact ian.mahoney@ntu.ac.uk
What is the impact of closures of physical courts and a move towards digital solutions upon journeys to and access to justice, and how are these experienced by different groups within society?
COPE Project 03
Dr Becky Thompson - please contact becky.thompson@ntu.ac.uk
Has what is stolen from individuals, households, and businesses changed over time and what role, if any, have ‘changing rewards’ played in this?
COPE Project 04
Dr Irene Zempi - please contact irene.zempi@ntu.ac.uk
The experiences of transgender individuals in the criminal justice system in England and Wales
COPE Project 05
Dr Craig Harper - please contact craig.harper@ntu.ac.uk
How can we understand and prevent image-based sexual abuse among people who create adult content online?
Upcoming events and webinars
Future events for the 2024/25 academic year will be added here shortly.
Past events and webinars
A webinar delivered by Dr Jonathan Kenyon, Imam Farooq Mulla, and Associate Professor Jens Binder, who shared their knowledge and experience around extremist views, radicalisation, and terrorism.
Sign up for alerts about future events
Do you want to receive e-mail alerts about upcoming COPE webinars and events?
Research highlights
Explore key published research from COPE members.
Holistic Approaches to Reducing Reoffending
Rahmanara Chowdhury
This book provides a fresh lens through which to view existing debates within desistance and (re)settlement literature. The book encourages different perspectives alongside offering a range of theoretical and conceptual ideas as well as practical examples towards holistic framing of current approaches. The book was developed as a result of work carried out under the Developing Academic Practice and Engagement project, with the editors currently exploring how some of their work can be implemented in practice settings.
Memetic War: Online Resistance in Ukraine
Tine Munk
In the Ukrainian war, an informal defence tactic has developed to uphold the information flow about the war and to debunk Russia’s communications. The war has enhanced the visibility of governmental and civic activation by using the advantages of social media architecture, networks, and communication forms. Memetic War analyses memetic warfare included in cyber war and aims to develop a framework for understanding the parameters included in utilising this concept in Ukraine as a part of civic resistance. In doing so it explores Ukraine’s public and private abilities to develop cyber capabilities to counter propaganda and dis-and-misinformation online as a defence mechanism.
Experiences of Family and Friends of People with Sexual Convictions
Rahmanara Chowdury, Simon Scott, Michael Underwood, Belinda Winder, Stuart Allardyce, Rachel Armitage, Celeste Berti, Nicholas Blagden, Katie Duncan, Nadia Wager, Andrea Wakeham-Nieri
This research project explores the experiences of family members and friends of people arrested for or convicted of a sexual offence, with particular focus on the experiences of those closely connected. Previous research revealed that partners of people arrested for a sexual offence often experience profound loss, trauma, and significant changes in their self-perception and thought processes following the moment of arrest, often referred to as 'The Knock'. Our forthcoming research aims to build on these findings and extend the scope to include other affected parties within this sphere of impact, such as the children of the people arrested or charged. An additional objective of this project is to advocate for enhanced support mechanisms for those impacted.
Sexual Crime Book Series
Sexual Crime is an edited book series devised by a team at SOCAMRU led by Professor Belinda Winder in the Psychology Division at Nottingham Trent University.
It offers original contributions to specific avenues of research within the field of sexual crime with each volume drawing together a review of the literature from across disciplines, including cutting edge research and practice, original material from services and people with sexual convictions themselves as well as future directions for research and practice.
These volumes are highly relevant to clinical and forensic psychologists and therapists, managers and supervisors of people with convictions, social workers and those working in the field of rehabilitation. They are a great source of insight for academics, researchers and students in these disciplines as well as criminologists and policy makers.
New volume out - Sexual Crime, Victims and Survivors.
Understanding Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress in People Who Committed a Serious Violent or Sexual Offence and People Who have been Associated with Gangs
Perpetration-Induced Traumatic Stress (PITS) is a form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with symptoms such as flashbacks, psychological distress, avoidance, negative mood, or extreme guilt. PITS is typically considered in relation to trauma which has occurred in the performance of duty (for example, by police officers or veterans); there is little research investigating PITS in people who have committed harm against others (whether individually or in gangs) as part of a sexual or violent offence. Symptoms of perpetration-induced traumatic stress may not be treated, formally diagnosed or even recognised.
We are running two separate research programmes: one focusing on individuals and the second focusing on gangs (ie people who committed an offence as part of a gang affiliation).
We are therefore recruiting participants (professionals who have worked with individuals who committed serious violent or sexual offences or gang members, individuals themselves, and their associates e.g. family members, friends, (ex-)partners, colleagues) to interview about their experiences in knowing/working with people who have committed an offence.
For more information click on the links above or get into contact with us directly via email: Belinda.winder@ntu.ac.uk
Explore ongoing research projects and opportunities to get involved:
The research aims to establish whether transformative justice supports women with convictions to reintegrate into communities; whether it facilitates social connections and promotes equality.
Transformative justice, women with convictions and uniting communities - Nuffield Foundation
Get in touch: contact Ian Mahoney or Tirion Havard
Can one have too much of a good thing?
A recently published Neurobiosocial Theory for Disorders of Overcontrol (Lynch, 2018) challenged the view that “the more self-control, the better”. Excessive self-control – overcontrol – is now suggested to be as problematic as insufficient self-control and has potential to lead to adverse life outcomes.
As of now, there isn’t a standardised assessment measure of overcontrol that could be used for research and clinical purposes, resulting in limited access of overcontrolled individuals to tailored help. NTU PhD candidate, Alex Lambert, is working towards developing and validating a new scale for this purpose under the supervision of Prof Belinda Winder (NTU), Dr Christine Norman (NTU), Dr Laura J Hamilton (NTU), and Adj. Prof. Pedro Pires (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro).
If you are interested in this topic and Alex’s work and want to find out more, you can contact her on alex.lambert@ntu.ac.uk.
A range of evidence suggests that members of the public, professionals, and victims of sexual violence often demonstrate inaccurate knowledge of sexual offence legislation. This can have a range of negative implications for reporting, investigating, and supporting victims of offences such as rape and assault by penetration. PhD Candidate Tadgh Tobin (supervised by Drs Craig Harper, Rebecca Leivesley, and Jennifer Mackay) is working to understand where public understanding and legal definitions diverge, how this occurs, and what roles of myths, stereotypes, and other psychosocial factors have in labelling and making sense of sexual violence. The work hopes to help improve reporting and disclosures, while shedding light on the experiences and perceptions of victims and perpetrators that do not fit the archetypal sexual offence.
If you are interested in the topic, or want to hear more about Tadgh’s work, you can contact him via email at tadgh.tobin@ntu.ac.uk.
More information coming soon.
This programme of research explores the challenges that people with a serious criminal conviction face integrating into society. Find out more here.
If you are interested in undertaking a full or part-time PhD in a related area, please contact me for an informal chat belinda.winder@ntu.ac.uk
Training opportunities
Muslim Cultural Awareness (for predominantly forensic contexts)
Dr Rahmanara Chowdhury in the School of Social Sciences can offer bespoke training which will focus on cultural awareness, in particular for those working with Muslim communities within forensic contexts.
The course will cover broad theoretical frameworks within Islamic psychology, development of cultural insights and implications for practice.
This 2-hour course is aimed at anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of Muslim culture in order to inform their practice, and can be delivered at your place of work. To enquire about accessing this course for you or your organisation, contact Kelly Smith, Commercial Manager for the School of Social Sciences at kelly.smith@ntu.ac.uk.
Pint of Justice
We proudly introduce ‘Pint of Justice,’ a monthly series of informal talks about real-world issues presented by leading academics and held at the Cosy Club, Nottingham City Centre. They feature a short informal talk from an expert on a topic followed by a Q&A and open discussions/debates while enjoying a drink.
‘Pint of Justice’ is designed to break the gap between research and the public and is dedicated to making research truly accessible for all.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
The Centre for Crime, Offending, Prevention and Engagement (COPE) submitted an impact case study to REF 2021. Discover the real-world impact of their research.
PhD funding
Interested in a PhD? Find out everything about funding your doctoral studies - from tuition fees and loans and modes of study, to studentships and external funding.