Features

Opinion: In the third of three articles, former Australian police officer and public speaker Shane Mallory explores the notion of security in modern culture and what this means for our society.

Opinion: Forensic evidence can make or break a criminal case, so what happens when bias is involved? Dr Lee Curley and Dr James Munro examine the impact of bias and the role psychology can play in understanding it.

Opinion: All workplaces have their own 'culture' and policing is no exception. In the second of three articles, former Australian police officer and public speaker Shane Mallory says understanding that workforce culture 'is feeling' is the necessary starting point to enabling change.

OPINION: How sex and gender identity should be defined in law and policy has become one of the most controversial of contemporary debates. The role of the police is in turn a topic of considerable contention. Dr Kath Murray, a Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, warns that police forces must acknowledge both perspectives in the debate for the sake of their own legitimacy.

INSIGHT: Staffordshire is one of the few forces that has successfully pressed ahead with merging police and fire governance. With Phase 1 now complete, Senior Project Manager Richard Battams and Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis offer a unique insight into the process and what has been achieved so far.

ANALYSIS : Despite public concern, sex offenders cannot remain imprisoned indefinitely; but many schemes do little to rehabilitate such offenders. Jamie Walvisch, Monash University; Kelly Richards, Queensland University of Technology, and Lorana Bartels, Australian National University look at what works to protect the community.

Opinion: In this insightful and thought-provoking blog, Dr Dev Maitra of the University of Suffolk examines the riots that took place in the UK in 2011 and how the subsequent under analysis of what happened hampers our understanding of serious youth violence.

Interview: Social media provides a powerful tool for police to communicate with communities but criminal justice media expert Lauri Stevens tells Policing Insight police forces are not harnessing the full potential of online networks.

Analysis: The tragic deaths of 39 people in a container lorry in Essex have once again shone a spotlight on human trafficking and the EU's continuing struggle to prevent organised criminals exploiting Europe's frictionless borders. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth takes a closer look at the challenges.

INTERVIEW: Former head of the National Crime Agency's Drugs Threat and Intelligence Tony Saggers tells Policing Insight there has never been a 'war on drugs' and the time has come to adopt a different approach to tackling the problem.

Opinion: Policing is in need of a drastic cultural shift away from its current process and control driven state. Former Australian police officer and now public speaker Shane Mallory discusses the fear and suspicion that currently plagues police culture and how to address it.

Analysis: The Police Innovation Fund was introduced in 2013 and replaced by the Police Transformation Fund in 2016, but how successful has it been in bringing the latest innovation and technology to police forces? Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth argues the time is now right for a full evaluation.

INTERVIEW: Warwickshire OPCC are to fund 11 road safety organisations as part of a major strategy to reduce casualties following a 160 per cent increase in road this year. Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe explains how the strategy will work and Annette Lloyd who runs The Honest Truth tells Policing Insight why her organisation was chosen.

Opinion: Between 2015 and 2017, the cost of organised crime to Australia increased exponentially to $36 billion. Based on the figures, Dr John Coyne from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute argues the current 'Whac-a-Mole' policing approach to tackling the problem isn't working.

analysis: Independent police and crime panel members are generally younger, more diverse, better skilled and more representative of their communities. In his fourth paper, based on his research into police and crime panels, Dr Roy Bailey evaluates the effectiveness of independent panel members.

ANALYSIS : A new law passed in New Zealand promises to decriminalise drug use in favour of a public health approach. Prof. Max Abbott, Auckland University of Technology, argues that the move is a positive step towards addressing the real impact of drugs - so long as it doesn’t get lost in translation.

Interview: Release's Y-Stop project is by young people for young people, supporting and guiding them on communicating effectively with the police during a Stop and Search. Youth Lead and Associate Researcher Amal Ali talks to Policing Insight about the project and why it's important young people have a voice.

ANALYSIS : With extreme weather and Brexit dominating the headlines, it might seem sensible for emergency planners to advise people on what to do in a crisis. But when Police Scotland did just that with their #grabbag tweet, it got all the wrong kind of attention. Dan Slee, co-founder of comms2point0, examines the fallout.

ANALYSIS : Cuts to police budgets can mean hard choices. But what might this mean to the victims of incidents like retail crime? Dr Emmeline Taylor, of City, University of London, explores the fallout from retail crime - but argues that we need to move beyond the police response.

Opinion: The high-profile case of a 15 year-old convicted of trying to build a bomb has highlighted the importance of early intervention to combat extremism, via the Government's Prevent strategy. Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth outlines the tension between free speech and trust in the classroom and the importance of preventing the ever-increasing radicalisation of young people.

Opinion: Health and wellbeing are high on the agenda with many forces looking for ways to offer better support for their employees. Simon Hall, CEO of PoliceBox, says a significant stressor is poor technology. Here he examines its impact on officers' and staff health and wellbeing.

Innovation: Domestic homicides in the UK have reached a five-year high. Lucy McDonald, SafeLives’ Programme Lead for Scotland, highlights the organisation's groundbreaking work with Police Scotland to train its officers to recognise the early warning signs of domestic abuse and safeguard victims earlier.

INNOVATION: "Wellbeing Vans" are now being offered to police officers and staff across forces in England and Wales giving them fast and easy access to a range of physical, psychological and financial 'healthchecks'. Oscar Kilo's Digital Resource and Engagement Officer Jenna Flanagan updates Policing Insight on their progress.

OPINION: The number of rapes reported has soared but convictions are at an all-time low. Ian Wiggett highlights the challenges of a Crown Prosecution Service under pressure, growing demands of disclosure in a digital world and police forces struggling with demand and a shortage of resources.