Analysis

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: In this latest article from the UCL Jill Dando Institute, Dr Manja Nikolovska and Professor Shane Johnson explore the surge in COVID-19-themed bio-assaults – coughing, sneezing and spitting – on key workers and members of the public.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: In this latest article from the UCL Jill Dando Institute, Mariam Elgabry discusses the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the growing problem of bio-crime both in the UK and abroad.

ANALYSIS: Policing Insight contributor Sarah Gibbons outlines the findings of the latest report from the Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material, highlighting the need for stronger governance and clarity on the use of biometrics technology.

ANALYSIS: The rise of adult services websites (ASWs) has opened up a new conduit for human traffickers to advertise the women they exploit. However, it's possible to spot characteristics in the profiles that may indicate that a sex worker has been trafficked. Dr Xavier L’Hoiry and Dr Alessandro Moretti of the University of Sheffield, and Professor Georgios Antonopoulos of Teesside University explain what might give such profiles away.

ANALYSIS: The lack of interoperability between police systems wastes taxpayers’ money and reduces effectiveness, says Coeus Software CEO Simon Hall. So how can police ICT escape from the silos of legacy systems?

ANALYSIS: A new report by the Revolving Doors Agency highlights the bias in the criminal justice system which leads to disproportionate numbers of young Black adults receiving cautions and convictions for low-level, non-violent crimes.

ANALYSIS: In the wake of the National Crime Agency's successful global operation against organised crime, Policing Insight contributor Andrew Staniforth discusses how law enforcement agencies are combatting the cartels and whether this is working.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: Dr Kartikeya Tripathi and Professor Claudia Cooper from the UCL Jill Dando Institute examine how the risk of becoming a victim of cybercrime has increased for older people during lockdown and how this threat can be tackled.

ANALYSIS: Last week saw the release of Australia’s long-awaited Cyber Security Strategy, and a pledge to spend A$1.67 billion over the next decade. Damien Manuel, Director of the Centre for Cyber Security Solutions at Australia's Deakin University, looks at how the funding will be used – and who will be the main winners and losers.

ANALYSIS: Launched three years ago, Merseyside Police's innovative Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Knowledge Hub hosts around 150 pieces of research; in 2019 it staged its first event, showcasing some of the research and their practical applications. PS Andrew Fielding explores the presentations and the benefits of EBP to policing.

ANALYSIS: The speed with which coronavirus legislation was introduced, and its reach, led to calls for additional human rights-based scrutiny of the emergency powers. Solicitor Advocate John Scott QC, who chaired Scotland's independent advisory group on the issue, explains how the group was established and operated, some of the lessons learned, and how Scotland led the way.

ANALYSIS: In October 2018, Canada became the first G7 and G20 nation to regulate cannabis. Professor Bill Bogart of the University of Windsor discusses the recent report by Transform, the British think tank focused on the reform of drug laws, which argues that Canada’s programme to legalise and regulate cannabis has gone well.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: In this article taken from a series by the UCL Jill Dando Institute focusing on crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Richard Wortley assesses the potential impact of the coronavirus lockdown on child sexual abuse, and highlights prevention strategies.

ANALYSIS: Police forces and public services around the world prepare for crises such as COVID-19 – but was UK policing ready for the pandemic? Benoit Guerin, senior researcher at the Institute for Government, sets out the findings of a new report which explores forces' readiness and response to the coronavirus, and highlights lessons learned.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: In this article taken from a series by the UCL Jill Dando Institute focusing on crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Gloria Laycock OBE analyses the crime statistics on distraction burglaries and discusses how this type of crime is set to increase during lockdown.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic Dr Michael Frith from the UCL Jill Dando Institute discusses residential burglaries and how lockdown restrictions have forced offenders to change their tactics.

ANALYSIS: Following the publication of the Financial Action Task Force mutual evaluation of the UAE arrangements for combating illicit finance, Deloitte Middle East’s Public Safety leader, Andrew Morley, makes the case for going after the proceeds of crime and identifies the key elements of an effective framework for doing so.

Analysis: The militarisation of police departments in the United States has been a feature of domestic law enforcement since 2001. Visiting Associate Professor of Sociology at Emmanuel College Tom Nolan examines the impact of this approach on civil disorder.

ANALYSIS: The recently announced review of police and crime commissioners could see an expansion of their role, a raised profile, and a 'potentially explosive' review of their relationship with chief constables, as Ben Twomey, Head of Policy and Research at the National Youth Advocacy Service explains.

Analysis: Thames Valley Police Superintendent and WeCops team member Katy Barrow-Grint summarises the latest WeCops debate on the impact of COVID-19 on police mental health, wellbeing and fatigue. The debate reached an audience of 3.8 million on Twitter – the largest so far.

Analysis: The latest in our Report Watch series summarises HMICFRS inspection of police forces' call-handling and contact management centres in 2018/19

ANALYSIS: The fatal shooting of a New Zealand police officer and wounding of his colleague has reignited the debate on arming the police. Dr. Ross Hendy, Lecturer in Criminology in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University, discusses the impact and attitudes towards routinely arming the police.

ANALYSIS: The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for all sectors of policing. David Page, a former police officer who specialised in intelligence and counter-terrorism (CT), and who is now a university lecturer and consultant, explores the impact of the pandemic on CT.

UCL COVID-19 SERIES: Dr Rick Brown and Amelia Hickman from the Australian Institute of Criminology consider how online gambling can be a precursor to offending behaviours such as fraud and domestic violence and how this risk has increased during lockdown.