Weekly academic research summary
LATEST RESEARCH: This summary curates the key policing-related research that's been published online in the last week, with links to the original journal articles, and selected abstracts.
OPINION: While LGBTQ+ people in Australia experience disproportionately high levels of sexual violence, to date little has been known about their experiences of sexual crimes or of seeking support; now new research by a team of academics from the University of Tasmania and the University of Melbourne has highlighted the significant impact of such crimes, gaps in the provision of support, and failings in some of the responses to those who do choose to report the crime.
FEATURE: The UK’s continuing participation in the Horizon Europe research programme – a scheme that has funded a number of innovative policing and security research projects – has been in some doubt, with the funding guarantee due to end on 31 March; but the Government has now confirmed a further extension of the guarantee until the end of June 2023, with more news on the UK’s continuing engagement in the programme due soon, as Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth reports.
INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Cardiff University Professor of Criminology Mike Levi about a public health approach to combating fraud, the importance of understanding why particular approaches work in specific environments, and the role of mystery shoppers in fighting organised crime.
ANALYSIS: Female police officers often find themselves the subject of online misogynistic and sexist abuse – both from current former colleagues, and members of the public – much of which focuses on their physical appearance; University of York Lecturer Dr Susan Watson believes that addressing these issues will be crucial if the service is to successfully recruit and retain a female workforce.
FEATURE: In the last in The Police Student current series on Key Issues in Contemporary Policing, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly explores the crisis around police wellbeing and mental health, including the impact on officers of dealing with traumatic and stressful events, how changes to staffing levels, resources and opportunities for recovery have exacerbated welfare concerns, and what needs to be addressed going forwards.
ANALYSIS: This month’s 2023 Australian threat assessment maintained that the risk of terrorist attacks was ‘possible’ rather than ‘probable’; but Dr John Coyne, head of the Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, warns that the domestic terror threat hasn’t gone away, and that policing’s focus on early intervention around extremist beliefs could prove counter-productive.
FEATURE: New research suggests that by 2026, one in every four people will spend at least an hour a day in the metaverse to work, study, shop and socialise; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at what this will mean for law enforcement, and how organisations such as INTERPOL are playing a key role in preparing policing for a very different beat.
INTERVIEW: In the latest in a series of interviews with leading figures involved in the research and investigation of organised crime, Policing Insight’s Chris Allen spoke to Mark Nuttall, Director of Risk Solutions at Thomson Reuters, about his early investigations into crystal meth and GHB dealing, the geopolitical challenges of tackling organised crime, and how successful criminals increasingly act and operate like business CEOs.
INTERVIEW: Police forces globally must embrace new technologies to remain at the cutting edge of gathering, processing and prioritising intelligence; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to Det Supt Brian Hanna of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), and Graham Kissock, PSNI’s Head of International Programmes, about developing the force’s intelligence capabilities through participation in a new pan-European network of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
LONG READ: Despite four decades of recognition of the challenges a policing career poses to officers’ mental health and wellbeing, police organisations still seem to struggle to deliver an effective response for their workforce; new research by Policing Insight’s Dr Alan Beckley and colleagues at the University of Technology Sydney highlights the nature and scale of those challenges, and will explore what interventions work best.
FEATURE: With terrorism increasingly evolving online, the need for effective partnerships between police and the tech industry has never been stronger; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at new research which highlights the progressive, co-operative and collaborative partnerships between law enforcement and the private sector to tackle the online terror threat.
ANALYSIS: Predictive hotspot policing has been heralded by some as the way to do more with less and secure better outcomes, but others have questioned its effectiveness and the dangers of reinforcing bias; Criminology Lecturer Dr Daniel Marciniak, a key speaker at the recent Policing in the Age of the Machine conference, looks at the learning from existing research into predictive policing, and where the approach goes from here.
FEATURE: Policing cultures and issues over poor and unethical behaviour have been a concern for police forces around the world, with many pointing to the misconduct of individual ‘bad apples’; but research by organisational ethicist Dr Eva Tsahuridu of Victoria Police Registration and Services Board highlights the influence of organisational factors on poor behaviour and the need to address them, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.
FEATURE: People exploited by the human trafficking and organ trafficking industries are often regarded as victims of organised crime, but the reality can be much more complex; Policing Insight’s Keith Potter looks at examples of poverty-driven trafficking and victims becoming victimisers, which were highlighted during the recent 24-hour Conference on Global Organised Crime.