Research

FEATURE: While police agencies have increased their supportive responses to the trauma that can damage staff wellbeing, the role of leaders and managers in taking a preventative approach to organisational stressors has been largely overlooked; now a new paper from the Australian Institute of Police Management and Griffith University sets out a Leadership for Wellness Strategy that could address those gaps, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

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.

ANALYSIS: Ten years after the pilot of the first Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) in England and Wales, this vital safeguarding tool is now on the statute books; while other countries around the world have introduced similar schemes, Dr Katerina Hadjimatheou of Essex University believes the approaches adopted both in England and Wales and South Australia  around who can be given information, and when and how disclosures can be made, set an example for other countries to follow.

ANALYSIS: In this fifth and final article in a month-long series celebrating International Women’s Day, Dr Emma Williams, Dr Linda Maguire, Dr Arun Sondhi and Richard Harding of the Open University’s Centre for Policing Research and Learning share some important insights about the ground-breaking Operation Soteria Bluestone project currently underway to transform the police response to Rape and Serious Sexual Offences.

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.

INNOVATION: A team from the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region are collaborating with colleagues across Europe to develop an app that uses machine learning to find and block images of child sexual abuse on personal devices – potentially protecting thousands of children while allowing police to target resources on the most persistent and prolific offenders, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

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.

ANALYSIS: In the fourth of a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, the Open University’s Dr Shona Morrison, and Daryl Baguley of the Diane Modahl Sporting Foundation, highlight a lesser-known form of violence against young women and girls – exploitation of vulnerable girls in the context of drug dealing and organised crime groups, known in the UK as ‘County Lines’ drug dealing.

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.

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.

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.

FEATURE: As the discussion continues around the role of education and degrees within policing in the UK, the policing education qualifications framework (PEQF) has remained contentious; Dr Emma Williams and Jennifer Norman explore the current situation regarding the PEQF and police qualifications, and where the debate about professionalisation in policing goes from here.

FEATURE: Disability hate crime has increased significantly in recent years, with autistic people and those with learning disabilities often targeted; Dr Mark Brookes, Advocacy Lead at support and campaign group Dimensions UK, outlines some of the work the organisation is already doing with policing to improve the response to disability hate crime, and the resources and training opportunities available that could help police to tackle such crimes and provide better support to victims.

ANALYSIS: In the third of a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, Kendal Wright and Dr Keely Duddin of the Open University’s Policing Organisation and Practice Department share an insight into a ground-breaking study exploring women’s experiences of motherhood in the police.

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.

ANALYSIS: Drones are proving an increasingly popular tool in the armoury of police, public sector and military organisations – as well as in the hands of criminals and terrorists; but new research from Germany has highlighted software faults in drones produced by the dominant market manufacturer which could leave the machines open to hi-jack and operators locatable and at risk, as Policing Insight’s Andy Staniforth reports.

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.

ANALYSIS: The recent shooting of PSNI DCI John Caldwell has once again turned the spotlight on terrorism in Northern Ireland, but former Police Scotland Superintendent and terrorism expert Martin Gallagher believes many of the supposed ‘freedom fighters’ in the Troubles and other terrorist campaigns were more interested in reputation and criminal gain than any cause, and are turning to organised crime to maintain their relevance and power.

ANALYSIS: In the second in a month-long series of articles celebrating International Women’s Day, Dr Holly Taylor-Dunn and Dr Anna Hopkins of the Open University’s Policing Organisation and Practice Department share details of two key research projects that concern the policing of domestic abuse.

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.

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.

ANALYSIS: Police officers and staff investigating child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) are regularly exposed to traumatic images and videos; but following a survey of officers in 2022, and a conference for CSAE investigators earlier this year, Dr Theresa Redmond of the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) highlights that it’s often the culture and work-based support around the officer, rather than the horrific imagery itself, that has the greatest impact on wellbeing.

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.

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.