Staff profiles
Dr
Katherine Albertson (nee Wilkinson)
Research fellow
BA, PhD
Phone 0114 225 5417
Email k.albertson@shu.ac.uk
Subject areas
Sociology, criminology, social theory, research methods
Katherine began her research career from a social work/welfare studies background by conducting an evaluation of the special needs provision in a Welsh primary school. The research methods and methodologies used reflected Katherine's commitment to collecting interview data in an empowering way.
Katherine completed her BA at the University of Sheffield in 2001 and was awarded her PhD at the University of Nottingham in 2005, entitled, 'Ulrich Beck's 'risk society' thesis and representations of food and eating in the British general interest women's magazine sector 1979-2003'.
Katherine joined the team as a researcher at the Hallam Centre for Community Justice in 2005. She has since been promoted to research fellow.
Research interests
- criminal justice areas
- prison-based research - the 'offender voice'
- voluntary sector services provided in the prison estate
- women
- research evaluation
- empowering methodologies
Research and consultancy projects
Katherine has interviewed over 300 offenders and (ex) offenders. This has involved accessing32 different prisons across the estate, including women's and high security establishments. Interviewing offenders on licence in the community has involved visiting probation services across the country. Katherine has also recently completed a small desistence study with (ex) offenders in the Sheffield and Doncaster area. This involved collecting (ex) offender narratives using an in-depth life history interview technique with participants.
Katherine is currently involved in a year-long evaluation of the Writers in Prison Network, an evaluation of the South Yorkshire Police Restorative Justice Program evaluation and a small consultancy project around Mother and Baby Unit provision in Yorkshire and Humber.
Katherine has previously been involved in the following evaluation work
- An area-based Intensive Alternative to Custody (IAC) Pilot Evaluation
- The Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Pioneer Site Evaluation
- A National Intensive Alternative to Custody (IAC) Project Evaluation
- An evaluation of the Sheffield Justice Panel Pilot Program
- An evaluation of a Health and Wellbeing Service within the probation service
Katherine also has experience of managing three prison-based evaluation projects
- the activities of the Prison Radio Association
- the Ideas Project which fosters innovation and enterprise amongst Prison Service staff in prisons in London and Surrey
- the Breakthrough BME Prison In-Reach Drugs Project at HMP/YOI Doncaster
Katherine has had a broad range of experience of conducting research in the wider criminal justice area, having been involved in
- a piece of consultation work concerning the development of a Student Workbook for RSPH Level 2 Award in Understanding Health Trainer Champions in Prisons and the Wider Community
- an evaluation of the educational support services provided by a Youth Offending Team in North London
- an evaluation of the Sheffield Prolific and Other Priority Offenders Service
- an evaluation of South Yorkshire's Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Services (IDVAS)
- a piece of consultation work with stakeholders from the City of Leicester designed to support the development of a sexual violence strategy in partnership with the Safer Leicester Partnership
These experiences have enabled Katherine to continue her commitment to developing interview techniques which aim to demystify the interview situation, enhance the interviewee's self-identification of their own abilities and skills, whilst also supporting and reinforcing self-confidence and self-esteem.
Publications
Journal articles
Bird, H and Albertson (nee Wilkinson) K. E (2011) ' Prisoners as citizens, Big Society and the Rehabilitation Revolution: Truly Revolutionary?', British Journal of Community Justice, Vol. 9 (1/2): 93-109.
Wilkinson, K and Nandi, M (2009) 'Inside Job at HMP Downview: Media and Employment, Training and Education Opportunities in Prison', Prison Service Journal, No. 182; 48- 52.
Wilkinson, K and Flintoff, P (2008) 'Prison staff and voluntary sector working together to break the cycle of domestic violence: A case study', Prison Service Journal, No. 176: 26-33.
Wilkinson, K and Greenshields, J (2007) 'Inside Innovation: Fostering the spirit of enterprise amongst Prison Service Staff', Prison Service Journal, No. 172, 17- 23.
Occasional paper series reports
Wilkinson, K with Davidson, J (2010) An Evaluation of the Prison Radio Association's Activity Year 3: The Way Forward, Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University: ISBN 978-1-84387-326-6.
Wilkinson, K with Joanna Davidson (2010) An Evaluation of Breakthrough BME Prison In-Reach Project at HMP/YOI Doncaster, Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University: ISBN 978-1-84387-323-5.
Wilkinson, K with Joanna Davidson (2010) The Ideas Project, Final Evaluation Report, Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University: ISBN 978-1-84387-319-8.
Wilkinson, K (2009) The Doncaster Desistence Study, Occasional Paper Series, Sheffield Hallam University: ISBN 978-1-84387-305-1.
Wilkinson, K and Davidson, J (2009) An Evaluation of the Prison Radio Association's Activity Year 2: A Model for Support, Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University, ISBN 978-1-84387-285-6.
Wilkinson, K and Davison, J (2008) 'They've been my Lifeline', An Evaluation of South Yorkshire's Specialist Domestic Violence Court Initiative: The Independent Domestic Violence Advocacy Service. Occasional Paper Series, Sheffield Hallam University HCCJ: ISBN 978-1-8438-7284-9.
Hamilton, P, Wilkinson K and Meadows, L (2008) 'The Answers are Within Me': An evaluation of a person centred counselling service for men at HMP Doncaster who have had experience of domestic violence 2005- 2007. Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University, ISBN 1-84387-27-2-2.
Wilkinson, K (2007) Inside Innovation: An Evaluation. Occasional Paper Series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University, ISBN 1-84387-260-9.
Wilkinson, K and O'Keeffe, C (2006) 'Raging anger within me': An evaluation of a person centered counselling service for male victims and perpetrators of domestic violence at HMP Doncaster 2005- 2006. Occasional paper series HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University, ISBN 1-84387-257-9.
O'Keeffe, C and Wilkinson, K (2006) 'I ain't no tea lady': Identifying and addressing barriers to non-traditional employment, training and education from a female perspective, Occasional Paper series, HCCJ: Sheffield Hallam University, ISBN 1-84387-178-5.
Internal evaluation reports
Wilkinson, K and Davidson, J (2011) A Progress Assessment of South Yorkshire's Specialist Domestic Violence Court Initiative.
Wilkinson, K and Davidson, J (2010) An Evaluation of The Shannon Trust West Midlands Reading Network.
Wilkinson, K and Ball, L (2008) Evaluation of the student workbook for Health Trainers in Prisons and the Wider Community: Based upon: RIPH Level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement.
Cowburn, M., Wilkinson, K., Davidson, J., Bains, H. and Ellingworth, D. (2009) Preventing and responding to sexual violence in Leicester: draft strategy. (Unpublished report for Safer Leicester Partnership) Sheffield; Hallam Centre for Community Justice, Sheffield Hallam University.
Wilkinson, K and Davidson, J (2008) 'An evaluation of the Prison Radio Association's Activity: Year 1 report: The West Midland's Prison Radio Taster Project, Equal.
Wilkinson, K and Davidson, J (2008) Inside Innovation Year 2: An Evaluation.
Wilkinson, K (2007) Inside Innovation: An evaluation of the delivery of a project promoting innovative thinking amongst prison service staff.
Wilkinson, K (2007) Awareness Raising Workshops: Internal Evaluation Report for the Women Into Work: Building Futures, Action 3, Round 2, Theme H, SOVA.
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