Research and scholarship
The Helena Kennedy Centre's establishment of a research strategy (and the subsequent emergence of a research leadership group, research advisory committee and research implementation group) has resulted in an explosion of research engagement and interest in the department. Our research activity continues to expand under the direction of Professor David Best. Significant activity has taken place around existing and new, national and international projects.
The subject themes of the centre are linked to the growing expertise in the departmental research clusters, namely
Human Rights and Social Justice
Our expertise in this area includes international and comparative human rights law and institutions, and social justice issues in relation to, for example, children, gender, sexuality and ethnicity. Our findings impact on legislation, policy and practice in human rights and social justice either in the UK or globally.
Learning and Teaching, including Clinical Legal Education
Our commitment to learning and teaching focuses on key themes of providing high quality and popular programmes, delivering outstanding teaching, developing a culture of continuous improvement and providing an excellent infrastructure to support learning and teaching.
Desistance and Recovery
This area of work builds on two existing strands of research expertise – in pathways to addiction recovery and desistance from offending. These two themes combine in innovative work around the relative pathways to desistance and recovery for substance using offenders.
Socio-legal Studies
This research includes activities in public law and international law, with comparative research on issues as diverse as equality and human rights, the administration of justice and training and developmental needs. There is an increasing focus on social justice within the context of the EU.
Criminal Justice Institutions
We have established expertise in the core areas of police, probation and prisons for both adults and young people. We carry out research into police oversight and accountability, innovations in probation research and incarceration for adults and young people.