Dr Kate Whitfield CPsychol
Senior Lecturer in Forensic Psychology
Summary
I joined the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics at Sheffield Hallam University in 2015. Prior to this, I held a lectureship in Investigative Psychology at Birmingham City University (2014-2015), a lectureship in Forensic Psychology at the University of Nottingham (2012-2014), and a research fellowship in Forensic Psychology at the University of Nottingham (2010-2012).
My research interests tend to focus on child protection, domestic abuse, crisis negotiation, hate crime, forensic organisational issues, identification of risk, and critical and major incident management
About
I hold a BA (Psychology and English) and BA (Hons) Psychology, both from Rhodes University in South Africa, as well as an MSc in Investigative Psychology and a PhD in Forensic Psychology, both from the University of Liverpool. My PhD thesis focused on police leadership during critical and major incident management.
I joined the Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics at Sheffield Hallam University in 2015. Prior to this, I held a lectureship in Investigative Psychology at Birmingham City University (2014-2015), a lectureship in Forensic Psychology at the University of Nottingham (2012-2014), and a research fellowship in Forensic Psychology at the University of Nottingham (2010-2012).
My research interests tend to focus on child protection, domestic abuse, crisis negotiation, hate crime, forensic organisational issues, identification of risk, and critical and major incident management.
My main teaching interests are in the areas of Forensic Psychology, Social Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. I supervise a number of undergraduate and postgraduate research dissertations, usually in the area of Forensic Psychology, as well as several PhD students.
Academic and Professional Qualifications
BA Psychology and English, Rhodes University, South Africa
BA (Hons) Psychology, Rhodes University, South Africa
MSc Investigative Psychology, University of Liverpool
PhD Forensic Psychology, University of Liverpool
Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol)
Senior Lecturer
My research interests tend to focus on child protection, domestic abuse, crisis negotiation, hate crime, forensic organisational issues, identification of risk, and critical and major incident management.
Teaching
Department of Psychology, Sociology and Politics
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Psychology
BSc (Hons) Psychology
BSc (Hons) Criminology & Psychology
MSc Psychology
Forensic Psychology (Level 5 & Level 6) - Module Leader
Living with Justice (Level 5) - Joint Module Leader
Offenders and Offending (Level 5) - Joint Module Leader
Psychology Research Project (Level 6)
Research Dissertation (Level 7)
Publications
Journal articles
Gerard, F.J., Whitfield, K., & Browne, K.D. (2017). Exploration of crime-scene characteristics in juvenile homicide in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Journal of interpersonal violence. http://doi.org/10.1177/0886260517702489
Gerard, F.J., Whitfield, K.C., Porter, L.E., & Browne, K.D. (2016). Offender and offence characteristics of school shooting incidents. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 13 (1), 22-38. http://doi.org/10.1002/jip.1439
Gerard, F.J., Browne, K.D., & Whitfield, K. (2015). Gender comparison of young people charged with murder in England and Wales. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology. http://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15596387
Gerard, F.J., Jackson, V., Chou, S., Whitfield, K.C., & Browne, K.D. (2014). An exploration of the current knowledge on young people who kill: a systematic review. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19 (5), 559-571. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2014.07.002
Browne, K., Whitfield, K., Jackson, V., Anaut, M., Daniunaite, I., Herczog, M., ... Zurovcova, H. (2012). Child abandonment and its prevention. Analele Ştiinţifice ale Universităţii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iaşi: Sociologie şi Asistenţă Socială, 2, 196-203.
Alison, L.J., Doran, B., Eyre, M., Mullins, S., Roocroft, J., & Whitfield, K.C. (2007). Decision-Making, Leading and Responding to Stress in Critical Incidents. Forensic Update, 88, 39-43. http://www.bps.org.uk/publications/member-network-publications/member-publications/forensic-update
Waring, S.K., Alison, L.J., Cunningham, S., & Whitfield, K.C. (n.d.). The impact of accountability on motivational goals and the quality of advice provided in crisis negotiations. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 19 (2), 137-150. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0030629
Book chapters
Gittens, E., & Whitfield, K. (2017). Behavioral assessment in investigative psychology. In Browne, K., Beech, A., Craig, L., & Chou, S. (Eds.) Assessments in forensic practice: a handbook. (pp. 122-136). John Wiley and Sons
Gerard, F.J., & Whitfield, K. (2016). The experiences of victims of online Islamophobia. In Awan, I. (Ed.) Islamophobia in cyberspace: hate crimes go viral. (pp. 151-166). Ashgate
Alison, L., Crego, J., Whitfield, K.C., Caddick, A., & Cataudo, L. (n.d.). Leading, co-operation and context in Hydra syndicates. In Alison, L., & Crego, J. (Eds.) Policing Critical Incidents: Leadership and Critical Incident Management. (pp. 95-123). Cullompton: Willan
Whitfield, K.C., Alison, L., & Crego, J. (n.d.). Command, control and support in critical incidents. In Alison, L., & Crego, J. (Eds.) Policing Critical Incidents: Leadership and Critical Incident Management. (pp. 81-94). Cullompton: Willan
Reports
Phillips, J., Hamilton, P., Coleman, C., Whitfield, K., & De Hoog, F. (2022). Promising approaches to knife crime: an exploratory study. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation. https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprobation/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/05/RAB-2022-03-Promising-approaches-to-knife-crime-v1.1.pdf
Browne, K., Chou, S., & Whitfield, K. (2012). Child abandonment and its prevention in Europe. University of Nottingham. https://bettercarenetwork.org/sites/default/files/attachments/Child%20Abandonment%20and%20Its%20Prevention%20in%20Europe.pdf
Theses / Dissertations
Wefers, S. (2021). Transnational child sex offending: understanding threat to disrupt and target. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Whitfield, K. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00427
Merry, O.J. (2020). Child Grooming: Predicting Level of Risk to Prioritise Offenders. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Whitfield, K. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00307
Presentations
Wefers, S., Gerard, F.J., Whitfield, K., & Drabble, J. (2019). Offender Characteristics associated with Transnational Child Sex Offending: A Systematic Review. Presented at: National Organisation for the Treatment of Abusers International Conference, Belfast, UK
Merry, O., Gerard, F.J., & Whitfield, K. (2018). Current Knowledge on the Differences between Contact and Non-Contact Child Grooming Offenders. Presented at: British Psychological Society's Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Newcastle, UK
Britton, E., Whitfield, K., & Duff, S. (2016). Risk of Boundary Violating Behaviour in a Secure Forensic Hospital. Presented at: British Psychological Society's Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Brighton, UK
Gerard, F.J., Whitfield, K., & Browne, K. (2015). Exploration of Crime-Scene Actions in Juvenile Homicide in the French-Speaking Part of Belgium. Presented at: Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, Orlando, USA
Gerard, F.J., Whitfield, K., Purdy, R., & Polisenska, V. (2015). Homicide in the Czech Republic: Influence of Age on the Crime-Scene Characteristics. Presented at: Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, Orlando, USA
Duff, S., Morrissey, C., & Whitfield, K. (2014). Factors associated with Arson Offending in Adult Males in High Security: A Comparison of Male Learning Disability Patients and Mental Health Patients without Cognitive Impairments. Presented at: British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Glasgow, UK
Ashworth, S., Whitfield, K., & Duff, S. (2014). Investigating Offline and Online Stalking: Are they Perceived Differently? Presented at: British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Glasgow, UK
Whitfield, K., Chou, S., Jackson, V., & Browne, K. (2012). The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children and Families: An Intergenerational Perspective. Presented at: British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Cardiff, UK
Keller-Hamela, M., Whitfield, K., Nalbantova, E., Zurovcova, H., Leth, I., Anaut, M., ... Browne, K. (2011). A Study of Child Abandonment and its Prevention in Europe. Presented at: Child Abandonment and its Prevention Conference, Warsaw, Poland
Browne, K., Nalbantova, E., Zurovcova, H., Leth, I., Anaut, M., Herczog, M., ... Whitfield, K. (2011). Child Abandonment and its Prevention in Europe. Presented at: ISPCAN European Regional Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Tampere, Finland
Cunningham, S., Whitfield, K., & Waring, S. (2008). Negotiation Tactical Decision Game. Presented at: North West Negotiators’ Conference, Conwy, UK
Alison, L., Almond, L., Doran, B., & Whitfield, K. (2007). Youth Offending Tactical Decision Game. Presented at: Youth Justice Board Conference, Liverpool, UK
Hermitage, P., Long, M., & Whitfield, K. (2007). Blueprint for Success. Presented at: Big Conversation III, Maidstone, UK
Alison, L., Doran, B., & Whitfield, K. (2007). Methodological Challenges in Critical Incident Decision-Making Research. Presented at: International Conference on Naturalistic Decision Making, California, USA
Whitfield, K., & Alison, L. (2006). Leading through Crisis. Presented at: British Psychological Society’s Division of Forensic Psychology Annual Conference, Preston, UK
Whitfield, K., Alison, L., & Crego, J. (2006). Participative and Empathic Leaders, Flexible and Creative Organisations. Presented at: Conference of the European Association of Psychology and Law, Liverpool, UK
Whitfield, K., & Alison, L. (2006). 10,000 Volts: A Lexis of Critical Incident Management. Presented at: Conference of the European Association of Psychology and Law, Liverpool, UK
Whitfield, K., & Alison, L. (2006). Leading through Crisis. Presented at: Conference of the European Association of Psychology and Law, Liverpool, UK
Whitfield, K., & Alison, L. (2005). Cognitive and Interpersonal Skills of Police Leaders. Presented at: International Investigative Psychology Conference, London, UK
Other activities
I am also a chartered member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a general member of the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology.
I received the Chief Constable's Certificate of Merit
Postgraduate supervision
Child Grooming: Predicting level of risk to prioritise offenders.
Juvenile Homicide: Exploration of the crime scene, offender and victim characteristics, using data from England, Wales, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
Boundary violations between staff and clients in healthcare and forensic settings.
The relationship between interrogative suggestibility, intellectual disability and personality disorder.
An exploration of staff burnout in medium secure forensic settings.