Dr Sanjidah Islam, Researcher and Analyst at TONIC.
Supporting Victims and Survivors in the Criminal Justice System and Wider Settings.
Supporting Victims and Survivors in the Criminal Justice System and Wider Settings
Using the experience I have gained from my PhD and TONIC projects, I work closely with policing and judicial systems, as well as third sector organisations to help develop policies and services that support victims and survivors. The UK criminal justice system, particularly in England and Wales, currently lacks emotional support of and understanding around the needs of victims of crime. This is especially the case with vulnerable victims and witnesses, so anyone with a learning disability, mental health condition, children, and people who have experienced violent crimes. This population might actually account for around 50% of victims of crime (e.g. Burton et al. 2006), yet emotional and sometimes even practical support for people to take their case through to trial can be minimal.
Research into these areas is so important, and at TONIC we strive to ensure the quality of data collected helps to shape policies that will inevitably assist stakeholders in providing the best possible services to benefit the public. We have previously helped councils shape strategies to tackle violence against women and girls, and this has included assessing services that need additional funding to support people who have experienced this. We pride ourselves in placing the public’s voice at the heart of the work we do, and so a lot of our research involves people with experience of the area we are researching.
How do we go about conducting research?
Again, both through my PhD and research for TONIC, I have drawn from a range of different research methods to enhance knowledge and inform services. I consider myself a mixed methods researcher, meaning I collect and analyse statistical data to provide an overview of what we are looking at, and I also collect qualitative data (e.g., open-ended questions in surveys, interviews, and more) to gain an in-depth understanding of issues and possible solutions. I work with staff and the public to gain a holistic understanding of issues, and this dual perspective has helped create policies and services that are mutually beneficial and sustainable at the same time.
In terms of how I have collected data, this includes literature reviews and systematic reviews of existing data – there is no point reinventing the wheel if there is a lot of data out there that just needs collating in one place. I have carried out observations, surveys and interviews, as well as focus groups to understand issues. I have also used the Hydra Suite, a state-of-the-art simulation suite used mostly by emergency services in the UK and across the world, to gather information to help inform judicial services. This is particularly helpful to understand how scenarios can pan out in a safe and highly realistic setting.
What is it like conducting this research?
It is incredibly rewarding conducting research in this area. That’s not necessarily why we do it, but it is a welcomed side-effect of conducting important research that really helps to change people’s lives. We are careful, sensitive and respectful when we explore experiences from the people who know best – people with lived experience of what we are looking into. It is a privilege and honour when people with lived experience take their time to give us insight so we can help change services for the better. We continuously undergo professional development to ensure our methods are as safe and up-to-date as possible. This not only helps build relationships with the people we are interviewing or the stakeholders we work for, but also ensures our outputs are to a high standard.
It has to be said as well – the people we work with, both inside the TONIC team and the stakeholders who approach us to carry out research – are fantastic. It can be challenging, emotionally and in terms of the intensity of the work, but we are well-supported, and this helps us carry out work in an efficient and sustainable way. Working with different mediums of conducting research is not only interesting, but also ensures we are as adaptable as possible when it comes to fieldwork.
Written by Dr Sanjidah Islam, Associate Researcher and Analyst at TONIC.
Burton M., Evans R., & Sanders A. (2006). Are special measures for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses working? Evidence from the criminal justice agencies. Home Office Online Report 01/06.