My role and experience conducting research in the Criminal Justice System

As a chartered psychologist, it is my role to ensure that research in the criminal justice system ensures the safety of our team and our participants; that our work is trauma informed, empowering, offers people a voice in shaping services and systems, but also does not place unnecessary burden on an already stretched system. I have been lucky enough to undertake research in 58 prisons across England and Wales, secure hospital settings, probation offices, police custody suites, and courts.

What is it like to conduct research in prisons?

We are fortunate enough to be well accommodated when undertaking research in the justice system, but we cannot ignore the parameters in which we often have to work. Regimes, security priorities, limited physical space, noise, and distraction are all features of prison research. Our job is to carefully balance the needs of our ‘clients’ (those commissioning the research), with the needs of the participant in front of us and the needs of the staff facilitating our visits. We are always conscious to undertake work ‘with’ not ‘to’, we try to leave people better off than when we came and abide by trauma-informed research principles of collaboration, choice, empowerment, trust and safety.

As a team we touch base regularly and have access to our own independent supervisor; recognising that some of the things we may hear and see in these spaces could be distressing; especially when we might feel limited in our ability to make wide-scale change. Working in the justice system also means we are privileged to see some unbelievable untapped talent and potential. Some of the most creative pieces of art, poetry and music have been seen during our research which we have, more recently, encouraged through new methodological approaches such as body mapping.

Reflections

In closing my team takeover, I want to share some reflections in my 17 years undertaking criminal justice research.

• A non-judgemental stance is pivotal when conducting research in justice settings - considering not what someone has ‘done’ but what someone’s story is, their lived experience, and their potential as a victim as well as a perpetrator.

• Consider how many times someone may have told their story, how can you be compassionate and ensure the individual giving their time feels that something good may come out of engaging with research?

• Consider what you are bringing or representing within an interview or focus group; the power dynamic, how can you make someone feel most comfortable, safe, valued or heard in the confines of an oppressive system?

• It’s ok to ask for support if you feel shocked, saddened, or distressed at what you may have seen or heard.

• Don’t make empty promises to your participants - so many people in the justice system feel they have been let down time and time again - don’t add to this. If you can’t do something, don’t say you can. Be clear about your role and its parameters, often as a vehicle for their voice to be heard and your commitment to do justice to their narrative.

• Think about how you can share your findings back with your participants so you are giving something back rather than just ‘taking’ data.