BSC member Richard Sparks has been commissioned by ESRC to write a discussion document on aspects of the current research landscape in the area of Crime and Justice, including attention to ESRC’s recent/current funding of work in the area and, more particularly, the scope for possible new strategic investment.  He is working to a short time-scale (by June this year). He wants to make the document as wide-ranging, inclusive and creative as possible and for this reason he is seeking the views of BSC members.

Let him know if you feel there are important gaps in the current research, what is needed to support future development and what are the capacity building needs. He also wants to know about your thoughts on opportunities for interdisciplinary research. Can criminology engage beyond the social sciences, what are the opportunities for international research perspectives, and what is the potential for impact beyond the research community? Are there any current initiatives amongst other funders/ users funding research of which ESRC should be aware?

Richard is not asking you to try to address all these questions. Rather, he would like you to nominate as few or many issues as seem to you to be of particular importance. It might (if you wish) be appropriate to organize your thoughts in terms of two ‘headings’: i) areas of particular strength and interest in your observation of the field, broadly considered, over the last few years; ii) coming challenges, gaps and opportunities for the next ten years or so.  He will be as content with one-line suggestions as with longer or more detailed responses. Feel free to discuss this collectively with members of your department or research group and offer a joint response.

Guidance Notes

Contact: r.sparks@ed.ac.uk