scholarly journals Eyewitness identification procedures: Do researchers and practitioners share the same goals?

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-28
Author(s):  
Graham Pike ◽  
Catriona Havard ◽  
Gini Harrison ◽  
Hayley Ness

Research has undoubtedly led to a number of important changes to the way police obtain eyewitness identification evidence in a number of countries. However, despite these successes and the significant effort made by researchers to communicate key findings to public agencies, policy-makers and influential law enforcement personnel using a broad range of evidence, relevant policy and practice have either been very slow to respond or have not changed to incorporate the suggestions at all. In this article we employed an online survey to explore the knowledge and opinions of front-line policing practitioners in the UK regarding eyewitness research and practice. This was undertaken to determine how familiar less-senior, operational staff were with key research findings, what their opinions of current practice were and crucially, their views on how identification procedures should be improved compared with the recommendations made by researchers. The results revealed a fundamental mismatch between research and practice, with practitioners indicating a need to increase the rate of positive identifications and research tending to focus on methods of reducing false identifications. This result suggests that an approach driven by the need for the police to produce convictions may be an important factor that is blocking the translation of eyewitness identification research into practice.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Lisa Scullion ◽  
Katy Jones ◽  
Peter Dwyer ◽  
Celia Hynes ◽  
Philip Martin

There has been an increasing focus in the UK on the support provided to the Armed Forces community, with the publication of the Armed Forces Covenant (2011), the Strategy for our Veterans (2018) and the first ever Office for Veterans’ Affairs (2019). There is also an important body of research – including longitudinal research – focusing on transitions from military to civilian life, much of which is quantitative. At the same time, the UK has witnessed a period of unprecedented welfare reform. However, research focused on veterans’ interactions with the social security system has been largely absent. This article draws on the authors’ experiences of undertaking qualitative longitudinal research (QLR) to address this knowledge gap. We reflect on how QLR was essential in engaging policy makers enabling the research to bridge the two parallel policy worlds of veterans’ support and welfare reform, leading to significant policy and practice impact.


Author(s):  
Nathalie Huegler ◽  
Natasha Kersh

AbstractThis chapter focuses on contexts where public discourses regarding the education of young adults have been dominated by socio-economic perspectives, with a focus on the role of employment-related learning, skills and chances and with active participation in the labour market as a key concern for policy makers. A focus on ‘employability’ alone has been linked to narrow conceptualisations of participation, inclusion and citizenship, arising in the context of discourse shifts through neoliberalism which emphasise workfare over welfare and responsibilities over rights. A key critique of such contexts is that the focus moves from addressing barriers to participation to framing social inclusion predominantly as related to expectations of ‘activation’ and sometimes, assimilation. Key target groups for discourses of activation include young people not in education, employment or training (‘NEET’), while in- and exclusion of migrant and ethnic minority young people are often framed within the complex and contradictory interplay between discourses of assimilation and experiences of discrimination. These developments influence the field of adult education aimed at young people vulnerable to social exclusion. An alternative discourse to ‘activation’ is the promotion of young people’s skills and capabilities that enables them to engage in forms of citizenship activism, challenging structural barriers that lead to exclusion. Our chapter considers selected examples from EduMAP research in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland which indicate that as well as framing the participation of young people as discourses of ‘activation’, adult education can also enable and facilitate skills related to more activist forms of citizenship participation.


2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 20-36
Author(s):  
Mike Fisher

This paper concerns the impact of social work research, particularly on practice and practitioners. It explores the politics of research and how this affects practice, the way that university-based research understands practice, and some recent developments in establishing practice research as an integral and permanent part of the research landscape. While focusing on implications for the UK, it draws on developments in research across Europe, North America and Australasia to explore how we can improve the relationship between research and practice.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-119
Author(s):  
S. Geuens ◽  
◽  
T. Sagar ◽  
D. Jones ◽  
◽  
...  

Objective: The Student Sex Work Project was set up at Swansea University (Wales) to locate students involved in the sex industry, discover their motivations and needs, and provide an evidence base for the development of policy and practice with regard to the phenomenon. Design and Method: Data was gathered through an online survey. A crosssectional design was employed. Participation was not randomized. The recruitment of respondents focused on Wales, later extending to the UK. Respondents were recruited through different channels e.g. the NUSE database, strategic campaign, etc. to a total of 6,773 respondents. Ethical approval was granted by the College of Law Research Ethics board at Swansea University. Results: Student involvement in the sex industry in the UK is a fact, both for female and male students. The prevalence of students considering to take up seks work is even larger. Student’s motivations for going into sex work range from financial to pleasure oriented. Conclusions: The student sex work project offers the empirical foundation needed in the ongoing political and academic debates on the phenomenon of student sex work. Data provided by the student sex work project debunks several cultural myths about who we imagine to be the ‘average’ student sex worker.


2020 ◽  
pp. 026101832091181
Author(s):  
Sarah Pollock

In the UK, individuals with limited English-language proficiency (LEP) self-report poorer health and face challenges accessing health and social care support. Health and social care policies in English speaking countries provide practitioners with guidance that ensures access to public service interpreters for individuals who require them. The guidance simultaneously discourages the use of informal language brokers, including family and friends, suggesting that they are not educated or objective enough to conduct this role, and that they present unmanageable risks. This poses a challenge, as research exploring patient and service user choices, finds that individuals consistently prefer an informal language broker. The paper explores the contradiction between a legislative shift towards empowerment and choice within social work and the policies that restrict these rights in relation to interpretation. Exploring these challenges with a focus on policy and practice, leads to the suggestion that individuals should be empowered to choose who provides their language support. In contrast, existing policies increase the power imbalance between professionals and users of services, significantly affecting the life chances of those with LEP.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayse Lisa Allison ◽  
Fabiana Lorencatto ◽  
Susan Michie ◽  
Mark Miodownik

Background : An estimated 2.5-5 billion single-use coffee cups are disposed of annually in the UK, most of which consist of a plastic lining. Due to the difficulty of recycling poly-coated material, most of these cups end up as litter or in landfill. As hot beverage consumption is a consumer behaviour, behaviour change interventions are necessary to reduce the environmental impacts of single-use coffee cup waste. Basing the design of interventions on a theoretical understanding of behaviour increases transparency of the development process, the likelihood that the desired changes in behaviour will occur and the potential to synthesise findings across studies. Aim: The present paper presents a methodology for identifying influences on using single-use use and reusable cups as a basis for designing intervention strategies. Method and application : An online survey and follow-up interviews were developed by a multi-disciplinary group of practitioners, health psychologists, material scientists, behavioural scientists and catering staff. They used two behaviour change frameworks: The Theoretical Domains Framework and Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour model of behaviour. Research findings can inform selection of intervention strategies using a third framework, the Behaviour Change Wheel. The application of the methodology is illustrated in relation the setting of a university campus. Conclusions : We have developed a detailed method for identifying behavioural influences relevant to pro-environmental behaviours, together with practical guidance for each step and a worked example.


2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (5) ◽  
pp. 457-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athula Sumathipala ◽  
Sisira Siribaddana ◽  
Sudath Samaraweera ◽  
D. A. R. K. Dayaratne

Sri Lanka is an island situated close to the southern tip of the Indian subcontinent with a land area of about 65 000 km2. The population in 2001 was 18.5 million. It has an interesting genetic diversity, its five main populations revealing both European and Asian origins. Although Sri Lanka is a developing country, it has strengths that other developing countries do not have, mainly in health and education. However, Sri Lanka lacks a research culture and has inadequacies in its research capabilities; hence, capacity building is essential. Based on our research findings, we plan to achieve this by working with professionals, statutory services, policy-makers and the public. Our model is international collaboration based on our own research agenda. Such partnerships can produce high-quality research, with greater influence on national policy and practice (Costello & Zumla, 2000).


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 144-154
Author(s):  
Lisa Oakley ◽  
Kathryn Kinmond ◽  
Justin Humphreys

Purpose A previous publication in this journal reported the findings of a 2013 survey into people’s experiences of membership of a Christian church in the UK (author citation removed for the purposes of review). A major finding of this survey was that many people said they had been “harmed” by their experience with some labelling it as “Spiritual Abuse” (SA). Respondents in the 2013 study also stressed the importance of developing safeguarding policy and practice in this area. The purpose of this paper is to explore the findings of a more extensive survey conducted in 2017 which aims to identify people’s understanding of SA some four years after the initial work and within a context of some discussion and uncertainty around the term itself. The study also aims to assess the current status of safeguarding policy and practice in SA perpetrated against individuals in the Christian church in the UK. A secondary aim of the study is to ascertain how far understandings, policy and practice have developed since the initial survey was conducted. It is emphasised that the authors do not assert that SA is perpetrated solely in the Christian church. However, as this is their personal religious background it is the focus of this work. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods online survey of Christians, Church attendees and members of Christian organisations was conducted in 2017. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, inductive thematic and content analysis. Findings A clear definition of SA is required. There is an ongoing need to develop policy and practice in the area of SA in order to respond effectively to those who have these harmful experiences. Research limitations/implications This work has been conducted within the Christian faith community and thus, represents only this faith context. Accordingly, it is research with a specific group. The work would usefully be expanded to other faith contexts. Practical implications People are still being harmed by experiences in the Christian church. Safeguarding policy and practice in the area of spiritual abuse needs to be developed in the immediate future. Social implications Those working in statutory agencies, faith and community contexts need to develop an understanding of SA. Originality/value This is the largest survey conducted on the topic of SA in the Christian faith to date in the UK.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Brown ◽  
Kathryn Ecclestone ◽  
Nick Emmel

Social injustices, structural and personal crises as well as intensifying stress on some citizens seem increasing preoccupations in contemporary society and social policy. In this context, the concept of vulnerability has come to play a prominent role in academic, governmental and everyday accounts of the human condition. Policy makers and practitioners are now concerned with addressing vulnerability through an expansive range of interventions. As this special issue draws attention to, a vulnerability zeitgeist or ‘spirit of the time’ has been traced in contemporary welfare and disciplinary arrangements (Brown, 2014, 2015), which now informs a range of interventions and approaches to social problems, both in the UK and internationally. As prominent examples, ‘vulnerable’ people are legally entitled to ‘priority need’ in English social housing allocations (Carr and Hunter, 2008), vulnerable victims of crime are seen as requiring special responses in the UK criminal justice system (see Roulstoneet al., 2011; Walkgate, 2011), ‘vulnerable adults’ have designated ‘protections’ under British law (Dunnet al., 2008; Clough, 2014) and vulnerable migrants and refugees are increasingly prioritised within international immigration processes (Peroni and Timmer, 2013). There is a long tradition in the field of social policy of critiquing the implications of particular concepts as mechanisms of governance, from poverty (Townsend, 1979; Lister, 2004) and social exclusion (Levitas, 1998; Young 1999) to risk (Beck, 1992; Kemshall, 2002) and resilience (Ecclestone and Lewis, 2014; Wright, 2016). Yet while vulnerability seems to be one of the latest buzzwords gathering political and cultural momentum, critiques and empirical studies of how it is operationalised in different policy and practice contexts are less well elaborated.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Holman ◽  
Sarah Salway ◽  
Andrew Bell ◽  
Brian Beach ◽  
Adewale Adebajo ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The concept of ‘intersectionality’ is increasingly employed within public health arenas, particularly in North America, and is often heralded as offering great potential to advance health inequalities research and action. Given persistently poor progress towards tackling health inequalities, and recent calls to reframe this agenda in the UK and Europe, the possible contribution of intersectionality deserves attention. Yet, no existing research has examined professional stakeholder understandings and perspectives on applying intersectionality to this field. In this paper we seek to address that gap. Methods: drawing upon a consultation survey and workshop undertaken in the UK. The survey included both researchers (n=53) and practitioners (n=20) with varied roles and levels of engagement in research and evaluation. Topics included: familiarity with the term and concept ‘intersectionality’, relevance to health inequalities work, and issues shaping its uptake. Respondents were also asked to comment on two specific policy suggestions; targeting and tailoring interventions to intersectional sub-groups, and evaluating the intersectional effects of policies. 23 people attended the face-to-face workshop. The aims of the workshop were to: share examples of applying intersectionality within health inequalities research and practice; understand the views of research and practice colleagues on potential contributions and challenges; and identify potential ways to promote intersectional approachesResults: Findings indicated a generally positive response to the concept and a cautiously optimistic assessment that intersectional approaches could be valuable. However, opinions were mixed and various challenges were raised, especially around whether intersectionality research is necessarily critical and transformative and, accordingly, how it should be operationalised methodologically. Nonetheless, there was general agreement that intersectionality is concerned with diverse inequalities and the systems of power that shape them.Conclusions: In the UK health inequalities policy and practice context there are a number of potential ways forward for intersectionality in helping to understand and tackle such inequalities.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document