Crime & Justice

Understanding Experiences of Child Contact Disputes (2018)

Kate worked as part of a team commissioned by the Scottish Legal Aid Board (SLAB) to help them understand the experiences of people involved in child contact disputes.  The research involved depth interviews with a range of people, including legal aid applicants involved in child contact disputes, solicitors, Sheriffs who deal with cases that go to court, as well as those providing family mediation services and other voluntary support agencies.

Electronic Monitoring Action Research Project (2016)

For Glasgow Community Justice Authority, Kate carried out research into the local use and understanding of electronic monitoring.  The research involved engagement with a range of professional and non-professional stakeholders (including CJSW, Sheriffs, SPS and third sector staff), using one-to-one interviews, mini-workshops and deliberative community events, to ensure that the voices of all interested parties were represented.

Evaluation of the Polmont Peer Learning Hub (2015)

For the Scottish Prison Service, Kate led interviews with educators and prison-based learners involved in a new peer learning hub and observation of sessions to evaluate processes put in place to deliver the scheme and perceived early impacts/perceptions of success.  Kate led all stages of the work, including final reporting.

Prolific Illegal Driving Behaviour: A Qualitative Study (2013)

A commission on behalf of Transport Scotland to recruit and interview a number of self-confessed prolific illegal drivers and to explore motivations for illegal driving practices, perceptions of risk (of accidents and detection) and what may work in deterring future offending behaviour. Kate led qualitative interviews with offenders and undertook all analysis and reporting.

Evaluation of Summary Justice Reforms to Bail and Undertakings (2011)

The work involved interviews with Sheriffs, Solicitors, Lay Justices, Judges, Police, victims and accused to explore recent changes and perceived impacts of legislative changes to bail and undertakings in Scotland.  Two separate research reports were produced for the Scottish Government summarising learning from the evaluations.

Exploring SJR Impacts on Victims, Witnesses and members of the Public (2011)

Research for the Scottish Government to explore the overall impact of the package of Reforms on Victims, Witnesses and members of the Public.  Primary data collection involved depth interviews with victims and professional, expert and lay witnesses, as well we support organisations, development and delivery of deliberative workshops with members of the public as well as observational research techniques.