2023.3 March Bulletin
Sent on behalf of Prof Manuel Eisner
Dear Colleagues
I hope everybody is enjoying the beginning of Spring and longer days. Here is an update on important news in the Institute (Bulletin below and pdf attached):
- Prize winning Korean visitor
- Best Presentation Award
- The Lift
- New Visitor Policy
- New Staff/Visitors
- Student Initiatives
- New Risk Assessment Process – working with offenders
- Risk Management Strategy
- Invitation to join the Postcolonial Theory & Law Discussion Group
- Safe storage & charging of E-bikes and E-scooters
- Institute Events
- Job Opportunities
- Publications
- Funding Opportunities & News
- Other events
- Miscellaneous
Institute of Criminology
Bulletin March 2023
Notices
Jane Dominey is delighted to report that the research report Suchul Kim produced while with us at the Institute has been judged one of the best pieces of work from his cohort of South Korean civil servants supported by the South Korean government for study abroad. A number of you will remember Suchul from his time as a visiting scholar with the Centre for Community, Gender and Social Justice in the academic year 2021/2022 and will have heard him speak about the use of electronic monitoring in the South Korean probation service. Suchul thanks us for the support that he received at the Institute.
Congratulations to Klea Ramaj who was recently awarded the ‘Best Presentation Award’ by the Program Committee of the 'International Conference on Children's Health and Adverse Childhood Experiences' in Paris, France, for her presentation on 'Patterns of Associations between Child Maltreatment, Maternal Childhood Adversity, and Maternal Mental Well-Being: A Cross-Sectional Study in Tirana, Albania' on February 6th, 2023.
Positive news on the lift. Everybody in the Institute will have noticed that noise was not as bad as anticipated. Thanks a lot to everybody who helped rearrange the teaching. The work is making good progress and we expect it to be finished in the next few weeks. The testing phase, starting next week, might be a little noisy but we are nearly there. Thank you for your patience.
Over the past months we have developed a new visitor policy. Our goal was to clarify the various types of visitors, what they can expect from the Institute, how the application process works, and what we expect visitors to contribute. The new approved policy is available on the Intranet/Sharepoint under Institute Policies. If you are planning to invite visitors, please consult the guidance.
The main changes are the following:
- for all groups of visitors we have introduced a bench fee. They range from £50 per month for visiting students to £6000 per year (pro rata) for visiting practitioners and professionals. The bench fees help us to pay for some of the associated expenses.
- Each academic within the Institute may nominate one visitor per academic year for whom the bench fees are waived. In order for this to be approved, there must be a research collaboration with the visitor.
- For the time being and where appropriate we try to also provide desk space in the visitor room for visiting fellows and up to two visiting scholars at any time. This aims to better integrate visitors in the Institute.
And just a reminder: Please let Cheryl Torbett and I know when new visitors arrive. We will introduce them in the Bulletin and I am happy to welcome them in person.
Two new members of staff have joined the Institute. Welcome to both!
- Cheryl Torbett started in early February as temporary personal assistant. Please say hello to her if you have not yet met her.
- Sara Valdebenito started her role as Assistant Professor for Applied Criminology and Police Management on 1 March.
Nicolas Cantard is a visiting student from the Autonomous University of Madrid, where he’s studying a PhD in Criminal Law, thesis title: ‘Review of the problems of Multiple Offence Sentencing’. Nicolas is here from 5 February 2023 to 3 June 2023. Please say hello when you see him.
Student Initiatives: “Policing and Securities Network” and “PhD Conference: Social Science Approaches to Crime, Harm and (In)Justice”
I am delighted to report that two new student initiatives have been submitted and approved.
Emily Quin is taking the lead in establishing a Policing and Securities Network mentored by Matt Bland and Peter Neyroud. The goal is to establish a network of academics and students interested in policing and securities on the national (England and Wales) and international scale. The network would work to launch a series of talks/seminars/presentations from professionals and academics in relevant areas on topics with research applications.
Kavya Padmanabhan has taken the lead in organizing a PhD Conference on :Social Science Approaches to Crime, Harm, and (In)Justice. The mentors of that initiative are Arushi Garg and Charles Lanfear. The conference aims to feature work by PhD students in various stages of the research process, to foster a network and community of researchers within the Institute and in related disciplines, engage in discussions on methodology; the ethical and theoretical implications of conducting research with vulnerable populations; and what it means to be conducting research in a post-pandemic landscape. It also aims to learn from peers and gain experience in attending academic conferences.
I am sure I speak on behalf of everyone when I congratulate the initiators and wish them all the best. We look forward to learning more.
New Risk Assessment Process – working with offenders
As you may be aware, last year the University Safety Office issued new policy and guidance on working with people who have offended (defined as those with an unspent conviction or a conviction which may lawfully be taken into account). According to the policy we are required to submit risk assessments for all activities which involve work with offenders to a new Advisory Committee on Working with Offenders (ACWO) in advance of the activities taking place, ideally 2 or 3 months in advance. We have been working with the Safety Office since the policy came out to try to reduce this obligation to make it workable for us – they have recently told us that (for the time being) they wish to see risk assessments for all activities involving work with offenders, the only caveat being that we can submit medium and low risk assessments on a monthly basis, after approval (i.e. retrospectively) and that only high risk assessment need to be submitted in advance of the activity taking place.
We are about to start the process of developing a comprehensive risk management strategy for the Institute which will take into account this new Policy. Once this is completed we will be developing new internal guidance and a new risk assessment form. However, in the interim, we need to be able to identify all instances when there is work with offenders taking place and so we have amended the existing risk assessment form (now called RA7.1) to capture this information. A copy can be found on the Sharepoint/Intranet page on risk assessments.
- Please note that from now on, all risk assessments that involve working with offenders must be classified as medium or high risk.
- Please remember that if your risk is likely to be “high”, you must submit the form 2-3 months in advance of the activity taking place so that the ACWO can review and approve.
If you have any questions, please do let Fiona know.
Over the coming months I will be working with a group of members of the Institute and the Committee of Management to work towards a better risk management strategy. This is based on the conviction that risk management is not limited to risk assessments forms. It needs to be something that is embedded in our daily practice as researchers and academics. One step in this process will likely be a short questionnaire that aims to establish what kinds of risk situations you are most likely to encounter (not limited to threats, but also considering mental health, travel, participant safeguarding, data security). Another step will be some focus groups to engage everybody in an exchange of views of how we can all contribute to managing risks better. More will follow.
Invitation to join the Postcolonial Theory and Law Discussion Group
The Postcolonial Theory and Law Discussion Group (described more fully on the PTLDG webpage) brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars who would like to explore the potential offered by postcolonial theory in understanding the relationship between law and colonialism. The Group meets 6-8 times a year to discuss texts that are relevant to their research interests, usually from 1pm to 2pm in the Combination Room at Wolfson College, Cambridge. The first meeting will be hosted by Jamie Trinidad on 29 March 2023 discussing the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the Chagos Islands, in conjunction with Philippe Sands’ related book titled ‘The Last Colony: A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain's Colonial Legacy’ (illustrated by Martin Rowson). If you are interested in joining the Group, or have any questions, please contact Arushi Garg (ag779@cam.ac.uk), Jamie Trinidad (jt404@cam.ac.uk) or Tugba Basaran (tb317@cam.ac.uk).
Safe storage and charging of E-bikes and E-scooters
The Fire Safety Team have produced a guide to storage and charging of E-bikes and E-scooters for your information. If you bring one of these to work, please read their guidance and please let Fiona (admin.officer@crim.cam.ac.uk) know (as the Departmental Fire Safety Officer).
Brown Bag Seminars
10 March, the Boardroom, IoC.
“The Sculptor’s Apprentice: Negotiating Positionality in Police Research", Emmanuel Sowatey
Yoga
Yoga sessions will be taking place on Mondays 12 - 1pm, in B4.
The sessions run weekly for 10 weeks, led by Pen of Cambridge Thai Massage.
Pen is a great teacher and sensitive to people’s varying abilities, so if you are interested, but never done Yoga before, you are in safe hands.
Provided we have 6 people committed it will cost £50 for 10 sessions, but this will reduce with more participants. To attend on a drop-in basis costs £10, so that means sessions work out at £5/session if you can commit.
Please contact Rebecca at reception@crim.cam.ac.uk if you are interested!
Part-time Administrative Assistant
To join the Graduate office, working on the Master of Studies course. Closing date March 5th, for informal enquiries please contact Di Kennedy
PA to Director/Institute Coordinator
To provide support to the Institute Director, manage internal communications, Institute events and public lectures and coordinate Student and Academic Visitors. This is a full-time, permanent position (part-time for minimum of 30 hours would be considered) and available immediately. Closing date 19th March.
Please see the Institute’s current vacancies page for more information.
Goldrosen, Nicholas, Christian Michael Smith, Maria-Veronica Ciocanel, Rebecca Santorella, Shilad Sen, Shawn Bushway, and Chad M. Topaz (2023). “Racial Disparities in Criminal Sentencing Vary Considerably across Federal Judges.” Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics 179(1), pp. 92-113.https://doi.org/10.1628/jite-2023-0005
Farrington, David –an up-to-date list of Professor Farrington’s publications is here
Update on the UKRI Je-S Replacement – The Funding Service
UKRI is replacing its existing grant systems, including Je-S, with a new service called the UKRI Funding Service. The service will make it simpler for applicants to collaborate, submit applications and obtain guidance. The general aim is to reduce bureaucracy and design functionality around what applicants, research offices and assessors need.
Further information on ESRC’s planned schedule for the transition can be found here. Significantly, this means:
- There will be a period when it is not possible to apply for responsive mode awards (open calls) from ESRC.
- Once an opportunity has closed on Je-S, incomplete applications will not be transferred to the new platform. Applicants will need to create new applications once the opportunity reopens on the Funding Service.
If you intend to submit an ESRC application before May, please contact the RGA as soon as possible to plan workloads accordingly RGA@crim.cam.ac.uk).
All Council Harmonised IAA Rapid Response Call 2022–2025
The all-council rapid response Impact Acceleration Account call is now open to support a wide range of impact activities when researchers are confronted by time-sensitive opportunities or need to test new ideas quickly.
- Awards: up to £15,000 per application
- Project start date: 12 January 2023-18 October 2024
- Project duration: up to three months
More information can be found on the IAA website. Applications accepted on a rolling basis until 4 September 2023.
UKRI policy fellowships 2023
Summary: Apply for funding to collaborate with a UK or devolved government host or What Works Network centre on research activity to address pressing national and global challenges. Please see the full list of specific fellowship funding opportunities in ‘additional information’ section here. You will:
- co-design research with the host organisation to inform policy on a priority policy area
- help improve the exchange of knowledge between policy and academic institutions
Each fellowship will last 18 months to cover a 3-month inception phase for set up activity. This will be followed by a 12-month placement with the host organisation and concluding with an impact phase lasting 3 months.
Award: For fellowships with a Whitehall or devolved administration host the full economic cost is £170,000. For fellowships with the What Works Network the full economic cost is £210,000.
Eligibility: Policy fellowship funding opportunities with a UK or devolved government host are aimed at early to mid-career academics. Fellowships with a What Works Network centre host are open to all career stages.
Deadline: 20 April 2023
Research Facilitation Contact: Dr Anna Cieslik
ERC Advanced Grant
Summary: The ERC Advanced Grant is for established research leaders with a recognised track record of research achievements in the last 10 years. PIs should be exceptional leaders in terms of originality and significance of their research contributions. More information can be found here.
Award: € 2.5 million for a period of 5 years. An additional € 1 million can be requested to cover start-up costs, the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities.
Deadline: 23 May 2023
Research Facilitation Contact:Dr Elizabeth Penner
Announcement: University Funding for Impact Projects (AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA))
A reminder that the University of Cambridge AHRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) (previously the Arts and Humanities Impact Fund, or AHIF) is pleased to announce that three project calls are currently open:
- IAA Impact Fund Call – open to all eligible permanent members of staff working within the AHRC remit.
- AHRC IAA Early Career Researcher Call – open to all ECRs (such as JRFs, BA/Leverhulme fellows) working within the AHRC remit.
- IAA Rapid Response Call (Rolling) – for interdisciplinary projects, open to PIs and ECRs with PIs as co-applicants.
Awards will be made in the region of £5,000 to £15,000, covering 100% of directly incurred costs but not indirect costs. (The levels of funding available have been increased for The Impact Fund Call and the Rapid Response Call).
Proposed projects must support ‘on the ground’ impact and knowledge exchange activities, which enable researchers at all levels to engage with the public, private and third sectors, and provides a sustainable support structure within the University to promote wider and more effective engagement with external non-academic organisations.
Both funding calls close on the 20th March at 16:00pm
All interested applicants are strongly encouraged contact Dr Lucy Sheerman (the AHRC IAA Coordinator) to discuss their proposal before application. The application form and a guidance document are available on the AHRC IAA webpage. Applications and awards for the first round will take place during Lent term.
Email: AHImpact@admin.cam.ac.uk
Include ‘AHRC IAA funding for Impact Projects’ in the subject line.
We aim to respond to queries as soon as possible.
There will be a training session aimed at supporting applications to the Impact Fund on Tuesday 7 March at 14:00 – 16:00:
DTP Training: Impact and Legacy
An introduction to Impact for PhD students. DTP Training, online. To register please follow this link.
Writing Fellowship Grants with Impact - 14 March, 2pm
There’s still time to sign up for the Writing Fellowship Grants with Impact masterclass. This online session, aimed at postdocs, will highlight key elements of successful applications. You will find out what's important to the funder and consider how to plan for impact. Please sign up here.
25 March Varsity Rugby Matches at Twickenham Stadium
For more information about The Varsity Matches, or to book tickets, please visit https://thevarsitymatches.com. Match tickets start at just £25 for adults and £15 for juniors, making it a great day out for all the family.
Free to a good home
Selection of cooking pans surplus to requirements. Email Leo Zaibert.