Nigel Walker, who died on 13 September 2014, was the second Wolfson Professor of Criminology (1973-1984) at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of King’s College; he was also Director of the Institute of Criminology from 1973-1981. Prior to coming to Cambridge he was Reader in Criminology in the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Nuffield College (1961- 1973); in Oxford he also founded the Penal Research Unit (now the Centre for Criminology).

Nigel Walker was a key figure in the development of criminology as an academic discipline in the United Kingdom. He also made distinguished research contributions, particularly in the fields of sentencing and of policy for mentally disordered offenders; and he is remembered by many former students as an outstanding teacher.

Since 1997, the Institute of Criminology has named its principal annual lecture in honour of Nigel Walker. The 18th Annual Nigel Walker Lecture will follow at 5.30pm in the Keynes Lecture Theatre, King’s College (see separate notice). For organisational reasons, those planning to attend either event are asked to complete the attached form, and return to: