As COVID-19 forces more and more of our daily lives into cyberspace, how well regulated is the digital realm, and how can criminals exploit its grey areas? In this blog, originally from our On Digital Trust publication, Professor Nicholas Lord explains how criminals exploit the murkiness of the digital space to siphon off and launder […]
Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-2021: Does the inclusion of ‘relatives’ go far enough in addressing the issue of adolescent to parent violence?
The Domestic Abuse Bill 2019-2021 will receive its third reading today. Once this long awaited Bill passes through Parliament, assuming it receives Royal Assent, it will ultimately mean that for the first time in England and Wales, there will be a criminal offence of domestic abuse. In this blog, Caroline Miles and Rachel Condry examine […]
Furlough, fraud and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
The Government-implemented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) supports companies in their attempts to ride out the COVID-19 pandemic, permitting them to place employees on a temporary leave of absence known as ‘furlough’, and claim state aid to pay furloughed staff either 80% of their usual wages or up to £2,500 per month, whichever amount is […]
From lives vs. the economy to lives vs. lives: Global South lessons on reframing the lockdown debate
During the weeks of lockdown in the UK, the Government has talked about the balancing act between saving lives and saving the economy. But is it right to talk about these two things as if they are completely separate? In this blog, Dr Juan Manuel del Nido explores the interdependency between lives and the economy, […]
Profiting from pandemics: COVID-19, changing routines and cyber crimes
The COVID-19 crisis is driving changes in the routines of institutions and individuals, as businesses, educational institutions and other organisations recommend or require employees to engage in social distancing in a collective attempt to minimise the spread of the virus. As well as having global socioeconomic effects, these changes in routine create opportunities for crimes. […]
Gender and sexual violence
Sexual violence can have devastating consequences for victims. In this blog, Dr Catherine White, Dr Rabiya Majeed-Ariss and Professor David Gadd explore how gender intersects with social demographic characteristics to compound vulnerabilities and complicate access to services. Most adult victims of sexual violence are females, and perpetrators of sexual violence are predominantly male. In 2017, […]
Stop describing modern slavery as ‘evil’
David Gadd is Professor of Criminology and Rose Broad is Senior Lecturer in Criminology both at the University of Manchester. They are working together on the ESRC funded Perpetrators of Modern Slavery Offences Project. This blog highlights how: modern slavery and immigration law have become intertwined; referring to modern slavery as ‘evil’ idealises victims in […]
Lost in translation? Rap music and racial bias in the courtroom
This year has seen heightened controversy over the relationship between rap music and youth violence in urban areas, especially London. ‘Drill’ – a type of gangsta rap known for striking a pose of menace and alienation, set to sparse yet catchy minor-keyed beats – has replaced ‘grime’ as the main focus for concern and condemnation. […]
Young people are the solution, not the problem
In order for communities to be strong enough to tackle extremism, the idea of community cohesion needs to extend beyond the current narrow boundaries The labelling of youth as ‘risky’ typically creates conflict between young people and authorities (particularly the police) and generates intergenerational tension as the young person kicks out against the label. The […]
UK modern slavery policy: the structure of the problem and government commitment
In the context of renewed criticism of the 2015 UK Modern Slavery Act, Rose Broad and Nick Turnbull discuss human trafficking and modern slavery policy development. They find continuities in policy that, despite being repackaged as ‘slavery’ have resulted in unintended consequences and implementation difficulties leading to recently highlighted failures. In the last 12 months, […]