Northumbria University has secured sponsorship that will give two students the opportunity to study fully funded PhDs.
Funded by justice system reformer and philanthropist, Lady Edwina Grosvenor, the PhD research projects will focus on women’s experiences of violence and access to housing and home before, during or following time in prison.
The funding follows the Government’s recent announcement of the formation of the Women’s Justice Board that aims to better understand the experiences of women in the criminal justice system in order to enhance prevention of crime, reduce reoffending and better support and protect women and their children on a national scale.
The projects, which will form part of research carried out through Northumbria University’s Centre for Health and Social Equity (CHASE), are designed to garner insight from people with lived experiences of the criminal justice system to inform the development of future interventions that could play a role in reducing the likelihood of reoffending. Both projects will start in May 2025.
Speaking on the funding award Lady Edwina Grosvenor, graduate of Northumbria University, who has dedicated her career to influencing prison reform through systematic changes to the justice system for women said: “It is a privilege to be able to continue to support the work of Northumbria University. The challenges women in the criminal justice system face are wide ranging and complex; this work will support long term solutions to reduce reoffending and most importantly will support the women who face such issues.”
Supervised by Dr Sophie Mitchell, who works in the department of Social Sciences and a former recipient of funding from Lady Edwina Grosvenor for her own doctorate studies, Dr Christina Cooper who works in the Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing and Professor Monique Lhussier, Director of CHASE, the two studentships will work closely together to explore two key areas.
One project will look to engage with women involved in the criminal justice system and their experiences of violence before, during and after incarceration, including modern-day slavery, financial, criminal and sexual exploitation, home takeovers, radicalisation, mate crime and exposure to manipulation and emotional abuse.
The second project will work with women who have experience of incarceration and explore their relationship – and access to – housing and home, both before and after their time in prison.
Discussing the new funding for the CHASE studentships, Professor Monique Lhussier said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer these studentships as fully- funded projects and as always, our immense thanks go to Lady Edwina Grosvenor and her team.
“Through CHASE we work with communities to create and evaluate interventions, services and policies that improve the health of, and bring economic opportunities to, those who need it most. Currently there is a huge amount of work going on to support women with experience of incarceration, trauma, homelessness, stigma, substance use or dependence and adult exploitation, so these two projects fit right into what is already a vibrant ecosystem of research in this area.
“Both these studentships are also available to those with lived experience of the issues being researched as part of our continued commitment to give as many opportunities as possible to the communities we work with. Widening participation in our research and building on the public involvement of our projects is fundamental to ensure that we develop interventions and policy recommendations that can have a real and lasting impact on some of the most marginalised groups in society.”
More information, contact details and application guidance for the project focused on women’s experience of violence and incarceration can be found here, and for the project focused on housing and home here.
Northumbria University is dedicated to reducing health and social inequalities, contributing to the regional and national workforce and improving social, economic and health outcomes for the most marginalised in society. Through its new Centre for Health and Social Equity, known as CHASE, researchers will be delivering world-leading health and social equity research and creating innovative, evidence-based policies and data-driven solutions to bring impactful change across the region, the UK and globally.
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