Skip navigation

Dr Rebecca Oswald

Assistant Professor

Department: Social Sciences

Rebecca is an Assistant Professor in Criminology and Sociology in the department of Social Sciences. She currently teaches on undergraduate Criminology modules and on the Northumbria Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) programs. She is also Programme Lead of Northumbria PCDA Level 6. Rebecca's research interests lie in the areas of youth crime, youth justice, desistance from offending and the role of voluntary sector organisations working with criminalised populations.

 

Rebecca Oswald

Rebecca's research is currently focused on two areas. Firstly, investigating Work Integration Social Enterprise and their role in supporting criminalised individuals desist from crime. Secondly, to greater understand the changing picture of serious youth violence in the Northeast of England and the interventions and best practices that can support young people impacted by violence and child criminal exploitation. 

 

  • Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
  • A Vision for Lasting Change: Shaping Durham and Darlington's Support for Young People, Soppitt, S., Walker, S., Oswald, R., Cosgrove, F. 1 Mar 2025
  • Challenges in capturing the authentic voice of the ‘unchildlike child’, Walker, S., Oswald, R., Soppitt, S. 1 Jul 2025, Co-production in Youth Justice, London, Routledge
  • The role of ‘place’ in understanding the drivers of serious youth violence: an examination of identity, territorialism, and community, Walker, S., Oswald, R., Soppitt, S. 14 Jun 2025, In: Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • The Role of Work Integration Social Enterprise in Overcoming Barriers to Sustained Employment and Desistance for Criminalized Individuals, Oswald, R. 13 Jun 2025, In: British Journal of Criminology
  • Durham Serious Violence Prevention Partnership: Violence Prevention Fund: An Evaluation of Four Projects, Soppitt, S., Oswald, R., Walker, S. 1 Aug 2024
  • Improving the Hope of Young People Impacted by Serious Violence and Child Criminal Exploitation: Full Report May 2024, Oswald, R., Soppitt, S., Walker, S., Irving, A. 17 May 2024
  • “Improving the Hope of Young People impacted by Serious Violence and Child Criminal Exploitation”. Interim Report April 2023, Oswald, R., Walker, S., Soppitt, S., Irving, A. 4 Jun 2024
  • ‘Safe spaces and places’: the value of design-led methodologies in developing online narratives, Oswald, R., Soppitt, S., Spencer, N., Powell, L., Richardson, C., Coombs, S. 3 May 2024, In: International Journal of Social Research Methodology
  • The role of environmental work in supporting child desistance, Oswald, R. 29 May 2024, In: Safer Communities
  • The role of Work Integrated Social Enterprise (WISE) in supporting employment and desistance for criminalised individuals: Preliminary research findings, Oswald, R. 19 Apr 2024

  • PhD November 28 2020
  • Criminology MA June 30 2016
  • Law LLB (Hons) June 19 2012


Latest News and Features

Image of a hand with stop written on it
A view of the River Tyne and Dunston Staithes. Adobe Stock/Graeme J Baty.
Lord Bishop visit
pictured are three women, standing side by side, in a lab with equipment around them.
Claude AI
More news
More events

Upcoming events

REVEAL: Social Sciences - Sociology and Criminology
-
Society of Chemical Industry Electrochemistry Postgraduate Conference 2025
Understanding Clearing and Confirmation

Back to top