Laura Riley BA (Hons), DipPP, GradDipCJ
Senior Lecturer Criminal Justice
Summary
I joined Sheffield Hallam in January 2022 where I am involved in the Community Justice Learning programme, the delivery of the Probation Qualification degree route for individuals training to be a probation officer, undergraduate and postgraduate criminology degrees. I act as academic advisor for Level 5 and Level 6 students. I am currently involved with department colleagues researching youth to adult transitions in probation and cross department research with education colleagues regarding young people at risk of educational exclusion and criminal exploitation.
Specialist areas of interest include youth justice, care leaver's experiences within the Criminal Justice System and youth offending to probation transitions.
About
As an undergraduate I read criminal justice and policing at Birmingham City University. Prior to joining Sheffield Hallam I spent 16 years within the Probation Service in a variety of roles including as a probation service officer, qualified probation officer, Birmingham Youth Offending Service as a probation officer and deputy manager, and the Ministry of Justice as a national trainer and learning coach. I have experience supervising individuals in the community, young offenders institutions and adult prisons, specialising in child criminal exploitation, youth to adult transitions, and the design and delivery of probation training.
Teaching
Sheffield Institute of Law and Justice
College of Social Sciences and Arts
Courses taught:
Community Justice Learning
Criminology
Modules taught:
I teach levels 4 - 7 including:
▪ approaches to transformative intervention
▪ assessment: purpose, principles and practice
▪ controversies of punishment
▪ criminal justice system
▪ critical review of practice and professional role
▪ introduction to criminology and practice
▪ leadership, innovation and change
▪ rehabilitation and change
▪ rehabilitation of offenders
▪ risk of serious harm
▪ victims, offenders and vulnerabilities
Research
My research interests relate to young people transitioning in the criminal justice system and individuals who are or have been in care and the criminal justice system.
Publications
Journal articles
Riley, L. (2022). Youth Offending to the Probation Service - Why meaningful transition matters. Probation Quarterly, 24, 18-21. http://doi.org/10.54006/omfj7562
Ainslie, S., & Riley, L. (n.d.). Probation pracademics: protectors of the ‘honourable profession’? Probation Journal: the journal of community and criminal justice.
Reports
Phillips, J., Ward, J., Albertson, K., Cracknell, M., Duke, K., Fowler, A., & Riley, L. (2024). Process evaluation of the Newham Y2A Hub. Evaluating the implementation of a specialist youth to adulthood transitions service in probation. Ministry of Justice. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-the-newham-y2a-hub#:~:text=The%20hub%20used%20a%20co,the%20Hub%20was%20implemented%20well
Other activities
Board Trustee National Association for Youth Justice
Member of Care Leaver's Association
Member of Howard League for Penal Reform
Youth Justice Board Academic Advisory Panel
Youth Justice Board Workforce Council Member