Criminal Justice

Our specialities and history

Here at LJMU, our Criminal Justice department has a distinguished history of being the first of its kind in the UK, and is currently at the forefront of the discipline. Our expert staff are a blend of former practitioners who have previously worked in areas such as drug services, probation, prisons, and the police – as well as researchers, all of whom are actively engaged within these fields. 

We produce research on a wide variety of subjects surrounding the justice system, working closely alongside various partner agencies and organisations to continuously improve the fairness and efficacy of criminal justice practices and processes. Our scholarly work centres on three key streams: Creative Justice, Justice Policy and Practice and Injustice and Harm.

Our collective aim is to provide our students with critical insight into the theory, policy and practices of our criminal justice system. We are committed to providing contemporary, relevant and value adding education which is grounded in research informed teaching, and delivered by subject experts who bring cutting edge knowledge into the classroom. Our courses seek to develop students’ vocational skills and knowledge, equipping them with the attributes that employers value. 

Our individual and collective excellence in teaching and pastoral support have been recognised through a number of awards – including the Liverpool Student Unions Amazing Course Team Award in 2014; the Amazing Teacher Award in 2017 and 2019 (Stuart Taylor); and Amazing Personal Tutor Award in 2016 (Rachael Steel). Our efforts have also been acknowledged by the LJMU Teaching and Learning Academy through the awarding of the prestigious Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Award in 2015 and 2019 (Stuart Taylor and Ester Ragonese), and Vice Chancellor’s Rising Star Award in 2015 and 2018 (Rachael Steele and Emma Murray).