Dr. Colin Atkinson is a lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of the West of Scotland. His research interests focus mainly upon the intersection of crime, policing, intelligence and security, particularly as these issues relate to terrorism and organised crime. Colin has a professional background in intelligence analysis and counter-terrorism, and before joining the University of the West of Scotland he held the position of research fellow at the University of Glasgow. He holds several degrees, including an MA (Hons) in politics and an MPhil (with distinction) in international politics from the University of Glasgow, as well as an MSc in criminology and criminal justice (with distinction) from the University of Strathclyde. He most recently achieved an MLitt in terrorism studies (with distinction) from the University of St Andrews and a PhD in sociology from the University of Glasgow. His research has appeared in several peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and policy reports. Colin is an associate editor for the journal Criminology and Criminal Justice, and has reviewed manuscripts for several journals in the areas of policing, security and terrorism. He is also a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).