Her primary area of research is in policing, violence, young people and effective and early intervention policies. Her PhD critically examined Violence in Institutions, specifically Schools and Hospitals and the experiences of it for front line service providers at work. She also spent a number of years as a researcher with the Scottish Poverty Information Unit where she established a sound understanding of the need for closer partnership working in social and criminal justice. She has also for over 10 years supported students at under-graduate and post-graduate level as part of their assessed studies in undertaking research for a variety of community, voluntary and statutory organisations, such as Strathclyde Police and (now) Police Scotland, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board and SACRO to name but a few.

Currently she is working with colleagues at UWS involved in undertaking an Evaluation of the Prevention First Strategy in Ayrshire for Police Scotland.  She is also working with colleagues at UWS and Worcester University on two research bids with SACRO and Poppy Scotland in relation to criminal justice and support for veterans transitioning from a life in the military to civilian life and also support for veterans in later life.

She is interested in all research in relation to social and criminal justice and in particular that which links to vulnerable groups and to policing and alternatives to imprisonment. 

1. Statutory criminal justice agencies.

2. Community and voluntary social inequality & criminal justice organisations.

3. Local and national government agencies.