Crime Research Centre (CRC)

Description

The Crime Research Centre (CRC) brings people together from a variety of disciplines, focused on research into ‘crime’ broadly conceived. This includes experts from law, sociology, criminology, politics, psychology, international development, and beyond. The Centre provides a forum for researchers to share ideas and develop collaborations, as well as a platform for influencing external debate and reform.

Sussex has a long history and reputation for excellence in criminal law and criminal justice research. The Crime Research Group was extremely active in this area for a number of years, and in August 2016 was awarded the status of University Research Centre. This has reflected a significant expansion of research expertise in areas such as criminal law/ evidence, criminology, new forms of criminality, corruption and socio-legal research, to name but a few.

Crime research at Sussex is multi- and inter-disciplinary, with expertise from law, sociology/ criminology, politics, psychology, neuroscience, business, international development, and beyond. The research expertise within this field ranges from doctrinal analysis (eg criminal law; evidence), theories of crime (eg the structure and limits of crime), criminological theories (eg sociology of violence; victimisation; cultural criminology), psychological insights (understanding of hate crime; secondary victimisation; procedural fairness); neuroscience and law (eg impact of drug addiction; understanding judicial sentencing decisions) and regulation theory (eg alternative approaches to criminalisation and punishment). This inter- and multi-disciplinary motivation is a core feature of crime research at Sussex.

The focus of the Centre is outward-looking. Centre members have developed sustained relationships with academics, policymakers, NGOs, and other stakeholders at a local, national, and international level. Members of the Centre have a history of engagement and knowledge exchange with, for example, the Home Office, National Crime Agency, Cabinet Office, as well as national and international charities.

Particular areas of expertise include:

• doctrinal criminal law: analysis of specific legal rules, often focusing on potential reform of the law;
• drugs and addiction: legal and criminological approaches to the regulation of substances and their effects
• socio-legal and empirical research: study of criminal law in its social and cultural context, often involving empirical investigation;
• criminology/ criminal justice: scientific study of crime in society, offenders and societal responses to criminality;
• crime and psychology: exploring the interaction between psychology and criminal rules, for example intoxication, mentally ill offenders, and financial regulation;
• international criminal law: criminal law regulating the behaviour of states;
• comparative criminal justice: analysis of contrasting domestic legal systems;
• criminal law theory: exploring the philosophical foundations of crime;
• gender, crime and violence: the role of gender in shaping experiences of, and responses to, crimes of violence;
• financial crime: financially motivated crime, and the finances of crime.

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

Founding year

2016

Contact details

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University affiliation(s)

University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton
BN1 9RH