Leading Researcher Joins University’s Institute for Social Justice and Crime

A leading researcher who has helped influence national policy on police investigations of serious sexual offences and rape has joined the University of Suffolk’s Institute for Social Justice and Crime (ISJC).

Dr Linda Maguire starts today, Monday 29 April, as Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the ISJC, and will help drive the Institute’s transformational research portfolio.

Dr Maguire is an established researcher with a portfolio of work in policing and veterans in the criminal justice system.

Prior to her appointment at the University of Suffolk, Dr Maguire had been working for the Centre for Policing, Research and Learning at The Open University on a nationally-significant project called Operation Soteria, which helped develop a new National Operating Model for the 43 police forces across England and Wales to use in investigating rape and serious sexual offences.

Dr Maguire had been a part of the team working on ‘Pillar 4’, which investigated the role of officer learning, development and wellbeing, as well as the implementation of the change programme of work and a review of the public protection curriculum.

That project included work with police practitioners, the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime in London, and more recently as academic liaison with the National Police Chiefs’ Council Joint Unit Team.

Dr Maguire’s work has already aligned closely with the work of the University of Suffolk’s ISJC, which has already carried out important work for Operation Soteria in the first two pillars – suspect-focused investigations and disrupting repeat suspects.

Among the Institute’s areas of expertise are online harms, domestic abuse, sexual violence, gangs and criminal exploitation, as well as areas such as trauma-informed practices, digital and food poverty, and access to justice.

Dr Linda Maguire said: “I am thrilled to join the Institute for Social Justice and Crime at the University of Suffolk, in my new role as Associate Professor and Deputy Director.

“I am delighted to be working alongside Professor Miranda Horvath and the team, helping to grow the Institute and contribute to the important work it has been doing, as well as developing our mentoring of colleagues.”

Professor Miranda Horvath, Director of the Institute for Social Justice and Crime, said: “It is a great pleasure to welcome Dr Maguire to the Institute for Social Justice and Crime, who will help us continue to drive forward the Institute’s mission to produce nationally and internationally significant research tackling complex issues.

“Dr Maguire already has a strong track record in the areas of expertise the ISJC demonstrates, and will help our research to further develop knowledge of multi-agency approaches to improve services, increase public safety and facilitate social justice.”

Read more about the Institute and its work here.