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82325 - Law Commission: Research Assistant, Criminal Law Team

RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSTS AT THE LAW COMMISSION - CRIMINAL LAW TEAM

Details of these posts are set out in the separate Guide for Applicants available at: https://www.lawcom.gov.uk/placements-and-internships/research-assistants/

You MUST read the Guide for Applicants before applying. The skills and qualifications required for the posts, including minimum academic criteria are set out in the guide. If you attempt to apply without reading the guide first, your application is likely to fail automatically.

There is a separate recruitment campaign for each of our four legal teams, this campaign is for the Criminal Law Team. Please ensure you submit your application to the correct team. Please only apply to one team as it is not our practice to consider multiple applications.

The posts are on a fixed term basis, up to 12 months.

If we receive a high volume of applications, an initial sift will be carried out on the lead behaviour, communicating and influencing, together with the experience, Legal Research .

The Law Commission

The Law Commission is a statutory body set up under the Law Commissions Act 1965 to keep the law of England and Wales under review and to recommend reform where it is needed.

 Its aims are:

• To ensure that the law is fair, modern, simple and as cost-effective as possible
• To conduct research and consultations in order to make recommendations for reform for consideration by Parliament
• To codify the law, eliminate anomalies, repeal obsolete and unnecessary enactments and reduce the number of separate statutes

The Law Commission is an independent non-departmental body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. Further information about the Law Commission and its work can be obtained from its website.

Qualifications By September 2024 applicants should have completed a course/s involving two years’ full-time substantive legal studies or the equivalent in part-time study. Your academic results for at least one course must be at, or at the equivalent of, first class or good 2.1 standard, with at least some elements of first-class work.

Working Arrangements & Further Information

The MoJ offers Hybrid Working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from your base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review.

For nationally advertised roles, the successful candidate(s) will be appointed to a MoJ office location, which may include their nearest Justice Collaboration Centre or Justice Satellite Office. This will be discussed and agreed on the completion of pre-employment checks.

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

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Annual Leave

A nnual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

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The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

• A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
• Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits, retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
• For moves to or from another employer or moves across the Civil Service this can have implications on your eligibility to carry on claiming childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for alternative government childcare support schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. More information can be found on  GOV.UK or  Childcare Choices . You can determine your eligibility at  https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .
• Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
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We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles . Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

• To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail [email protected] );
• To Ministry of Justice Resourcing team ( [email protected] );
• To the Civil Service Commission (details available here )

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident employer, MoJ are committed to providing everyone with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills, talent and abilities, by making adjustments throughout all elements of the recruitment process and in the workplace. MoJ are able to offer an interview to disabled candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns.

You will be able to request reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process within the application form. If you need additional help completing the application form, please contact the SSCL Recruitment Enquiries Team.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity .

31/01/2024, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail  [email protected]  Please quote the job reference - 82325.

If you need any reasonable adjustments, please contact: [email protected] as soon as possible.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

• You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
• You were studying abroad
• You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please  click here for further guidance .

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.

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Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV, statement of suitability and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

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A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces. For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

· UK nationals

· nationals of the Republic of Ireland

· nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)  https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

· individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020

· Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.

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Research Manager – Prison Reform Trust

Location: London (EC1V 0JR)/ Remote

Hours: Full time (35 hours)

Salary: Circa £45,000 (including London weighting)

Closing date: 11:59pm, Thursday 27 June 2024

The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) is seeking a new research manager to oversee PRT’s programme of in-house and commissioned research and lead on the delivery of PRT’s flagship Bromley Briefings Prison Factfile.

You will be an experienced researcher with an excellent understanding of the penal system in the UK and the associated research literature. If this sounds like you, you will be joining a reputable organisation with exceptional leadership, extensive networks and a proven track record of promoting evidence-based policy to achieve reform.

Find out more about the role, who we’re looking for and how to apply in the application pack  here .

Remember adverts for jobs are  free  to members. Potential applicants get a lot out of talking with BSC members who work at recruiting universities and you can also check out all Criminology/Criminal Justice jobs at  Jobs.ac .uk

Lecturer in Criminal Justice

Kingston university – school of law, social and behavioural sciences.

The role We are keen to appoint an enthusiastic individual to join our team at Lecturer level to join our team. We are looking for someone with an interest and expertise in the criminal justice system generally, and the study of prisons and punishment more specifically, to engage with department activities and teaching across the portfolio. We are keen to appoint someone who is committed to teaching excellence and providing the best student experience.

The Department of Criminology, Politics & Sociology is one of four departments within the School of Law, Social & Behavioural Sciences. The school is located within the Faculty of Business & Social Sciences along with Kingston Business School. Kingston University is a thriving, modern institution. The department contains a complementary range of disciplines with opportunities for new courses. There are 19 academic staff in the department, delivering a range of criminology and sociology undergraduate courses, postgraduate taught and PhDs.

Now is a very exciting time in its evolution as we implement our University’s Town House Strategy. Named after the internationally acclaimed, award-winning Town House building, the strategy will prepare students for the future world of work, increase the University's research and knowledge exchange, enhance its collaboration with local communities, business and industry, strengthen its impact on policy and support the goal of building a more sustainable society and economy.

You will join a collegiate team of academics, whose research interests provide exciting opportunities for students to benefit from research-led teaching, workshops, seminars, as well as forward-thinking studies.

You will plan, deliver and assess a range of modules using a variety of technologies and approaches to deliver a vibrant education.

The person You will hold or be close to achieving a PhD in a relevant subject area. Experience in teaching at undergraduate level would be an advantage. The role will require expertise in Prisons and Punishment. You will also bring with you a recognised teaching or learning qualification or prepared to achieve the relevant level of UKPSF recognition, we will need you to do so before the end of your probation period.

On a personal level, going above and beyond to deliver exceptional teaching and support to our students will be your core motivation. Constantly seeking to improve, you will scrutinise your own work, build private and/or public sector networks, and work collaboratively to enhance the faculty’s reputation.

The Faculty The School of Law, Social & Behavioural Sciences offers a range of courses in politics, economics, human rights, international relations, law, psychology and criminology. Students graduate equipped with the theoretical tools, hands-on experience and critical thinking necessary to understand individual and social group behaviour, problem solve and influence the future. Globally admired for their human rights, religion and immigration expertise, staff are genuinely enterprising and international in their approach and flexible in meeting the evolving demands of the wider world.

Professional bodies, including the British Psychological Society (BPS), the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), recognise and accredit our courses.

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Criminal Justice Research Jobs

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London, England, United Kingdom

The Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) is the organisation through which the Mayor of London exercises his role as the Police and Crime Commissioner for London and is led by the Deputy Mayor... Criminal Justice Research Work careers...

from: jobleads.co.uk - 6 days ago

Law Staff Ltd - Bromley, United Kingdom

Our esteemed Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners ranked client, is in search of a Crime Solicitor, able will showcase a strong grasp of criminal law procedures and regulations, coupled with proven experience... Criminal Justice Research careers... £35000 - £46000/annum

from: CV-library.co.uk - 5 days ago

Spalding Goobey - London, United Kingdom

A great opportunity to get under the skin of the criminal justice system to understand what really matters to the public and to those within the system. Our client’s sensitive and complex research is of... criminology researcher...

from: uk.lifeworq.com (+1 source) - 25 days ago

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Shrewsbury, England, United Kingdom

Under the direction of the Principal Investigator or designee, the Research Coordinator I is responsible for carrying out multiple complex research protocols for projects focusing on the intersection between... criminal research analyst...

from: jobleads.co.uk - 17 days ago

liverpool, england, United Kingdom

To ensure strategies are developed and delivered to meet the priorities for the Liverpool City Region. This will involve working with partners locally and sub-regionally to identify local service development... criminal researcher...

from: jobleads.co.uk - 5 days ago

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY - Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England

Are you a barrister in private practice looking for a role that provides you with the opportunity to bring your professional expertise of contemporary practice into our programmes to inform the delivery... crime researcher... £45,584 - £56,021

from: timeshighereducation.com - 6 days ago

Windsor, England, United Kingdom

As an integral partner in the Justice system, working at Legal Aid Ontario is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help people who need it the most; to ensure each client receives the access to... police researcher...

United Kingdom

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is seeking candidates for legal internships within the U.S. Advocacy and Litigation team to advance our work in combating human rights abuses in the U.S. criminal and immigration... criminal justice graduate...

from: jobleads.co.uk - 8 days ago

The candidate will work in the Department of Law within the research team of the PROBabLE Futures Keystone Project. The project involves working alongside our law enforcement, third sector and commercial... criminal analyst... £39,347 - £44,262

from: timeshighereducation.com (+1 source) - 10 days ago

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We are looking for a committed doctor who is keen to work to develop services and improve patient care. We will be relocating to a new inpatient facility and their leadership will be vital in the running... assistant professor criminal justice...

from: jobleads.co.uk - 10 days ago

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Welcome to the Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research

The Centre is a collaboration between the Universities of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier, Stirling and Strathclyde. SCCJR aims to produce research that informs policy and practice and advances our understanding of justice.

Just Humans Episode 1: Darkness with Dr Anna Souhami

Anna takes us on an audio trip to Shetland, around 200 miles north of the Scottish mainland, where she researched policing on the periphery and discovered how the dark skies loomed large in people's daily lives.

May 14, 2024

SCCJR Sponsoring Best PGR Paper Prize at BSC 2024

April 30, 2024

£1million research programme on effect of Scotland’s justice system on public health

February 14, 2024

Police Given New Tool to Improve Rape Investigations

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by Michael Friedrich

Recently, the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), with support from Arnold Ventures (AV), launched the  Criminal Justice Innovation (CJI) Fellowship program , which supports early-career researchers who are exploring what works to make communities safer and the criminal justice system fairer and more effective.

In part five of a new series profiling the CJI fellows, AV spoke with  Emma Rackstraw  who recently completed a PhD in public policy at Harvard and will start as an assistant professor of economics at Swarthmore College in 2025.

Emma Rackstraw: Inequitable Decision Making 

Before entering the PhD program at Harvard, Rackstraw led the crime and political economy and governance sectors at  J‑PAL North America , a research center working to reduce poverty. Today, her research focuses on understanding the decision-making processes and incentive systems of key actors in the labor market and criminal justice system, as well as how those decisions interact with systemic inequities. 

Rackstraw explains that spending time in correctional facilities as part of her work with J‑PAL made it clear how the criminal justice system in America intersects with many forms of discrimination and inequality. ​“Getting to spend extended periods of time with incarcerated people,” she says, ​“really drove home for me the urgency and importance of trying to find ways to bring as many of those people back into our communities as possible while keeping both them and the rest of society safe.”

In 2023, Rackstraw  studied  reality TV shows that feature policing, like  Cops  and  Live PD , asking how such shows affect police and community perspectives. Focusing on  Live PD , she found that the presence of TV cameras in a department creates a selective view of policing. In particular, it increases arrests for low-level offenses by nearly 20 percent. Meanwhile, she conducted a survey which found that 90% of Americans have been exposed to the distorted vision of policing depicted in such shows. 

“Hundreds of police departments and sheriff’s offices have filmed with these shows over the last 30 years,” Rackstraw explains. ​“I realized there was a lot of potential for these shows to affect not just millions of viewers, but also many thousands of police officers and the communities that those officers patrol.” 

As part of the new SSRC fellowship, Rackstraw hopes to expand her work on the effects of reality TV featuring police, particularly how it impacts recruitment. Rackstraw intends to use police academy and application data to explore questions about who is being attracted to the occupation based on the distorted vision of policing presented by shows like  Live PD .

Rackstraw will also launch a new research project on how criminal histories affect people’s employment prospects in the labor market. Through an agreement with a large background check company, she and her co-authors have access to a massive administrative data set detailing the hiring practices of a range of companies over the last eight years. Rackstraw will use this data to understand how firms respond to candidates’ criminal histories. 

Teasing out these research questions is important, Rackstraw says, because the criminal justice system can have such dire socioeconomic consequences. She hopes that her work will help policymakers implement policies that improve equity in policing, reduce unnecessary arrests, and remove barriers to employment. ​“There are so many people affected, and the stakes are so high,” she says. ​“We’re talking about a system that can limit people’s freedom, as well as the way that people make a living in the formal labor market.”

Read part  one ,  two , three and four  in this series. 

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