Professor Susan Mcvie
University of Edinburgh

Dr Ana Morales-Gomez
University of Edinburgh

Dr Allison Kurpiel
University of Edinburgh

It is widely agreed that greater data sharing and linkage is necessary to support the development of better services. improve decision making, and deliver better outcomes for the public. Nevertheless. the Office for Statistics Regulation found recently that sharing and linking of datasets is still the exception rather than the norm. Within policing. data sharing has the potential toenable early intervention and preventative work to safeguard and promote welfare, as well as enhance wider public protection. Concerns about legal and ethical barriers to data sharing, maintaining public confidence, and the potential for data breaches has been a key factor in deterring police forces from sharing data. However, recent advances in the establishment of Trusted Research Environments and secure data governance protocols has addressed many of these concerns in relation to research. This session will highlight collaborative work being undertaken between the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research. Police Scotland and Public Health Scotland. This work involves developing new data linkage research that aims to tackle priority policing issues. including officer response to incidents involving mental health distress. Examples of successful police-health data linkage and the learning from this research will be shared

Mark Kydd
Abertay University

The ‘Broken Hearts, Empty Accounts’ project is an innovative PhD project centred on using Al to combat romance scams. Romance scams are an evolving form of cybercrime where scammers initiate relationships with victims of online dating platforms to exploit them emotionally and financially. The project applies cutting-edge technology using Al to analyse conversations for warning signs ahead of time. Through detecting scammer behaviours, the system can advise would-be victims on how to protect themselves, supporting their safety. privacy, and security. The outcomes of the project have implications for user safety, whilst educating and informing them of the risks of online dating, thus offering a novel, and effective means of protecting users from harm.

Dr Julie Gawrylowicz
Abertay University

Sam Conway
Abertay University

The Forensic and Investigative Psychology (FIP) Research Group at Abertay University conducts cutting-edge research in forensic psychology, with a strong focus on investigative practices and the criminal justice system. The group is committed to improving investigative methods and enhancing outcomes for vulnerable individuals within the justice system.

Professor Kirsteen Grant
Edinburgh Napier University

This research compares the ‘work’ and ‘workplace’ expectations of probationer and early career police officers (with up to two years of experience) with the lived experiences of established police officers (with three or more years of experience). It examines the extent to which the expectations of early career officers are realistic, understood, and are being fulfilled for established officers. The wellbeing and retention of police officers are of key concern to Police Scotland. Providing an in-depth examination of the reasons behind turnover intention (desire to leave) and, importantly, the retention factors that might encourage officers to remain within Police Scotland is the driving force behind this research.

Professor Lesley Mcmillan
Glasgow Caledonian University

Julia Zauner
Glasgow Caledonian University

The Social, Criminal and Legal Justice Research Group (SCaLe) is an interdisciplinary research group based at Glasgow Caledonian University. Our research actively explores the relationship between (gender) inequalities, crime, and justice. particularly gender-based and sexual violence and the statutory and non-statutory responses to it. SCaLe members are engaged in an array of research projects, investigating aspects of violence against women and girls, policing, equality and inclusion, the impact of technology on social and criminal justice systems, and more. Our doctoral researchers explore innovative projects on contemporary challenges within criminology. victimology. criminal justice, policing, legal reform, and social policy. Through collaboration with the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, our members have secured access to key project partners and stakeholders, including Police Scotland. These partnerships offer invaluable networking and fieldwork opportunities, enabling rigorous academic research to meaningfully influence policy and practice.

Tackling domestic abuse. gender-based violence, and violence against women and girls is one of the main priorities for the Scottish Government (2018) and the Scottish Police Authority (2024). Within this multi-faceted issue, the present project takes the perspective of investigative interviewing to better understand how evidence in these cases is collected.

Domestic abuse is frequently reported only after multiple occurrences of abuse, sometimes after long delays. Research has shown that individuals (children and adults) remember recurring /repeated events differently than single/unique experiences. For example, when reporting on instances of repeated events, individuals may focus on reporting “what usually” happens without providing details of instances, and if they do report on instances, they frequently misattribute what happened when.

Emerging research indicates that some interviewing strategies may help individuals provide more detailed and accurate reports about repeated events. though this research typically lacks connection to real-world practices. The present project aims to collect information about practices currently used by Police Scotland officers when collecting statements from witnesses of domestic abuse. Knowledge of these practices will inform our future research focused on developing interviewing interventions that may facilitate reporting in cases of domestic abuse.

Dr Ian Fyfe
University of Edinburgh

Dr Alan Mackie
University of Dundee

Much of the current media and political debate about the role of the police focuses on public confidence, consent, trust and legitimacy. In this project we have focused attention on young people, the so-called Covid Generation’; and explored the early actions needed to enhance relationships and promote confidence and trust between the police and young people. A key driver for this project is building police capabilities in this changing context. The overall aim of the study is to explore the actions needed to enhance relationships and promote confidence and trust between the police, young people and other community-based service providers. Through focus group interviews, we have engaged with over 30 young people, as well as youth work practitioners, in two communities where relationships between young people and police have experienced strain. Initial findings suggest that these young people, and their families and other networks, are experiencing significant pressure and stress related to the experience of deep poverty. Levels of trust of the local police in the communities we investigated is low, and some young people view the police with fear. Existing relationships between the young people and police are at times inconsistent, and there is a disconnect as a consequence.

Dr Mary Fraser
University of Glasgow

Dr Fraser’s current interest is in police management of the population, particularly in preventing public disturbance during and after W/W/1. She recently (2024) completed a major work on the role of the police in disaster management, comparing their release into agriculture during the threat of population starvation in 1917/18 when all competent help was urgently needed to increase home food production, to the release of police manpower into the ambulance service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both occasions show the release of police with competent skills in the industry under threat to prevent it from collapse during an actual or threatened disaster. This is published as The British Police and Home Food Production in the Great War: Police as Ploughmen, 1917-1918 by Palgrave Macmillan,