Serena Wright Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

For over ten years, the Griffins Society’s Research Fellowships have turned a spotlight on how women and girls are treated in the criminal justice system. Through their fellowship programme, and with the support of the Institute of Criminology in Cambridge and academics from across the UK, they provide practitioners working with women and girls in the criminal justice system with the opportunity and the tools to carry out research with the aim of bringing about change in practice and policy.Since 2020, I have been a Trustee and Member of the Board of Directors, supporting this incredible charity in the excellent work they undertake.

London, England, United Kingdom

For over ten years, the Griffins Society’s Research Fellowships have turned a spotlight on how women and girls are treated in the criminal justice system. Through their fellowship programme, and with the support of the Institute of Criminology in Cambridge and academics from across the UK, they provide practitioners working with women and girls in the criminal justice system with the opportunity and the tools to carry out research with the aim of bringing about change in practice and policy.Since 2019, I have the honour of supervising Rachel Reed (Senior Probation Officer - North West National Probation Service Women’s Strategy Lead) for her research entitled '‘Hell hath no fury…’ The experience and expression of anger in women convicted of violence', which looks at the lived experience of women convicted of violence in the North of England. Expected completion date: 2023.

Surrey

Lecturing and convening core and optional modules across Level 4-6 programmes including BSc Criminology & Sociology, BSc Criminology & Psychology and LLB Law. Supervising postgraduate research students conducting their studies within the field of penology. Lead and course convener for Learning Together educational partnership initiatives with HMP/YOI Bronzefield and HMYOI Feltham. Currently undertaking research on the lived experience of life imprisonment from a young age.Courses taught:CR1011 – Introduction to Criminology (2016-18) (Level 4, team-taught)CR1015 – Social Policy and Social Problems (2016) (Level 4, team-taught)CR2011 – Research Methods for Social Scientists (2018 – present) (Level 5, team-taught)CR2012 – Data Analysis for Social Scientists (2018 – 2019) (Level 5, team-taught)CR2013 – Key Perspectives and Debates in Criminology (2016 – 2020) (Level 5, team-taught. Course Convener 2018 – 2020)CR2014 – Youth and Crime (2016 – 2018) (Level 5, optional module. Course Convener)CR3027 – Drugs, Crime and Society (2016 – 2018) (Level 6, optional module. Course Convener)CR3023 – Prisons (2017 – 2019) (Level 6, optional module. Course Convener)I have also created and delivered three unique prison-university educational partnership initiative courses:- 'Learning Together: Thinking Criminologically’ at HMYOI Feltham (Spring 2017).- 'Learning Together: Pioneering Women’ at HMP/YOI Bronzefield (Autumn/Winter 2017). - 'Learning Together: Contemporary Criminological and Social Issues’ at HMYOI Feltham – partnership with University of Westminster (Autumn/Winter 2018).

Institute Of Criminology

Based in the Prisons Research Centre, Institute of Criminology, I worked for four years with Professor Ben Crewe and Dr Susie Hulley on a mixed-methods study of men and women’s experiences of long-term life imprisonment. The population of interest was as follows: men and women serving long life sentences (min. 15 years) in English prisons from the age of 25 years and under. We were particularly interested in: how this group cope with and adapt to their sentence; how the sentence and experience of prolonged imprisonment might affect identity and social relations; and how they considered the legitimacy of their situation. From this, we have published a number of peer-reviewed journal articles (British Journal of Criminology, Theoretical Criminology, Justice Quarterly) and a monograph, 'Life Imprisonment from Young Adulthood: Adaptation, Identity and Time', published by Palgrave MacMillan in 2020.

Cambridge, United Kingdom

Working with the Principal Investigator, Dr Jane Dominey, to generate data in men’s and women’s prisons in relation to their experiences with the Prisoner Advice & Care Trust’s ‘Family Engagement Service’. Undertaking interviews with staff and prisoners, engaging in analysis and disseminating findings. Key skills: Conducting in-depth interviews with male and female prisoners; conducting analysis & developing theoretical frameworks relating to emergent data; feeding back findings to funders; and disseminating findings via outputs such as presentations, academic papers, and research reports.

Guildford, United Kingdom

My doctoral thesis - ‘Women’s ‘persistent’ and ‘prolific’ offending across the life-course: Chronic recidivism and frustrated desistance’ - examined women’s re-offending across the life course through life history interviews. It concluded that the language of ‘persistence’ serves to impede our understanding of the ways in which women’s opportunities for ‘getting out of the life’/desistance are frequently blocked by socio-structural factors, particularly where there is a history of addiction and trauma. This is the subject of a chapter in a forthcoming edited collection on 'New Perspectives on Desistance', edited by Dr Emily Hart and Dr Esther Van Ginneken, Liverpool Hope University.

Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom

Working at the Early Intervention Project, a PCC initiative to support survivors of domestic abuse, I worked with hundreds of women seeking support for current and historic experiences of abuse and violence by partners, former partners and family members. As part of this role, I also worked at Hampshire's SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre), which provided a round-the-clock service for survivors of rape and sexual assault, as well as offering support and signposting for those reporting historic abuse.The role of an Independent Domestic Violence Advocate and Independent Sexual Violence Advocate necessitated not only emotional support, provided via phone and face-to-face meetings, but providing access to women's refuges and advocating for clients in court, liaising on the client's behalf with other services (e.g. police, social work). We also worked to support women with no recourse to public funding. As part of this role, we also ran local support group sessions, and also provided training in 'Asking the Question' to various health professionals, including midwives, nurses and drug rehabilitation workers.

Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Healthcare Support Worker at Baytrees - a primary detoxification and rehabilitation support service in the South of England. Working with clients seeking recovery from substance addiction.

Hmp Kingston, Portsmouth, England, Uk

Doctor Of Philosophy (Phd), Criminology

Master Of Science (Msc), Criminology, Criminal Justice & Social Research, Distinction

Bachelor Of Science (Bsc), Criminology & Criminal Justice, First