Dr Ella Simpson is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Greenwich. Their research focuses on the use of creative arts interventions in the criminal justice system (CJS) and prior to entering academia, Ella worked as a creative writing facilitator in prisons in London and the South West of England. Ella is interested, more broadly, in research with people who have lived experience of criminal justice and with LGBTQI+ communities.

Dr Clare Torrible is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Bristol, currently engaged with a range of projects focusing on police accountability, police use of technology and institutional responses to serious youth violence. Clare previously worked as a Solicitor at the Crown Prosecution Service and Senior Solicitor at the former Avon and Somerset Police Authority, where she gained extensive experience of police complaints and conduct processes. Her published work in the field of police accountability includes analysis of the HMICFRS investigation into the CJA’s super-complaint on section 60 stop and search.

Arabella holds a PhD in Social Psychology and is a Senior Research Fellow in the University College London (UCL) Department of Security and Crime Science, where she is also active in the UCL Centre for Global City Policing and the Keele Policing Academic Collaboration. Her work includes ESRC- and Nuffield-funded research, as well as consultancy on intervention evaluation, policing, crime, and recidivism. Her research focuses on public trust, police legitimacy, and compliance – particularly in marginalised communities – as well as the social determinants of mental health and wellbeing.

WEI CIC is a specialist organisation that helps partners design, deliver and strengthen programmes, services and opportunities for women across justice and community settings. They work alongside organisations to create better opportunities for women through programme delivery, lived experience, innovation, and systems change.

Lee Whitehead is a social impact PhD researcher. His research explores best practice in social impact and social outcomes partnerships, focusing on co-production, human learning systems, the capabilities approach and innovation. His work examines how social investment from businesses and enterprises can support preventative approaches that reduce involvement in the criminal justice system. Lee is also Director at Smart Social, which focuses on social investment and impact projects.

Rooted Wisdom’s mission is to empower young individuals by nurturing positive racial esteem, identity, and mental well-being. Through educational programs, training initiatives, and mental health support, they aim to create safe and inclusive spaces where youth embrace their culture and history. They inspire personal growth, resilience, and social awareness, empowering the next generation to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Finding Rhythms uses music as a catalyst to empower people to improve their lives. They deliver creative projects in prisons and in the community, supporting people at risk of offending to rebuild their confidence, strengthen their sense of belonging and experience a shift in how they see themselves. Led by professional musicians, participants collaborate to write, record and release original music – telling their stories, often for the first time.

Christina is a prison researcher interested in the topics of love and prison reform. She is currently involved in a study about debt in prison on behalf of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), working with Dr Kate Gooch (PI) at the University of Bath. In her own research she is currently exploring alternative prison set-ups (e.g. the APAC in Brazil and Europe).

End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) are a group of feminist organisations and experts from across the UK, working to end violence against women and girls in all its forms. Made up of specialist women’s support services, researchers, activists, survivors and NGOs, they believe that violence against women is not inevitable and work to tear up the systems that enable it and build a fairer world in its place.

The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies stand for a fair, effective and accountable justice system, in a society less dominated by criminalisation and punishment, because it has developed better ways of preventing and addressing the problems of crime.

It creates lively spaces for collaboration and learning, where conventional criminal justice policy agendas are scrutinised and challenged, fresh knowledge and ideas are discussed, and transformational solutions are developed.

The Prison Phoenix Trust supports the wellbeing and rehabilitation of people in prison through mindful yoga and meditation. It supports people in more than 200 prisons and other secure establishments in the UK and Ireland and is in direct contact with around 5% of the prison population.

Prisoners Abroad is a UK-based charity that protects, supports and advocates for the health, welfare and human rights of British citizens in prison overseas and on return to the UK. They assist British citizens during their imprisonment, providing humanitarian aid, advice and emotional support, supporting them to rebuild their lives and desist from crime after release and return to the UK, and they also support their families throughout the trauma. Prisoners Abroad champions people that have been in prison overseas and their families, drawing on their experiences and insight to advocate for improvements in policy and practice.

Ruth Sellin is a PhD student and Associate Lecturer at the University of Lincoln. Their doctoral work is exploring the gender-responsiveness if the criminal justice system, specifically in the case of women victim-offenders. To this end, she is conducting interviews with women victim-offenders, as well as police officers, lawyers and practitioners who all have experience with women victim-offenders in the CJS. Ruth’s aim is to provide a cohesive view of the issues and barriers this cohort faces in the CJS due to their dual experience of victimisation and criminalisation.

Through vocational training opportunities, resources and environments that support rehabilitation, UpCycle help individuals rewrite their stories and reclaim their lives. UpCycle run bike maintenance programmes for at-risk and marginalised youth across the Bradford area and in seven prisons and young offenders institutions across the UK.

The JABBS Foundation is a philanthropic charity that supports women, girls, their families and their communities. We have a particular focus on women and girls who have had contact with the criminal justice system or are at risk of having contact, recognising this is often due to systemic disadvantage.

The National Black Police Association (NBPA) aims to improve the working conditions of Black staff within the UK police service, protect their rights, and promote racial harmony. Its mission is to support fair and equitable policing for all communities, with a focus on enhancing race relations and equality of opportunity. The NBPA drives initiatives like mentoring, leadership programs, and projects for women in policing, while maintaining a strong presence in government committees and police stakeholder meetings. It ensures transparency and accountability in its efforts to address the alarming loss of Black staff from the police service.

Hestia provides housing and support across London and the surrounding regions, with a large portion of supported housing for those with experience of the criminal justice system

Centre for Women’s Justice (CWJ) is a legal charity which aims to hold the state to account and challenge discrimination in the justice system around male violence against women and girls.

Onwards and Upwards aims to break the cycle of reoffending by launching and growing sustainable social ventures that mentor, train, and employ prison leavers. They aim to create ventures that are trusted brands, and small, beautiful and loud businesses. They mean to prove that employing people with lived experience makes business sense, thereby encouraging more employers to do so.