Dr. Emma Winlow obtained her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Criminology and Crime & Justice from the University of Chester and completed her PhD at the University of Gloucestershire. A public criminologist, Emma has extensive leadership and management experience in higher education and is passionate about accessibility, inclusion, and employability in teaching and learning. She established the School of Criminal Justice with these practices in mind. Emma is also a member of the British Society of Criminology and the British Society of Criminology’s Teaching and Learning Network.
Saabirah Osman is a Programme Lead within the School of Criminal Justice. She obtained her BA and MA degrees at Birmingham City University and is currently completing her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University. Her PhD seeks to explore and examine the services provided to UK migrants who are survivors of Sexual Violence. Through this research she hopes to widen accessibility and availability of appropriate support to this population. Saabirah’s research background predominately focuses on sex offenders, specifically on the successful reintegration and management once released into the community. In addition to this Saabirah has published various book chapters that have explored and discussed various issues including: sexual abuse, Intersectional Studies in prisons research and, addiction and online gambling. Prior to pursing her career within academia, Saabirah worked with the Birmingham Youth Offending Services.
Sam began her career working for Cleveland Police, before training in Crime Scene Examination and Serious and Organised Crime. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Investigative Studies, an MSc in Criminal Investigation and a PGCE in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
Sam has been lecturing in HE for 18 years, teaching on a range of specialist learning and development programmes in partnership with law enforcement agencies, in addition to teaching traditional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. She is also an external examiner for policing provision at Northumbria University and Salford University, working alongside Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Northumbria Police.
She was the programme leader of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) with Cleveland Police and Teesside University and module leader for a number of investigative and policing modules as well as leading the Legal and Forensic Medicine professional course for Mitie. This has led to Sam becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Programme Team Leader for Investigation, Security and Defence at Arden University.
As a member of the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG), Sam is an active researcher, her work primarily focusing upon fingerprint forgery and fraud, police interviewing practices, police direct entry and the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD in uniformed roles, looking at hidden signs of PTSD and the impact upon families and relationships.
Harriet is a law academic and former associate head with a focus on access to justice, mediation, and practical legal training. She is an RICS accredited mediator who is hoping to start a PhD on international mediation and access to justice. Harriet graduated from the University of Hull with a LLB Law (Hons) degree and later went on to achieve a Bar Professional Training Course. Harriet was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn in 2012 and continues to be very actively involved with the legal profession. Prior to entering academia, Harriet worked in the voluntary sector as a campaigns officer and as a legal adviser. Now, Harriet is responsible for the management and academic delivery of the LLB Law programmes at Arden University. She is currently working to improve key metrics within the Law programmes to ensure our programme portfolio reflects changes to professional legal education.
Claire is currently the interim Head of Department for Postgraduate Criminology and Criminal Justice. She has extensive industry experience, from 20 years working for Wiltshire Police; specialising in Crime Prevention and environmental design. Claire went into FE/HE education in 2011, teaching criminology, sociology and uninformed public service. Her qualifications are; MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice (2018), Professional Dip in Crime prevention & environmental design, BSc (Hons) in Social Policy and Criminology (2012).
I am currently working towards my PHD, which I am hoping to finish in 2025/2026) which considers the relevance and role of the public as capable guardians in the CPTED process.
Catherine is a non practising Solicitor. Originally qualifying as a family lawyer specialising in financial work in London/Surrey area, she moved to the Midlands and worked in High Street legal aid practices undertaking a wide mix of financial and child work.
Catherine started her teaching career on the postgraduate Legal Practice Course and has focussed her attention on the creation of accessible, practical, legal education. She has worked at a variety of institutions over a 20 year period, mentoring staff and students and creating innovative learning and teaching becoming a Senior Fellow of Advance HE in 2015. In more recent times, Catherine was Reader in Legal Education at Keele University where she created their pathway in Legal Practice and the LLM (SQE prep) in partnership with another provider. In addition, she designed, established and supervised their three legal advice clinics.
Catherine is a former Director of Birmingham Law Society and remains a Council Member and Chair of their EDI committee. Her research interests focus on the power of reflection as a catalyst for personal and professional development, specifically in bridging gaps in social mobility and intersectionality more generally, for those studying law or entering the legal profession.
Catherine moved to Arden in October 2024 where she leads the Birmingham campus and is now Head of Department (maternity cover) for the next year.
Dr Darren Woodward completed his PhD in Criminology in 2018. It was a qualitative research project that examined the community experiences of men who had been convicted of child sex offences. He has worked at The University Centre Grimsby where he was a Programme Leader for criminology, and Coventry University (Scarborough Campus) where he taught on the Professional Policing (pre-join) programme, before joining Arden’s School of Criminal Justice in May 2022. Darren is also an ex-prison officer, having served for just under 17 years. He worked initially at the young offenders institute, HMPYOI Glen Parva in Leicester for 3 years, and spent the remainder of his service at HMP Hull. His current teaching and research interests centre around penology, criminal justice and the use of practitioners who also teach in Higher Education. He is a member of the Prison Research Network, The Pracademic Network, and is a member of the editorial team for the Prison Service Journal.
Catherine is a Senior Lecturer in law and Programme Leader at Arden University. Prior to this Catherine has taught at other higher education institutions. Catherine also has experience of teaching apprentices at varying levels and is a qualified solicitor with practice experience in civil litigation. Her undergraduate degree was in Archaeology and Geography, from which she progressed to complete a PGCE in Secondary Education. From here she chose to pursue a career in law, completing a graduate diploma in law and the legal practice course, qualifying as a solicitor in 2017. Combining her legal practice experience with teaching, Catherine moved into legal education and training, with a particular desire to pursue online and digital learning. Catherine is particularly interested in developing AI use across programmes and exploring how it can support students in preparing them for legal practice and has worked with colleagues in the Law Department to develop the Virtual Law Firm and the use of Bodyswaps.
Richard Charlton (MSc, FHEA)
Richard Charlton embarked on his academic journey at Monash University in South Africa, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology (with Honours) and International Studies. His exceptional performance in his Honours Degree and thesis earned him the Certificate of Excellence in 2011. His thesis was a mixed methods research endeavour entitled “Exploring the philosophical values of Ubuntu, as a mechanism of healing and reconciliation, in a Post-Apartheid South African Township”. Richard went on to receive a Graduate Assistantship at Illinois State University, where he completed his Master of Science degree and received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2014. His master’s thesis focused on qualitative research and was titled “Death and Destruction: Insight into the Rhino Poaching Epidemic in South Africa”.
Richard has presented his research findings from his Honours, Masters, and other publications at various international criminology and victimology conferences. After serving as Deputy Director of Research for the Gauteng Department of Community Safety, a government department in South Africa, he is now a Lecturer of Criminology at Arden University. His research interests within criminology include evidence-based research & policing, green criminology, victimology, restorative justice, and crime prevention. Currently, Richard's research interests centre around green victimology, wildlife crime, and the illegal wildlife trade.
Rita Saville BA (Hons), Dip.CSE (Dunelm), PGCE, PGCert, FHEA
Rita joined Arden University as a lecturer in the Department of Investigation, Security and Defence in 2023. Prior to this, she worked for fifteen years as a crime scene investigator within the police service, and two years as a forensic specialist.
Rita gained a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Lancashire and holds the Durham University Diploma in Crime Scene Examination. She also studied at the Maastricht Centre for Transatlantic Studies at Teikyo University in the Netherlands. After gaining a PGCE from Huddersfield University she moved into lecturing on the BSc Forensic and Criminal Investigation degree at Arden. She holds a postgraduate qualification in Digital Pedagogies and Practices and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Dr David Honeywell is a lecturer in criminology at Arden University who began his academic career in 2013 at the University of York where he worked as an associate lecturer while studying his PhD ‘ex-prisoners and the transformation of self through higher education’. His study was inspired by his own personal journey as an ex- prisoner who escaped a dysfunctional life through education later in life. While in prison in the 1990's he gained an Open University qualification which later led to degrees in criminology, social research methods and sociology. He has since taught criminology and sociology at the universities of York, Leeds Beckett, Durham, Hull, Sunderland, Manchester Met and the University Manchester as well as being a regular guest speaker across the university circuit. In 2012 he self-published his autobiography Never Ending Circles which later inspired his 2023 monograph: Living Desistance: Breaking the Cycle which was a follow up to his first monograph ‘The Ambiguities of Desistance: Ex-offenders, Higher Education and the Desistance Journey (2021).
Dr. David Temple is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology within the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. David joined Arden University after previously working as a research associate at Teesside University and lecturer at Leeds Trinity University. His previous research experience includes working with older male offenders in their desistance attempts within a probation setting, which informed his doctoral research. David holds a PhD in criminology from Teesside University and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. David was also lead researcher on the Challenging Youth Racism project, a collaborative project with HumanKind, funded by the Big Lottery, aimed at addressing youth racism across North East England. This practical research experience has informed his teaching on a range of criminology, sociology and policing modules. David also currently oversees a Student Volunteer Research Assistant project, supporting Arden students conducting research around the New Bridge Befriending Foundation.
Prior to teaching Criminology at Arden University, I also taught Criminology at Huddersfield University whilst undertaking Doctoral Research in the Probation Sector. A true Criminologist I have a First Class Honours Degree in Criminology, as well as a PhD in Criminology. My Doctoral research investigated the probation practitioner – probationer relationship and how practitioners mobilise, negotiate, develop and maintain trust in the probation relationship.More broadly, my research interest includes relational probation practice at the policy, institution and practitioner level(s), and its impact on probationers, desistance and rehabilitation outcomes.
Dr Charlotte Rigby is a Lecturer in Criminology at Arden’s Birmingham campus. She is a cultural sociologist and social historian, with a keen interest in working-class histories, archival research and the life course approach. She was awarded her PhD from the University of Staffordshire in 2024. Her thesis, titled ‘Looking for a Man’s Job?’: A Historiography of Policewomen’s Experiences Throughout the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s’, explored how a pioneering cohort of women navigated canteen culture, misogyny and other barriers in their policing careers. As a first-gen academic, Charlotte is passionate about making academia accessible to all. Her most recent publication reflects upon her experiences studying for a PhD whilst working full-time"
Dr Paolo Baffero is Lecturer in Criminology within the School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Law. He holds a BSc in Sociology from the University of Milano-Bicocca, an MA in Criminology from Middlesex University, and a PhD in Criminology and Sociology from the University of South Wales. His research critically examines the intersections of law, policy, and social justice, with a particular focus on how legal systems shape, constrain, or respond to the experiences of marginalised and structurally disadvantaged communities. Paolo’s work has been published in international journals, including the International Journal of Restorative Justice and Oñati Socio-Legal Series, and featured on platforms such as the Restorative Works! podcast of the International Institute of Restorative Practices. He has presented at major conferences, including those hosted by the European Society of Criminology and the University of Oxford, and has contributed to policy and practitioner reports for organisations such as the Welsh Government and the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Alongside his academic research, Paolo brings practical experience through his work with Restorative Justice Initiatives and the Youth Offending Service, bridging theory and practice in the pursuit of equitable justice responses.
Dr Saeb Kasm is a Lecturer in Criminology at Arden University’s School of Criminology, Criminal Justice and Law. He is module leader for Crimes of the Powerful and Criminal Justice System and Globalisation on the MA in Serious and Violent Crime, and teaches across a range of undergraduate criminology modules. He brings his research and international professional experience into the classroom, helping students understand the real-world dynamics of crime, power and justice. His research sits at the intersection of state crime and digital power, examining how citizens use technology to document repression, challenge corruption and demand accountability. His book, State Crime, Digital Technology and Civil Resistance: The Mosireen Collective and the Politics of Visibility (Routledge, 2026), explores how activist media can expose state violence and contest authoritarian narratives. Dr Kasm holds a PhD from Queen Mary, University of London, where he was a researcher at the International State Crime Initiative. He has also worked as an anti-corruption consultant for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, contributing to international initiatives addressing corruption, economic crime and illicit financial flows across the MENA region.
10 years of industry experience in the field including roles within Victim Support, Prison and Probation Services and Local authority lead prevention work with young people.When I am not studying outside of work, I love to spend time with my partner, daughter and my extended family and like to travel whenever possible.I am also guilty of watching far too much reality TV.
Research interests;
Professional responsibility, wellbeing in practice and career development.
Qualifications;
PgCert - Digital Education in Practice, Fellow (FHEA), BSC (Hons) Criminology, Studying MA in Serious and Violent Crime
Hannah began working at Arden University in 2023, starting as an Associate Lecturer and progressing to her current role as Distance Learning Lecturer. Hannah comes from an academic background, having studied LLB Law and MA Criminology and Criminal Justice, and most recently completing her PhD in Law and Criminology. Hannah’s research focused upon England and Wales’ most retributory form of life imprisonment; whole life orders. Hannah is actively working to disseminate her findings and recently published a co-authored a piece which explores and explains the use and proliferation of whole life orders in England and Wales. Hannah remains an active researcher, and is currently co-leading a study which endeavours to explore student experiences of doctoral supervision, with the aim of informing on policy and procedural changes in higher education. Hannah also maintains memberships with several criminological societies and prison research networks, including; The British Society of Criminology, The Howard League for Penal Reform, and The Prison Research Network.
Dr Ioannis Dimitrakopoulos is a criminologist and lecturer with expertise in victimology, cybercrime / cybervictimisation, sexual and domestic abuse, and social behaviourism. He currently teaches at Arden University and has previously taught at the University of Hertfordshire and the University of East London. His research focuses on social harm, microaggressions, and prejudice in digital environments, particularly on dating platforms. Ioannis also works with RedKite Support, providing assistance to survivors of sexual and domestic abuse. His work bridges academia and practice, aiming to improve understanding of victimisation and support services while encouraging critical thinking and applied learning among criminology and psychology students, especially those who seek to develop their skills in victim support.
Mina joined Arden in May 2024 as an Assistant Lecturer in Criminology for the London campuses. She previously completed her BA in Criminology at the University of Westminster and then her MSc in Criminology, Gender and Sexualities at the University of Greenwich, specialising in feminist criminology. Mina's main academic interests are feminist criminology, media studies, abolitionism and anti-carceral feminism, state crimes and social movements. So far, her research has been focused mainly on media representations of sexual violence and narratives of justice in relation to the development of the Me Too and the Black Lives Matter movements.
Currently employed as a Lecturer in the School of Criminal Justice at Arden University, I am responsible for delivering modules across Sociology and Criminology undergraduate degree programmes through distance learning and blended learning delivery modes. I am Module leader for several core modules taken by students on campus and online. Additionally I have served in a line management capacity overseeing Associate Lecturers based at the Birmingham study centre. I am an experienced lecturer of Social Science, teaching this from GSCE to degree. I initiated and orchestrated an annual Undergraduate Dissertation Conference at University Centre Peterborough for final-year students across multiple disciplines, including Criminology, Psychosocial, Sociology, Public Services, and English Literature. The conference aimed to foster peer support, feedback, and interdisciplinary insight by providing a platform for students to present their dissertation ideas and progress. Additionally, the event focused on enhancing presentation and communication skills, preparing participants for postgraduate studies and professional careers. Therefore, using these skills, I helped to organise, select abstracts for and review papers for the 2024 DECOLONIAL PRAXIS CONFERENCE: PEDAGOGY, RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP hosted by Arden University.