[Posted on behalf of Susan Batchelor <[log in to unmask]>]

PhD Studentships in Criminology and/or Criminal Justice 

The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) is a research partnership between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Glasgow Caledonian Universities, in alliance with others in Aberdeen, Dundee, St Andrew’s and Strathclyde Universities. Details of SCCJR’s staff and research interests can be found at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk

SCCJR is offering 2 PhD studentships, each of three years duration, to commence in October 2008. The Studentships will cover course fees (at the usual level for UK and EU studentships) and a student stipend. The studentships will be based at Glasgow, and Edinburgh universities, respectively but may be supervised by two of the partner institutions.  

These positions are open to applicants with any intended field of study in criminology or criminal justice, and potential candidates who have an original idea for a research project are encouraged to apply. SCCJR staff also welcome applications in their areas of expertise. Research in SCCJR encompasses a wide and diverse range of topics, and includes sociology of punishment (especially imprisonment); penal politics, institutions, and processes, young offenders, youth justice, gender, crime and criminal justice, gendered violence, community penalties, ex-offender reintegration, crime and community safety, ‘art crime’ (international market in looted antiquities and the theft, smuggling and sale of archaeologically important items of cultural heritage), crimes of the powerful, economics and crime, public responses to crime and punishment, patterns of and trends in crime and victimisation; criminal careers through the life-course, neighbourhood effects on offending; and methods of quantitative criminology. 

SCCJR is currently developing the themes of economics and crime (the economics of crime, and the costs to the community of criminal acts and their effects)  and of ‘illicit markets’ by developing research capacity in relation to national and international illicit markets in items such as guns, gems, counterfeit goods, human trafficking, and wildlife. Research into market activities which are ‘borderline legal’, such as where the precise illegality of the market is obscure or concealed, is of interest, in addition to criminal markets where the wrongdoing is clear, and those which attract organised crime. This research interest is led by the Crime and Communities network based in Glasgow.

SCCJR also has an interest in developing skills and capacity in quantitative criminological research in Scotland and welcomes applications which address any relevant area of criminological study using advanced quantitative methods. These might include (but are not limited to): crime and victimization surveys, longitudinal methods in the study of youth crime, deviance and substance use; patterns of and trends in crime; criminal careers through the life-course; systems of justice, including transitions from juvenile to adult criminal justice systems; neighbourhood effects on offending; and methods of quantitative criminology. This interest is led by the CJ-QUEST network based in Edinburgh.

The successful candidates will be free to undertake an independent programme of research, although it will be mutually beneficial if their work relates to the research programmes of one or more of the Centre’s thematic networks. It is likely to advantage your application if you can explain in your proposal how your research will benefit or extend the Centre’s research programme in the area of your choice.

The studentships are open to candidates with good Masters degrees in criminology, sociology, law, social policy and related fields. 

How to Apply
Applications should be made on the respective University’s standard postgraduate application form.  The method of application for each University is set out below. Please follow the application instructions, clearly indicating that yours is an application for an SCCJR Research Studentship 2008. You must include a clearly specified research proposal of around 1,500 words in each case. If you wish your application to be considered by both Universities you will need to submit an application to them both:

Edinburgh: http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/pg/research/admissionsfaqs.aspx
Glasgow: http://www.gla.ac.uk/faculties/lbss/graduateschool/aboutus/. To download the Glasgow application form: http://www.gla.ac.uk/media/media_6776_en.pdf 

Submission date:  Friday 6th June 2008.  It is likely that interviews for the studentships will be held in the last week of June. 

To discuss these opportunities informally, please contact Professor Michele Burman at the University of Glasgow tel: 0141 3306983, [log in to unmask] or Professor Richard Sparks at the University of Edinburgh tel: 0131 6502059 [log in to unmask]






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Professor David S. Wall, 
Centre for Criminal Justice Studies,
School of Law, 
University of Leeds. 
Leeds. 
LS2 9JT UK 
+ 44 (0)113 343 1881
+ 44 (0)113 343 5033 
[log in to unmask] 

**Please note that I am on research leave until September 2008 and shall not be in my Leeds office  on a regular basis**