58 LAWYER MONTHLY EXPERT WITNESS AWARDS 2025 “Turning research into policy remains a challenge because there is often little political willingness to acknowledge uncomfortable findings or implement necessary reforms.” With the rise of digital and cybercrime, do traditional criminological theories still apply, or do we need a new approach to understanding criminal behaviour? Yes, Broadly they do, although theories such a Moral Panic theory and Labelling theory now seem quite dated and tired. We need new theories which incorporate social media and digital lives and also theories which relate to the global nature of some crimes. Your work involves direct engagement with gang-affiliated young people. What insights have you gained from these interactions that are often missing from mainstream discussions on youth crime? Several fascinating insights have emerged, firstly, many young people become involved through debt bondage - often from an unpaid cannabis debt. Levels of coercion, violence and exploitation are disturbing and surprising. Also, newer narratives of crime being a survival tactic is more common. More positively, I think the energy, adaptability and entrepreneurialism of young people is overlooked, but fascinating. media. This has impacted our metro areas but also our smaller towns as both gangs and county lines expand. In some areas this means increased crime and violence. From a criminology perspective, how has public perception of crime changed in recent years, and does this impact how cases are handled in court? I actually think there is little change overall as the same misconceptions, prejudices and misunderstandings persist. There is some new awareness of issues of racial stereotyping and also of neurodiversity and poverty as drivers of criminal behaviour, but we still have a long way to go. Expert witnesses often play a crucial role in shaping legal arguments. What are some common misconceptions about criminology that you encounter in the courtroom? Common misconceptions include the myth of the black gangster or the working-class boy driven to crime because he was simply a ‘bad lot’. Other issues include a false view that only working-class people get involved in violence or drugs; or that all drug users are low-life. Such beliefs are wrong but still all too prevalent.
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