Johanne is programme leader on the criminology and criminal justice degree at the University of the West of Scotland. She teaches on the Youth Justice module which explores youth justice in Scotland, the welfare approach and the Children’s Hearing System in Scotland. Prior to joining academia in 2016, she was a youth worker and youth service coordinator for 10 years in Glasgow.
Her research interests are varied and include youth gangs, street cultures and cultural criminology alongside a broad interest in youth justice. Her recent research involves an evaluation of The Structured Deferred Sentencing Court for young people in South Lanarkshire and gathering young people’s opinions on the draft sentencing guidelines for young people in Scotland.
Currently, Johanne is exploring the role of boredom in young people’s lives and is in the process of carrying out a longitudinal evaluation of the impact of sports interventions in young people’s lives.