Kirsty works as a Research Associate at CYCJ. This involves carrying out research across CYCJ’s workstreams, including projects relating to places of safety and alternatives to police custody, child-friendly justice, inequalities within the youth justice system and the biannual Stakeholder Survey.
Kirsty has a background of working across the criminal justice system, including with firms of defence solicitors, the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA), the police and the prison service. She completed her PhD at the University of Glasgow in 2019, titled ‘Families – Inside Prison and Out: Young people’s experiences of having a family member in prison’ and went on to complete a related ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Strathclyde in 2021. Kirsty has also worked on academic research projects looking at desistance amongst ex-military personnel in custody and trauma-informed policing, as well as working with CELCIS on projects relating to care-experienced children and young people. She has also held roles as a Research Officer with SCRA and as a Senior Criminal Justice Researcher at the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Kirsty’s key research interests include the role and interconnection of families and other key relationships for those within the criminal justice system, along with a broader focus on children and young people in conflict with the law and the experiences of those who work within and come into contact with the youth justice system.