A range of new faces have joined CYCJ so far in 2023. In this series we take the chance to get to know a little bit more about who they are, and the nature of the work they’ll be doing. First up is Nesha Dixon, who joined us in January on an internship funded by SGSSS:
Can you a tell us a bit about your background (academic and/or practice) and interests, and how they’ve led you to CYCJ at this point in your career?
- My academic background is in Forensic Psychology and I then went on to work for Thames Valley Police as a criminal researcher and intelligence development officer in the area of modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation. I am currently a third-year psychology PhD student at Abertay University, where my research focuses on the risk assessment of missing persons. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to complete a three-month SGSSS organised research internship with CYCJ and Action for Children on a topic that aligns with my own research interests and professional experience.
You’ve recently joined Team Research. What’s the nature of the work that you’re taking on with CYCJ, and what do you see as some of the biggest challenges and opportunities ahead? How are you settling in so far?
- The research I will be carrying out with CYCJ is a scoping review to understand child criminal exploitation (CCE) in Scotland. This research is also supported by Action for Children and the Scottish Government. This research provides an opportunity to have a valuable impact in furthering our understanding of CCE in Scotland, which in turn can inform policy and practice to tackle this form of exploitation and ensure that children and young people being criminally exploited in Scotland receive the support they need.
It’s a new year, and a new opportunity for you. Do you have any resolutions or big projects planned for 2023?
- Although I will only be with CYCJ for three-months, my hope is that the research I conduct during this time will have a significant impact.
Could you tell us a bit about what your interests are outside of youth justice?
- I have a keen interest in undertaking research that will make a difference, have a valuable impact on society and inform evidence-based policies and practices. My research interests include missing persons, risk assessment, modern slavery, human trafficking and exploitation.
- Outside of research, I enjoy taking our ten-month-old puppy for walks, travelling, cooking, reading and listening to music.
What’s the best way for people to get in touch, if they want to contact you or follow the progress of your research? (Twitter handle / relevant email or both)
- If you would like to know more about my research, please contact me (nesha.dixon@strath.ac.uk) or my research supervisor Nina Vaswani (nina.vaswani@strath.ac.uk).