Lauren Hall
Assistant Professor in Criminology, Faculty of Social Sciences
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Biography
Dr Lauren Hall is an Assistant Professor in Criminology at the 糖心原创, with a research and teaching profile spanning desistance, addiction recovery, and criminal justice practice. Her work focuses on strengths-based approaches to reducing reoffending, with particular emphasis on the role of relationships, gender, families, and social identity in supporting rehabilitation. Lauren has experience leading and collaborating on funded research and evaluation projects across the UK and internationally, including work with criminal justice agencies, third-sector organisations, and policymakers. She has published widely in leading criminology outlets and is actively engaged in knowledge exchange, contributing to policy development and practitioner-focused resources that enhance real-world impact.
Expertise Summary
Lauren's expertise centres on rehabilitation and desistance from crime, recovery from addiction, and the social and relational dynamics that underpin these processes. She specialises in qualitative and applied research methods, including thematic analysis, co-produced research, and policy-oriented evaluation. Her work advances understanding of gendered experiences in criminal justice - particularly the concept of desistance emotional work (DEW) - and highlights the often-overlooked roles of families and affected others. She has a strong track record in interdisciplinary collaboration, alongside expertise in translating research into practice through toolkits, workshops, and stakeholder engagement across criminal justice, health, and community sectors.
Teaching Summary
Dr Lauren Hall is an experienced and research-informed educator who teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate criminology programmes, with particular strengths in punishment and penality,… read more
Research Summary
Dr Lauren Hall's current research focuses on the social and relational dimensions of desistance from crime and recovery from addiction, with particular attention to gender and the experiences of… read more
Dr Lauren Hall is an experienced and research-informed educator who teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate criminology programmes, with particular strengths in punishment and penality, rehabilitation and desistance, and addiction studies. She has led and developed modules, including Life After Prison and core dissertation provision, and is committed to creating engaging, applied learning environments that connect theory to real-world practice. Her teaching emphasises student participation, critical thinking, and supportive supervision, reflected in strong student feedback and peer review.
Her pedagogical interests centre on innovative and inclusive teaching methods, including creative and applied assessments, co-produced learning, and embedding lived experience in the curriculum. She is particularly interested in fostering confidence and independence in students undertaking research. This is complemented by her work on the joy project, which explores how joy can be intentionally fostered in higher education as a core component of effective teaching and learning. Drawing on qualitative research with staff and students, this work highlights the importance of psychological safety, relational and human-centred teaching, creativity, and meaningful engagement in enhancing student experience and wellbeing. It also informs her approach to creating supportive, participatory classroom environments that prioritise connection, curiosity, and reflective learning.
Current Research
Dr Lauren Hall's current research focuses on the social and relational dimensions of desistance from crime and recovery from addiction, with particular attention to gender and the experiences of affected others. She is currently leading a funded project examining the impact of ex-military status on sentencing outcomes and desistance pathways in England and Wales, alongside ongoing work developing the concept of Desistance Emotional Work (DEW) through international collaboration. Her research also involves applied evaluation and policy-oriented projects with criminal justice and third-sector partners, aiming to improve support for individuals navigating rehabilitation and the families who support them.
Past Research
Dr Lauren Hall's past research has focused on desistance from crime and recovery from addiction, with a strong emphasis on the social processes that support long-term change. Her earlier work developed and tested strengths-based frameworks, including the social components model in rehabilitation. She has contributed to a wide range of funded research and evaluation projects, including studies of prison environments, recovery programmes, women's resettlement, and support for military veterans within the criminal justice system. Her research has consistently combined qualitative and applied methods to generate insights that inform policy and practice, often working in collaboration with criminal justice agencies, charities, and people with lived experience.