Dr Kelly Johnson
- Senior Lecturer in Criminology (Sociological & Cultural Studies)
Biography
My research addresses domestic abuse and sexual violence, policing, justice, and feminist sociolegal studies.
I have research expertise in policing responses to domestic and sexual violence, victim-survivors, criminal and procedural justice, and understanding emerging forms of abuse such as cyberflashing and image-based sexual abuse. My work involves a range of qualitative and mixed methods, including police ethnography, data and case file analysis, and working closely with victims of abuse, for example via interviews or expert by experience panel consultations.
I am passionate about academic research being collaborative, engaged and impactful, and used to develop new ways of thinking and doing that centre lived experience and generate positive social change. I have collaborated and consulted extensively with statutory organisations such as the Home Office, the College of Policing, the National Police Chiefs Council, the Law Commission (E&W), and several police forces, as well as with victim support services and private technology companies to advance research and innovation in responses to violence and abuse.
Most recently, I led a large team of academics on an applied research project: embedding procedural justice for victim-survivors into policing responses to sexual violence. This work formed part of Operation Soteria - a Home Office-funded initiative involving collaboration between police forces and several academic teams, led by Professors Katrin Hohl and Betsy Stanko, seeking to improve the policing of rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales.
Outside of the academy, I have worked with several third-sector domestic and sexual violence support organisations, including Rape Crisis and Scottish Women’s Aid centres.
I joined the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (School of Social and Political Sciences) at the University of Glasgow in October 2022, having previously worked as an Assistant Professor at Durham University. Enquiries about PhD supervision in my areas of research are welcome.
For any research, consultancy, or media enquiries please contact me directly by email.
Research interests
Domestic violence and abuse
Sexual violence and abuse
Policing and the police
Violence Against Women
Criminal justice
Procedural justice
Victim-survivor experiences
Understandings of harm and justice
Emerging forms of violence and abuse (e.g. cyberflashing, image-based sexual abuse, using technology)
Institutional responses to violence and abuse
Feminist methodologies and theory
Sociolegal studies
Research groups
- Criminology
Grants
'Operation Bluestone Soteria: Pillar 3; Embedding a procedural justice approach to police engaging victims of sexual violence'. Home Office, 2021-2023, £1.94 million [PI].
'Responding to the Covid-19 domestic abuse crisis: Developing a rapid response police evidence base.' ESRC, 2020-2021. £177,173 [Co-I].
ESRC Festival of Social Sciences, 2020-2021, £1800 (PI).
Teaching
In addition to PhD supervision, I teach on the Masters Taught Criminology programme where I convene Contemporary Issues in Policing and supervise dissertation students.
