Prof Claire Paterson-Young

Claire Paterson-Young (BA MSc PhD) is Professor of Social Justice and Research Leader at the Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII). A key feature of her research is the development of social impact measurement frameworks that aid organisations to identify the positive and negative, intended and unintended outcomes of interventions and activities. Claire's current major research projects include AI in Law Enforcement (RAI-UK funded 4-year interdisciplinary project titled 'PROBabLE Futures – Probabilistic AI Systems in Law Enforcement Futures') and Gender Equality (British Council funded 1-year project titled 'Empowering female students and graduates enhancing skills and expanding opportunities: Learning from UK and Indonesia').

Claire has over 15 years practice and management experience in safeguarding, child sexual exploitation, trafficking, sexual violence, youth and restorative justice. She has consulted nationally with local authorities, police forces and national organisations to develop child sexual exploitation services and restorative justice services. Claire is Chair of the University of Northampton Research Ethics Committee and a serving member of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Ethics Committee. She formerly served as a member of the Health and Research Association Research Ethics Committee. She is a trustee of the National Association for Youth Justice (NAYJ), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), and Research Affiliate at Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre. She has held a Visiting Fellowship position at Binus University (Indonesia) and Associate Fellowship position at Children and Young People Centre for Justice (Scotland). Claire is a member of the UKRI Talent Peer Review College.

Claire is currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Child and Family Studies and Children and Youth Service Review. She is an International Advisory Board Member for the YOUNG Journal, Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Qualitative Criminal Justice and Criminology, and Chair of the Cross-Comparison Research Special Interest Group at the Work and Family Research Network. Claire is co-editor of books titled Desistance and Children: Critical Reflections from Theory, Research and Practice (Policy Press, 2024) and Social Impact Measurement for a Sustainable Future: The Power of Aesthetics and Practical Implications (Palgrave, 2021). She was lead author for a book titled The Social Impact of Custody on Young People in the Criminal Justice System (Palgrave, 2019). 

Claire's research interests are diverse, including:

• Social justice
• Youth studies
• Participatory research
• Social impact measurement
• Ethics
• Responsible policing
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Imprisonment
• Social care
• Restorative justice
• Sexual violence
• Child sexual abuse and exploitation
• Trauma informed practices
• Normalisation of abuse

Claire completed her Higher Education Association Fellowship in 2017 and has experience teaching in Criminology and Social Care at undergraduate and postgraduate level. She has experience teaching in modules including:

• Criminological Imagination
• Criminological Perspectives
• Explaining Violence
• Youth, Risk and Society
• Children, Young People and the State
• Research Methods
• Critical Thinking
• Social Impact

Current students:

• Riann Sherratt - Coventry University (External Supervisor) - Primary prevention: Tackling child sexual offending through early intervention.
• Jo Kukuczka - Open University (External Supervisor) - Investigating the social impact of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum for change.
• Robert Browne - University of Northampton - Supporting Individuals within SEND within the Logistics Sector.

Previous students:

• Michael Maher - University of Northampton - Collective Action in Transitioning States: A study of social enterprises [complete].
• Tuyen Thanh Le - University of Northampton - Social Impact of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves: The case-study of Ca Ba Island, Vietnam [complete].