Impact and engagement

We are committed to producing research that shapes and informs policy making, practice, and societal perceptions on a range of legal issues.

  • Engaging with policymakers

    Browse policy briefs that apply research from the School of Law to address real-world policy challenges.

  • Impacts of our research

    Rated 6th in REF2021 for research impact, our research has influenced policy and practice, the training of criminal justice professionals, and informed public debate.

  • The Centre for Child and Family Justice Research

    The Centre for Child and Family Justice Research is co-hosted by the School of Social Sciences and the School of Law at Lancaster University.

Spotlight on impact

two hands one of an older person and one younger comforting them

Bridging Research, Policy, and Public Debate on Assisted Dying

Suzanne Ost explores her long-standing research interest in Assisted Dying (1996-2026).

It seems like a lifetime ago that I completed my PhD on assisted dying (AD), back in 2000. At that time, AD was permitted in only a handful of jurisdictions worldwide. Fast forward twenty-six years, and it’s now lawful in over 30 jurisdictions.

Bridging Research, Policy, and Public Debate on Assisted Dying

Latest policy engagement briefs

The School of Law has expertise in a range of policy areas. You can find policy briefs that apply research from the School of Law to address real-world policy challenges.

Image of a person voting during elections putting the ballot paper in the box

How to protect UK general elections from AI generated disinformation

Election interference is not new, but techniques are emerging that require the United Kingdom to clarify its position on the international law of state cyber operations that target elections. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre says that emerging technologies, such as AI generated disinformation, are cheaper, easier to target millions of voters, and have a lower risk of detection. It is important that the UK has a clear legal framework regarding techniques that target elections. 
Back view of a woman in formal attire sitting before a jury in a courtroom. She is facing the jury, awaiting a verdict.

Jury Decision Making in ‘Forced–to-Penetrate’ Trials

This project is the first to investigate how mock jurors make decisions in ‘Forced‐to‐penetrate’ (FTP) cases in an England and Wales trial context and was delivered in partnership with Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the Crown Prosecution Service, and We Are Survivors. The highly-realistic mock trials involved a RASSO ticketed judge, experienced barristers, and professional actors.

Medical team interacting at a meeting in conference room.

Hospital Manager Panels under the Mental Health Act 1983

There is a lack of consistency to Associate Hospital Managers (AHM) appointment, training, and procedure across all NHS Trusts, Health Boards, and independent providers in England and Wales; inadequate data; and no routine sharing of good practice. This research looks at the lack of evidence about how AHMs, and the panels, operate, what their role should be, and why the role of AHM’s is important. 
A lawyer in a courtroom addressing the jury.

Jury Decision Making in Cases of Male Rape

In the UK, 1 in 10 men report experiencing rape or non-consensual penetration. This project investigated, for the first time in the context of England and Wales, the relationship between juror characteristics (attitudes, experiences, traits) and verdict decisions in a case of male rape.
Anti money laundering (AML). Gavel and accounting book. White collar crime.

Strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering framework

Internal and external factors affect Nigeria’s ability to comply with FATF’s standards, including weak institutions, lack of political will and corruption, alongside external pressures that do not consider the jurisdictional context. Given the significant implications for financial integrity and economic growth, we want policymakers to recognize the central role of legal professionals and judges in addressing internal compliance challenges while responding to external pressures. 
Portrait of a young women desperate in prison

Preventing girls and women moving between care and criminal justice

Women and girls in the care and criminal justice systems may face compounded structural disadvantages. Women and girls need more support to make sure they are not funnelled into the justice system, including early mental health support.

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