Bereaved Family Activism in the Aftermath of Lethal Violence

Lead Research Organisation: University of Oxford
Department Name: Criminology Centre

Abstract

The proposed Fellowship aims to refine and develop scholarship on the phenomenon of bereaved family activism in the aftermath of lethal violence. Following David Garland's (2001; see also, McGarry and Walklate, 2015) assertion of the 'return of the victim' fifteen years ago, the interests of victims have moved to centre stage of the criminal justice system with victims' voices becoming formally organised in a victim movement. Over the past 40 years, criminal justice policy has developed to include victims' participatory rights, compensation schemes, victim 'champions' and charters. My doctoral thesis explored one specific form of victim movement, namely, bereaved family activism; the attempts by bereaved relatives to confront their experiences of violent bereavement to engage in organised and public campaigns (Shute, 2016). While these efforts take different shapes, today bereaved family activism can be found in the campaigns for truth by the Hillsborough Families, police reform efforts of Doreen Lawrence, and more recently, the Grenfell Justice movements. Employing a case study of one such campaign, Mothers Against Violence, my thesis argued that bereaved family activism represents a space for resolving emotional, social and spiritual needs which ties together different experiences. Victims engage in these campaigns at different points in their lives, for different purposes.

The proposed Fellowship will build upon my doctoral research and provide a valuable opportunity to develop this concept of bereaved family activism and extend the impact of this growing scholarship for victims, practitioners and policymakers. The support of this Fellowship would provide an opportunity to consolidate existing academic and non-academic networks. To this effect, I intend to organise a one-day symposium exploring the phenomenon of bereaved family activism in its various forms and context, whether for the purpose of criminal justice advocacy, specialist peer support or in response to state injustices. This event will bring together victims, grassroots campaigners and researchers to discuss the role that activism can play in criminal justice reform and victim support. Potential speakers include academics with an interest in family activism such as Phil Scraton (Queen's University Belfast), Claire Moon (London School of Economics), Jon Shute and members from Mothers Against Violence, Hillsborough Justice Campaigns, and Grenfell Justice Movements. The aim of this event will be to provide a platform for academic and non-academic engagement, knowledge exchange, and future collaboration. To ensure enduring impact, a lay report summarising key contributions will be produced and a project webpage and blog will be created which participants can contribute to. To consolidate these networks, I will also undertake a Visiting Fellowship at Monash University at the Gender and Family Violence Programme. This will offer an opportunity to explore the connections between domestic homicide, intimate familial violence and the victims movement. This overseas institutional visit would provide important opportunities for disseminating research findings, knowledge exchange and identifying the potential for future collaborations with an international dimension.

These endeavours will also contribute towards the development of future grant applications. I intend to publish key findings from the thesis through two sole-authored peer-reviewed journal articles and a monograph. The significance of this research will be explored in the context of domestic homicide to consider the role of bereaved family activism in cases where victims share intimate personal relationships or familial ties with the offender. I aim to undertake a series of preliminary interviews with service users and staff of a fatal domestic abuse advocacy group, AAFDA. Conducting a further amount of limited research will help to identify emerging themes for the writing of future grant applications.
 
Description The aim of this work was to develop the international relevance of previous doctoral work on family activism, extend the impact of this research through academic and non-academic dissemination and explore the potential of a future grant in the area of domestic homicide. The award objectives were met on all three fronts:
1) Dissemination to academic audiences through publications. This grant provided the opportunity to develop academic publications and also theoretically refine the issues of family, justice and advocacy in criminal justice. I have had three peer-reviewed articles (Current Sociology, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Sociological Research Online) and one monograph with Routledge published. A further manuscript is currently under review at Homicide Studies. Two manuscripts are currently being developed which conceptualise the role of family organisations in the voluntary sector and consider the responsibilization of family in criminal justice reform and regulation. This area is alarmingly under-theorised and under-recognised in criminal justice and these publications will provide a framework through which families can be properly conceptualised as contributing to service provision, reform, and public debate about crime, justice and punishment.
2) Developing the international relevance of this work in academic and non-academic networks. The international relevance of this work was extended through attendance at national and international conferences and the completion of an international visit at the Monash Gender and Family Violence Centre in October 2019. Here I was able to establish strong connections with those working in government and in academic circles on the role of families in responses and debates on the problem of domestic violence. I met with key academics working in this area as well as those involved in policy working directly with victims of crime who are involved in an advisory capacity on policy in Victoria, Australia. I joined a number of national and international working groups which allowed for fruitful discussion on issues of family advocacy in an international context.
3) Making connections with third sector organisations working with families bereaved by domestic homicide. The grant also provided support to make connections with third sector organisations and charities working in the area of victim policy, service provision and domestic homicide. During the grant a better understanding of the commissioning framework and conduct of domestic homicide reviews and service provision for families. I attended networking events hosted by key organisations and held meetings with advocates working in this area to understand the needs of this group to inform the development of a future grant in this area. I have drafted a full grant application based on these discussions which can be taken forward in the future. Findings have also been disseminated to the voluntary organisation in which the doctoral research was conducted with. This includes a lay summary report and verbal presentation of findings at their committee meeting. I have already begun discussions with those involved in other types of death/fatality review mechanisms (e.g. prison suicide) to discuss implications across different sectors.
Exploitation Route The outcomes of this funding can be taken forward in three ways:

Firstly, the publications will inform future discussion of the role of family in influencing and shaping criminal justice policy and debate. They will map out the availability and access to services for families bereaved by fatal violence and identify the gaps in service provision. The publications developed here also demonstrate the difficulties of representation, voice and ownership for victims who are involved in advising on policy. These publications will be of use to those working in criminology, sociology, victimology, social policy and the violence against women sector and properly conceptualise the role of (bereaved) families in criminal justice reform.

Secondly, the links with networks and working groups that have been developed during this grant will form the basis of dissemination, professional development and support during early career research development. The discussions generated within these networks have provided a valuable opportunity for refining existing knowledge on how victims are engaged and involved in different criminal justice systems and how their experiences come to inform policy developments. This work has implications across different sectors and discussions have begun with those working on death/fatality review mechanisms elsewhere (e.g. prison suicide, inquests).

Thirdly, these connections will be refined and drawn upon in future grants. It is of central importance to work on family and domestic homicide that third sector organisations who often advocate for and on behalf of families be involved not only as users and beneficiaries of this future work but are able to inform the methodological and ethical issues that working with a vulnerable population entails.
Sectors Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Other
 
Description The findings developed during this grant have been used to inform a range of academic and non-academic audiences. These impacts were firstly developed through establishing and refining national and international networks in the area of domestic homicide and family. I attended a number of conferences which were aimed at academics, practitioners, victim advocates and third sector organisations which provided the opportunity to have discussions on the costs and benefits of family involvement in criminal justice as well as refine outputs for academic publication. They also allowed me to reinforce existing networks and develop the international relevance of my work, particularly in Melbourne, Australia. I also co-organised an ESRC Festival of Social Science Event in November 2019 on the recent increases in lethal violence which provided a platform for collaborations and dialogue between local policy makers, third sector actors, police and academics to discuss potential responses. This event was well received and was very positively evaluated by attendees. These findings have been of central importance on developing a better understanding of the role of voluntary organisations and the third sector in criminal justice policy and, in particular, their involvement and engagement with families who have been bereaved by lethal violence. I have shared discussions and meetings with representatives from local policy in England and Wales, and also the Department of Justice and various advocates working in Melbourne, Australia on the issues of victims involved in policy. This provided fruitful discussion for comparisons of how different systems utilise and engage with families in domestic homicide reviews, victim advisory committees and policy more broadly. In addition, I have co-authored peer-reviewed publications and contributed to conferences on family involvement in fatality reviews. For example, an article, co-authored with Rowlands, entitled 'Navigating Family Involvement in Domestic Violence Fatality Review: Conceptualising Prospects for Systems and Relational Repair' was adopted and applied as a conceptual model for conducting domestic homicide reviews in one county in England and involving family members in the review process. A Chair of these DHRs reported positive feedback and that the quality and meaningfulness of reviews had increased. This paper has also triggered a number of invitations to speak on the issue of family involvement in DHRs including a podcast and a workshop given to practitioners involved in conducting reviews. We have received lots of positive feedback from participants at these workshops who have reported that they will think about best practice in a different light. This paper has also been cited in other jurisdictions as they develop new review systems (e.g., Scotland) and as aspects of family involvement are improved in different cultural contexts (e.g., New Zealand).
First Year Of Impact 2019
Sector Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice
Impact Types Societal,Policy & public services
 
Description Informing domestic homicide review practices
Geographic Reach Local/Municipal/Regional 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact The Chair of these DHRs reported positive feedback and that the quality and meaningfulness of reviews had increased.
 
Description Trends in Homicide (ESRC Festival of Social Science)
Amount £1,000 (GBP)
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2019 
End 11/2019
 
Description Member of British Society of Criminology Victims Working Group 
Organisation British Society of Criminology
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Joined in 2019. This network organises thematic panels for conferences, contributes to consultations on victim policy and organises events aimed at early career researchers and mentorship. I am due to attend a Writing Retreat in April where I will work on my manuscript from my monograph and obtain feedback from other academics working in this area.
Collaborator Contribution The BSC Victims WG supports early career researchers on professional development, provides advice/mentorship and a supportive space to organise and structure discussions on victims and criminal justice policy.
Impact Attendance BSC Writing Retreat 2020. Current discussions in progress about developing a peer-reviewed article with another member of the BSC Victims WG.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Participant of CRIMVOL (International Criminal Justice Voluntary Sector Research Network) 
Organisation University of Nottingham
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Joined this network in 2019. Currently involved in writing a peer-reviewed journal article with the Lead of this organisation on the role of victims in the voluntary sector.
Collaborator Contribution Developing publications and discussions on what can be learned from families in the voluntary sector. Involved in Working Group discussions.
Impact Cook, E., Tomczak, P. and Bradford, L. (in preparation) 'Victims and the Voluntary Sector', International Review of Victimology These authors are primarly academics working within criminology. It is a cross-institutional collaboration.
Start Year 2019
 
Description Participant of the EU COST Action 'Cultures of Victimology' 
Organisation European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
Department COST Action
Country Belgium 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Joined the EU COST Action on 'Cultures of Victimology' in 2019. This is a network of victimologists looking to develop research collaborations internationally on the topic of victims and victimology. I contributed to a meeting of this COST Action at the European Society of Criminology's 2019 Conference in Ghent, Belgium.
Collaborator Contribution The contributions of the EU COST Action are currently in progress but these include workshops, peer-reviewed journals and edited collections.
Impact This EU COST Action has only recently begun and therefore output and outcomes are in progress.
Start Year 2019
 
Description A practitioner-focused workshop for Domestic Homicide Review (DHR) Chairs 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An invited talk (by the DHR Network) to speak to DHR practitioners (Chairs, panel members, commissioners, third sector organisations) regarding how to better involve bereaved family members in DHR processes. Audience reported experiences of involving families, challenges and potential techniques for dealing with these issues. Organisers decided to take away the idea of clinical supervision for chairs who are conducting DHRs.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description An invited podcast addressing bereaved family involvement in Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An invited podcast by SILP Review Consulting Company to discuss the involvement of families in DHRs, challenges in a 2023 context, and implications for cross-system learning (e.g., adult safeguarding practice). We received a number of questions from Chairs after the talk and an email thanking us from one participant who noted how important it was to involved families in an ethical and responsible way.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.reviewconsulting.co.uk/
 
Description Conference Presentation: Bereaved Family Activism in the Aftermath of Lethal Violence: A Case Study of Mothers Against Violence 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Seminar at a specialist symposium organised by the British Sociological Association Death, Dying and Bereavement Working Group. Prompted discussions of the role of family as advocates and activists in criminal justice policy and the benefits of peer support for families. Resulted in further contacts being made.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference Presentation: Family Activism and the Question of Public Criminology: Learning from the Experiences of Families of Victims of Lethal Violence 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation at the European Society of Criminology Conference as part of the ESC Victims Working Group. Attended by around 15 people.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference Presentation: Maternal Activism and the Impact on Criminal Justice Policy 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Conference Presentation as part of the British Society of Criminology's Women, Crime and Criminal Justice Working Group. Attended by 20 academics. Sparked questions and discussions later of the role of victims in policy and problems of representation and voice.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference Presentation: Maternal Activism and the Impact on Criminal Justice Policy 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact A Conference Presentation delivered as part of a pre-arranged thematic panel, organised by the Award Holder, comprising of internationally leading scholars in the area of motherhood, criminal justice and family violence. This was delivered at the American Society of Criminology Conference in San Francisco, California. Sparked discussions on maternal responsibility and accountability after violence. There is the potential that this will be developed into a special issue.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference Presentation: The Status of Families in the Aftermath of Domestic Homicide 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A Conference Presentation delivered to practitioners, academics and third sector actors in the area of domestic violence and homicide. This was delivered at the European Conference on Domestic Violence in Oslo, Norway. Sparked discussion over the costs and benefits of involving families in the domestic homicide review process. Asked to join international network on domestic homicide and the review process.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Conference presentation as part of LSBU Workshop on families and justice 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact An event organised by LSBU entitled 'Fighting for Justice : Families, communities and solidarity networks against state harms and violence' providing a space for academics, activists and civil society representatives to participate in dialogue on how families drive change in criminal justice. Attended by around 40-50 people.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description Conference presentation as part of the ECDV 2021 Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Chaired and contributed to a thematic panel on DHRs in England and Wales after 10 years of development. Consisted of cross-institutional and -sector collaboration between City, University of London, Sussex University, KCL, and AAFDA (a third sector organisation).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL http://ecdv-ljubljana.org/
 
Description Public Event: ESRC Festival of Social Science Event (Trends in Homicide) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact In collaboration with academics at the Universities of Manchester and Salford, we secured funding as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science to conduct an evening of talks between academics, third sector, police (GMP) and local policy makers on trends and responses to lethal violence. This involved liaising with a range of different statutory and non-statutory agencies invested in the reduction of violence in society. This event provided a platform for knowledge exchange between academic and non-academic participants to discuss the impact of lethal violence on families and communities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Public Seminar: Maternal Suffering in the Public Sphere: Understanding the Role of 'Good Mothering' Narratives in Family Activism 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Invited to present findings on family activism at the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Audience consisted of around 15 people. Sparked discussion on policy responses to families of homicide victims. Further contacts made within the field and dissemination of a publication to a number of members of the audience.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Symposium Presentation at 'Prison, Health and Society' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Over 200 practitioners, policymakers and international representatives attended this symposium which delivered findings from family involvement in death investigations; this sparked discussion about improving PPO and Coronial practices, and also is available in a summary report to practitioners.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021