Project to investigate how offenders engage with treatment in different settings

Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship that will investigate why offenders do and do not engage with treatment in prison, forensic hospital and community settings.

As many as 86% of offenders do not successfully complete rehabilitation programmes.

High dropout rates can erode the morale of staff who work with offenders; decrease the cost-effectiveness of forensic services; and ultimately they can lead to high reoffending rates and an increased risk to the public.

As a result, it is important that services understand why offenders do and do not engage with treatment.

This multi-disciplinary studentship will identify why some offenders engage successfully with treatment, while others either fail to complete treatment or refuse to start it in the first place.

The successful applicant will work in collaboration with Dr Matthew Tonkin from the Department of Criminology and Dr Ruth Hatcher from the Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour.

The three-year studentship includes a full UK/EU tuition fee waiver, as well as providing an annual stipend of £14,553 to cover living expenses while undertaking the project.

The position is available from September 2017, but there may be some scope for an earlier start date to reflect individual circumstances.

Applications should be made using the University’s online system for PhD applications. For online applications, please go to this link.

The closing date for receipt of applications is 11th of June 2017 (23:59).

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Dr Matthew Tonkin on mjt46@le.ac.uk