The Canterbury Centre for Policing Research (CCPR) is delighted to announce its annual conference, in collaboration with Professor Jason Roach and colleagues at the Applied Criminology and Policing Centre, University of Huddersfield. Professor Roach has published extensively on crime and policing over the past two decades and is currently NPCC Deputy lead for the Investigator Wellbeing Academic Reference Group.

The conference is scheduled to be hosted at Canterbury Christ Church University in January 2025. This conference will serve as a platform for scholars, policing and community safety practitioners, and allied stakeholders, to explore and discuss strategies for enhancing the wellbeing of police investigators, police officers, emergency services professionals, and criminal justice practitioners, including employees of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The conference will feature keynote presentations by leading experts, concurrent sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue, share best practice, and collaborate on research and initiatives aimed at fostering wellbeing in policing and criminal justice.

Registration details will be announced separately.

Join us in Canterbury as we come together to explore ways to enhance the wellbeing of those who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting our communities.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research Annual Conference 2025!

Call for papers

Conference theme

The wellbeing of individuals working within UK policing, criminal justice and emergency services is of paramount importance, not only for their personal health and fulfilment but also for the effectiveness and integrity of the systems and people that they serve. The theme of this year's conference, Looking after our greatest asset: Enhancing wellbeing in policing and criminal justice, aims to foster discussions on innovative approaches, evidence-based practices, and supportive environments that promote the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of those who dedicate their lives and careers to serving and protecting communities.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Mental health and wellbeing support and interventions for police investigators and officers
• Strategies for stress management and resilience building in emergency services
• Workplace culture, organizational climate, and employee wellbeing
• Peer support programmes and initiatives for police and criminal justice professionals
• Occupational hazards and safety measures in policing and emergency response
• Work-life balance and family support for individuals in high-stress professions
• Training and education on wellbeing and self-care for criminal justice practitioners
• Intersectional approaches to addressing wellbeing disparities within law enforcement
• Innovative technologies and tools for monitoring and improving wellbeing in policing.
• Maintaining the wellbeing of criminal investigators.

Submission guidelines

We invite submissions of abstracts for paper presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and posters that address the conference theme and related topics.

Abstracts should be no more than 200 words in length and clearly outline the objectives, methodology, findings, and implications of the proposed presentation.

Submissions must be sent via email to ccpr@canterbury.ac.uk by Monday 30 September 2024.

Important dates

• Abstract submission deadline: Monday 30 September 2024
• Notification of acceptance: Monday 14 October 2024
• Conference dates: Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 January 2025.

We are pleased to announce that we will also invite papers from the conference to submit for inclusion in a special edition of the Policing Journal. Details to be announced.

For inquiries regarding the conference, submission guidelines, or registration, please contact ccpr@canterbury.ac.uk

Dr Martin O’Neill, Director of the Canterbury Centre for Policing Research (CCPR) and Professor Jason Roach, Applied Criminology and Policing Centre, University of Huddersfield.