Applicants must have demonstrable experience of working with large datasets.
They should be willing to engage with other researchers across the ADR UK partnership, as well as policymakers.
Experience of Ministry of Justice data is not essential.
Objectives
We are looking for fellowship proposals that meet the following three objectives:
- useful research: proposals that will act as ‘pathfinders’ for conducting research and deriving insights from the dataset, and which showcase the potential for policy impact and public benefit
- useful data: proposals that will develop the data as a useful research resource for future users
- useful engagement: proposals that will foster opportunities between academia, government, the third sector and the public to allow fresh thinking to flourish and maintain public acceptance of the use of data for research purposes.
You should read the general funding opportunity specification (PDF, 340KB) for more information on these objectives.
Research topics
The Ministry of Justice, which is the data owner, has summarised its research interests in relation to this funding opportunity. These are listed below. However, you may also choose to answer other questions.
Research topics that you could develop include, but are not limited to, the following:
Protect the public from harm
Sentencing options, including alternatives to custody
Research questions could include:
- what factors affect the likelihood of different groups receiving different sentences, including custodial, community or other court disposal sentences? How do sentencing recommendations vary by the availability of different sentencing options?
- what are the enablers and barriers to effective sentences, including community-based, alternative or short custodial sentences? Are certain types or requirements of sentences, or recommended treatment programmes, more effective for different individuals and groups?
- how has the use of non-custodial sentencing changed over time?
- what makes an effective pre-sentence report (PSR)? How do PSRs, including their use of language, affect sentence length, type and consistency? What factors, including judicial views and confidence, influence the use of PSRs, and why has this changed over time?
- what contributes to effective electronic tagging and monitoring, including sobriety tags and GPS and radio frequency trackers, in protecting the public from harm? Are there specific groups of individuals for whom electronic tagging and monitoring is more effective?
- how can antisocial, violent and criminal behaviour linked to alcohol and drug use be addressed beyond traditional criminal sentencing?
Custody and custodial arrangements
Research questions could include:
- what is the impact of home detention curfew, in advance of custodial sentence completion, on individual outcomes and risk to public protection? How can home detention curfew be improved?
- how do licence periods, conditions and durations affect the potential for recalls? What are the downstream impacts on individual outcomes and risks to public protection?
Reduce rates of reoffending and improve life chances
Research questions could include:
- how can short periods in custody be made more effective at reducing reoffending? What are the effects of longer custodial sentences on crime?
- how effective are rehabilitation activity requirements, and in what ways can they be improved?
- who are the ‘repeat users’ of the criminal justice system? What are their characteristics? How often do they return? How do outcomes change on each return to the criminal justice system?
What we will fund
You may apply for either a part-time or full-time research fellowship, but the recommended minimum is 60% full-time equivalent.
You may also request funding for:
- salaries, plus nominated research support staff or mentorship time (early career researchers must have a mentor)
- travel and subsistence
- engagement or events specific to the project
- public engagement
- production of outputs, for example, blogs or policy briefs
- training.
Please note that priority will be given to proposals that use all the linked datasets, that is, prisons, probation and Crown Court.
Accreditation and approval
You will need to become an accredited researcher of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Secure Research Service.
Successful applicants will also need to have their project approved under the data owners’ information governance review process.
Aims of the research
ESRC expects applicants to consider the potential scientific, societal and economic impacts of their research. Relevant outputs, a dissemination plan and clear communication of the impact of the research will be key criteria for most of the peer review and assessment processes.
It is therefore important to set out how you intend to identify and actively engage relevant users of the research, as well as other stakeholders. Stakeholders may come from within and beyond the academic community, including:
- the public sector
- the private sector
- civil society
- the general public.
You should also include evidence of any existing engagement with relevant end users. You should articulate a clear understanding of the needs of the end users of your proposed research, and consider ways to meet or impact those needs.
Your proposal should also outline how the legacy of your proposed activity will be managed. You should set out how it will engage beneficiaries and provide lasting value to participants, stakeholders and the wider social science community.
Opportunities for making an impact may arise, and should be taken, at any stage during the research lifecycle. This includes:
- the planning and research design stage
- the period of funding
- all activities that relate to the project, up to and including the time when funding has ended.
The research lifecycle involves:
- knowledge exchange and impact realisation activities, including reporting and publication
- the archiving, future use, sharing and linking of data.
You must have in place a robust strategy to maximise the likelihood of impact opportunities and your own capacity to take advantage of them.
To be effective, all communication, engagement and impact activities must be planned in detail and properly resourced. Throughout the relevant sections of the research proposal, you should actively consider how these impacts can be maximised and developed.
The Je-S guidance for applicants (PDF, 300KB) contains further information about how to consider impact in your proposal.
COVID-19 guidance
Please read the COVID-19 guidance for grant applicants before applying.
