Shona Robinson-Edwards

Biography: Shona Robinson-Edwards is an Assistant Professor of Sociology. Their doctoral thesis is titled Faith after Murder: Religion in the Lives of Individuals Convicted of Homicide Offences. This researches life sentence prisoners, particularly the process by which those, who have largely been sentenced to life in prison, begin to rationalise and cope with this sentence. Exploring prisoner experiences within a therapeutic prison was crucial, as this is a unique setting. Therapeutic and religious interventions were explored to understand how they are utilised by those in prison and how they often intertwine. Themes relating to coping strategies, identity, racialisation, sentencing, religiosity and rehabilitation are captured and analysed. Prior to this Shona completed her BSc (Hons) in Criminal investigation and MA in Criminology.

Shona’s areas of expertise are in the understanding of violence and offending, prisons and therapeutic communities/intervention, the sociology of religion/religiosity, rehabilitative frameworks, desistance trajectories, identity, race, and faith-based interventions. Shona’s research/teaching/work inside academia and beyond is centred on dismantling the barriers and injustices that perpetuate inequity within the Criminal Legal System and beyond.

Current Research Focus:

The Experiences of Female Muslim Prisoners and Prisoner Leavers - This research is centred on Muslim women in prison and their lives, post release. Considering scarcity of academic literature in this area this research seeks to explore the lived experiences of Muslim women in England and Wales. This project will establish the nature of offences and the barriers that some women face when leaving prison, where often the voices of female Muslim prisoners/prison leavers are not prioritised. In addition, the experiences of stakeholders, family members and female practitioners who work within the Criminal Legal System will be explored.

The Racialised Experiences of Students as it Pertains to Educational Attainment - Research suggests that students from Minority backgrounds are less likely to achieve a first-class degree than their counterparts (see House of Commons Library, 2021;Boliver, 2014 & Strand 2012). Shona seeks to expand upon her administrative duties to focus on research and training that seeks to support students. Shona was part of a team that looked at the experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic students at Birmingham City University. The project is titled “Is it just me?’ Black University students’ self-perceptions of their academic attainment outcomes” Shona would like to conduct similar research at the University of Warwick, and specifically within the Department of Sociology.

Teaching:

The transfer of knowledge enhances teaching, Shona incorporates research/books/publications within the delivery of content. Shona has a wealth of teaching experience, and teaches on several undergraduate and postgraduate modules in the Department of Sociology.

Module Convening:

• SO265:Youth, Crime and Criminal Justice

• SO2G8:Policing and Society

• SO256: Gender, Race and Sexualities in the Criminal Justice System: Policy and Practice

• SO127:Crime and Society (Previous Convenor)

• SO9C2:Understanding Social Science (Previous Co-Convenor)

• SO350: Punishment, Justice and Control (Previous Convenor)

• SO129:Criminology: Theories and Concepts (Previous Convenor)

Publications:

Monograph

"Faith, Identity and Homicide: Exploring Narratives from a Therapeutic Prison" is based on prisoner experiences of religion and religiosity behind the prison walls. Firstly, gaining access to one of the few prisons in England and Wales that utilises a therapeutic ethos is quite rare. Secondly, researcher positionality was crucial in the process of exploring the lived experience of individuals who have been convicted of a homicide offence.

Robinson-Edwards, S. (2022) Faith, Identity and Homicide – Exploring Narratives from a Therapeutic Prison, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Book (Chapters)

Robinson-Edwards, S and Kewley, S .(2023) “Forensic Psychology and Rehabilitation” In Corteen,K., Steele, R., Cross, N and McManus, M. (2023). Forensic Psychology, Crime and Policing, Bristol University Press, Policy Press. (Part 8 Forensic psychology and rehabilitation)

Robinson- Edwards, S. (2019) Judges in Court in England and Wales do not use Gavels. In Treadwell, J and Lynes, A. (2019). 50 Facts Everyone Should Know About Crime and Punishment in Britain. Policy Press. (Part 6 Criminal Justice)

Journal Articles

Pinkney, C and Robinson - Edwards, S. (2018) Gangs, Music and the Mediatisation of Crime: Expressions, Violations and Validations. Safer Communities, Vol. 17, (2), pp. 103-118.

Pinkney, C., Robinson - Edwards, S and Glynn, M. (2018) ‘On Road’ Youth Work: Inside England’s Gun Crime Capital. Youth and Policy, Exploring Issues, Policies and Practice.

Robinson - Edwards, S and Kewley, S. (2018). Faith-Based Intervention: Prison, Prayer, and Perseverance. In Kerley, K. (2018). Religion and Crime: Theory, Research, and Practice, MDPI, Religions.

Robinson - Edwards, S., Kewley, S., Riley, L. and Fisher, D. (2019) "Examining Prisoner Experience of an Equine Assisted Psychotherapy", The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 40 (3), pp. 111-124. Selected as a Highly Commended Paper and received an Emerald Literati Award.

Robinson-Edwards S and Pinkney C. (2022) "Is Faith and “On Road” Youth Work Intertwined? Examining the Experiences of “On Road” Practitioners". Safer Communities, Vol. 21 No. 3 pp. 197–214.

Robinson - Edwards, S., and Pinkney, C. (2018) "Black Men, Religiosity and Desistance: Exploring Islam, Desistance and Identity", Safer Communities, Vol. 17 (1), pp. 47-67.

Robinson - Edwards, S., Yardley, E., Kennedy, M., and Kelly, E. (2020) The Arts, Rehabilitation or Both? Experiences of Mentoring Artists in Prison and Beyond. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice.

Yardley, E., Kelly, E and Robinson - Edwards, S. (2018) Forever Trapped in the Imaginary of Late Capitalism? The Serialized True Crime Podcast as a Wake-up Call in Times of Criminological Slumber. Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal, Vol. 15 (3), pp. 503-521.

Commissioned Reports

Yardley, E., Kennedy, M., Robinson - Edwards. S., Glynn, M., Rusu, D and Cardoso, C.(2018) The Artist in Residence at HMP Grendon 2014-2018. Evaluation Report. Available at https://www.ikon-gallery.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/AiR-Grendon-Evaluation-Report.pdf

Yardley, E., Robinson – Edwards, S and Kinsella, V. (2015) Evaluation of the Koestler Trust Arts Gateway, Birmingham City University.

Dr Shona Robinson-Edwards

E0.18 Department of Sociology