Race, Crime and Justice Regional Research Network

Research over recent years has demonstrated that ethnic minorities are more prone to poverty in all its forms (Income, health, housing, education etc). This latest webinar from NEREF will review the data now available on poverty and ethnic minorities in the region and explore how the cost of living crisis is likely to impact on them. It will include some of the most recent reports on this underreported issue. And a very early look at the results of the 2021 census.

Recent Event - The Word on the Street

The Word On the Street Webinar: young people and anti-racist work

NEREF Event: Wednesday 30th March, 2022

This Webinar focused on the work done with young people in Schools - and by young people in the community and on the streets - to combat the growing threat of racism in the UK. It has become commonplace for politicians and right wing media to blame 'foreigners' - immigrants, refugees, minority ethnic people in general - for all the present ills effecting our country. The growth of far right organisations, tacitly supported by many politicians and openly by tabloid newspapers, have generated a discourse which has led to record numbers of hate crimes - especially race hate crimes across the country. In this context work with young people, both in Schools and the community is increasingly important in confronting the myths and lies about minorities so they, in turn can contribute to campaigns against racism and race hate.

We were delighted to be joined by Youth Futures, All in Youth Project and Streetwise for this Webinar which can be viewed here

Past Events

Download presentations from recent events and let colleagues know about your relevant event.

The Word On the Street Webinar: young people and anti-racist work

NEREF Event: Wednesday 30th March, 2022

This Webinar focused on the work done with young people in Schools - and by young people in the community and on the streets - to combat the growing threat of racism in the UK. It has become commonplace for politicians and right wing media to blame 'foreigners' - immigrants, refugees, minority ethnic people in general - for all the present ills effecting our country. The growth of far right organisations, tacitly supported by many politicians and openly by tabloid newspapers, have generated a discourse which has led to record numbers of hate crimes - especially race hate crimes across the country. In this context work with young people, both in Schools and the community is increasingly important in confronting the myths and lies about minorities so they, in turn can contribute to campaigns against racism and race hate.

We were delighted to be joined by Youth Futures, All in Youth Project and Streetwise for this Webinar which can be viewed here

Levelling Up - Challenging the Government attack on race and class

NEREF Event: Wednesday July 7th 2021

Please see details of the event Levelling Up Webinar. We were delighted to invite to speak John Page from the Runnymede Trust and Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health, Gateshead. Please click for the John Page Presentation and for the Alice Wiseman Presentation.

Racism in Higher Education Webinar

NEREF Event: Wednesday 18th November 2020 1:45-4:30pm

In recent years, and accelerated by the nationwide Black Lives Matters movement, there has been growing concern within higher education about the continuing ‘whiteness ‘ of the curriculum. Even disciplines within the social sciences, which are nominally concerned with such issue as equality, poverty, social inclusion and diversity have tended to have very weak strands of work around ‘race’ and ethnicity. In the last few years however several major reports have emerged which are beginning to address this shameful gap. NEREF is convening a national webinar which will present the findings of some of these reports including the Social Policy Association’s report on the lack of a dimension of ‘race’ in most higher education teaching; the Royal Historical Society’s report on the failure of history teaching properly to address key issues such as empire, colonialism and slavery, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission report on racism in higher education. All are welcome to attend this zoom event details of which are appended but we are limiting numbers to ensure that the webinar is manageable.

Register here and for details of the event please see our NEREF Webinar Programme Nov 2020.

To see the work and research on Anti-Racism at Newcastle visit our Social Science webpage.

25 years on: Racism and (In)Equality since MacPherson

Neref Event: Thursday 29 November 2018

Northumbria University, Sutherland Building

This event will provided the opportunity for our members to engage in a dialogue about the impact of the MacPherson Inquiry 25 years on from the death of Stephen Lawrence and 19 years on from the publication of the MacPherson Report.  We were delighted to have very distinguished guest speakers, Dr Nadia Habashi and Marsha Garrett who set the scene for participant discussion in the afternoon. 

‘Working with Young People – everyday racism and the Prevent Agenda’

Tuesday 27 March 2018, Teesside University 

This event provided an opportunity for our members to engage in a dialogue about the Prevent strategy, what it is, how it affects them and particularly how it affects their work and relationship with young people.  We were delighted to welcome Professor Paul Thomas and Paul Giannassi, OBE (Police Superintendent, Government Lead for Hate Crime) as keynote speakers and a range of workshops aimed at providing a varied discussion to produce ideas for moving forward. Many thanks to all our Workshop Leads – Marsha Garratt, All In Youth Project (Racism, colourism and skin bleaching); Claire Rodgerson, Helen Gray and James Kingett, Show Racism the Red Card (The Routes Project: Working with young people in a pre-Prevent space) and Dr Bankole Cole, Reader, Sheffield Hallam University and Dr Nadia Habashi (Policing Young People)

Professor Paul Thomas: Working with young people – everyday racism and the Prevent agenda

Download: : Working with young people - everyday racism and the prevent agenda
Download: Community Reporting Thresholds UK Final Report
Download: The Prevent Duty in Schools and Colleges

Paul Gianassi: The UK Approach to Hate Crime

Download: The UK Approach to Hate Crime

Challenging Race Hate Crime Event

June 15 2017

We were delighted to host the Challenging Race Hate Crime Event on Thursday June 15th.  We would like to thank the Institute for Social Renewal for supporting the event through their funding programme and also to the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioners Office for their support. We were also delighted to have the support of Chi Onwurah MP (Newcastle Central).

Many thanks to all our speakers: Dame Vera Baird (Northumbria PCC), Dr Ian Fitzgerald, Reader, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University, Newcastle and Professor Rafal Smoczynski, Professor, Polish Academy of Sciences, Ijjou Thompson, Diverse Women’s Network, Michelle Redfern, Community Engagement Officer, Northumbria Police, Merwa Zen, Regional Refugee Forum, North East Community Safety Working Group, Dr Rick Bowler & Dr Amina Razak, Centre of Applied Social Studies, University of Sunderland.  They have allowed us to add their presentations on the website so that you can have access to them:

Merwa Zen and Georgina Fletcher, Regional Refugee Forum, North East Community Safety Working Group: Regional Refugee Forum, Action to address the distinct factors that deter Refugee and Asylum Seekers from reporting Hate

Download Regional Refugee Forum Presentation (Download 3MB)

Dr Ian Fitzgerald, Reader, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University Newcastle and Professor Rafal Smoczynski, Professor, Polish Academy of Sciences: Brexit and the Polish ‘community’ in the North of England

Download Brexit and the Polish ‘community’ in the North of England presentation (Download 3MB)

Dr Rick Bowler & Dr Amina Razak, Centre of Applied Social Studies, University of Sunderland: Young People as Cultural Critics: Resisting Mono-Cultural Landscapes]

Download Young People as Cultural Critics: Resisting Mono-Cultural Landscapes presentation (Download 0.2MB)

For more information on Hate Crime and how to report please see the following link: https://www.northumbria.police.uk/advice_and_information/advice_for_victims_of_crime/hate_crime/types_of_hate_crime/

Ustinov Race Crime and Justice events

These events are hosted by the Ustinov College Race Crime and Justice Scholarship students (Durham University).  The Scholarship was developed by Professor Maggie O'Neill and has been continued by Professor Glenn McGregor.  The Scholarship students continue to remain linked to the North East Race Crime and Justice Research Network developing events in this area.

Members of the Race Crime and Justice Network have been involved in speaking at these events. 

Ustinov College website

Scholarship holders include:

2012-2013 [year 1]. Celine Opphelder [MSc in Criminology]
2013-2014 -[year 2]. Jesper Pederson [PhD School of Government and International Affairs]

2014-2015 [year 3]. Valentina Amuso and Jason Haynes   [PhD  Politics/School of Government and International Affairs]
2015-16 [year 4]. Vicky Meaby and Raven Bowen  [PhD in the  School of Applied Social Sciences]

NEREF and PCC Hate Crime Conference October 2015

Presentations:

'Hate in the City': similarities and differences in third party reporting across categories of hate in Tyne and Wear.'Hate in the City': similarities and differences in third party reporting across categories of hate in Tyne and Wear. Dr Stephen Macdonald, Dr John Clayton, Professor Catherine Donovan

Hate Crime: To Prosecute or Not to Prosecute‌ Caroline Airs (CPS) and Deborah Alderson
'Revisiting hate and integration: Reflections from critical youth work theory and practice'‌ Rick Bowler (and Young Asian Voices Group) 
The work of the North East Race Crime and Justice Network with a specific focus on our collaborative research with women‌. Maggie O’Neill and Ijjou Thompson
Disability Hate Crime‌ Sarah Wilson, Cleveland PCC
The Elephant and the Iceberg (Race Equality and LGBT and other equality strands)‌. Louise Evan-Wong, LGBT Federation NE, Julia Lyford and Justine King, North East Equalities Coalition

Prosecuting race hate crime: what can we do better‌ Caroline Airs and Jonathan Bambro, NE CPS
After MacPherson Legal and Policy Implications, Dr Habashi FRSA

Should you wish us to notify NEREF Members of an event then please contact: Jenny Johnstone, Newcastle University, email: jenny.johnstone@newcastle.ac.uk

The network and steering group

Get in touch with members of the network.

Professor Gary Craig, Newcastle University, gary.craig@newcastle.ac.uk
Professor Maggie O'Neill, University College Cork, email: maggie.oneill@ucc.ie
Dr Bankole Cole, Sheffield Hallam University, email: b.cole@shu.ac.uk
Dr Rick Bowler, Sunderland University, email: rick.bowler@sunderland.ac.uk
Ms Jenny Johnstone, Newcastle University, email: jenny.johnstone@newcastle.ac.uk
Dr Louise Wattis, Northumbria University, email: louise.wattis@northumbria.ac.uk
Professor Ian Fitzgerald, Northumbria University, email: ian.fitzgerald@northumbria.ac.uk
Professor Yulia Egorova, Durham University, email: yulia.egorova@durham.ac.uk 
Dr Jonathan Saha, Durham University, email: jonathan.saha@durham.ac.uk
Dr Carol Devanney, Tesside University, email: c.devanney@tees.ac.uk

We have also established a Steering Group from NEREF.  We are very grateful for the support and involvement of all our Steering Group members.

Nitin Shukla
Nadeem Ahmad
Pat Poinen
Marsha Garratt
Shahda Khan
Claire Rodgerson
Vicki Harris
Mwenza Blell

We are always looking for new members so if you are interested then please contact Jenny at racecrimejustice@newcastle.ac.uk.  

Role and Remit of NERRCJRN Steering Group

Publications

Publications

Race, crime and justice in the North East Region
A place called Townsville: Rural racism in a North East context
Community safety and access to justice for refugees and asylum-seekers
Race, crime and justice in the North East Region - Women's Lives, Well-being - Exhibition Booklet
Race, crime and justice in the North East Region - Searching for Asylum - Film
The Modern Slavery Agenda, edited by Gary Craig, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and University of York, Alex Balch, University of Liverpool, Hannah Lewis, University of Sheffield and Louise Waite, University of Leeds

Published in association with the Group

Between destitution and a hard place (Fiona Cuthill, Omer Siddiq Abdalla and Khalid Bashir)
Written out of the picture: child poverty and refugees (Steve Crossley and Georgina Fletcher)

Responses to consultations and inquiries

Research: directory and best practice models

As a result of the Forum Meeting in February 2016 it was decided that we would try and develop a directory of organisations that work to promote race equality in the region.  In addition to identify models of best practice that these organisations are engaged with.  We have developed pro-formas which have been disseminated to NEREF members and they are going through the process of completing them.

To help us with this we have, with the support of Newcastle University Law School, three students working with us over the summer undertaking various tasks. They are:

Ewan Smith (2016) and Lucy Hodgeon (2021) who have been responsible for undertaking a scoping study of all organisations that currently exist to promote race equality in the North East.
Chloe Abbott (2016) and Tashbir Hasan (2021) who have been looking at the incidences of hate crime post Brexit in the North East and also looking at the national picture.
Raymond Chan (2016) and Chang Chen (2021) have been identifying organisations which have publicly available examples of best practice in responding to race equality and hate crime – both from public agencies and voluntary sector organisations.

Ewan, Chloe, Raymond were all Graduates of Newcastle Law School in 2016. Lucy and Chang graduated in 2021 from our LLM programme and Tashbir is contiuing his PHD study. The Research Network and Forum are grateful to them for their hard work and input which will form the basis of future events, activities and research. 

The directory will be uploaded shortly.

Race, Crime and Justice Regional Research Network

About us

Research and analysis of policy and practice

Supporting the North East Race Equality Forum

Addressing the rise in hate crime

Prosecuting Race Hate Crime - Dec 2016

Challenging Race Hate Conference - June 2017

<h3>Dame Vera Baird - Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner</h3>

Modern Slavery Garden

Briefings and other events

Contacts

Outputs

More from Newcastle Law School