Research
Research Interests
Professor Goldson's principal research interests are situated at the inter-disciplinary interface(s) of criminal justice, criminology, law, social/public policy, social and economic history, sociology and socio-legal studies. Human rights and social justice imperatives comprise pivotal concerns and he is particularly inclined towards research that is theoretically-informed, empirically-grounded and policy-relevant. More specifically, he is perhaps best known for his work in the fields of youth criminology and youth/juvenile justice studies within which he has earned significant visibility and international standing. Professor Goldson is the Chair/Convenor of both the British Society of Criminology 'Youth Criminology/Youth Justice Network' (YC/YJN) and the European Society of Criminology 'Thematic Working Group on Juvenile Justice' (TWGJJ).
In addition to his role at Liverpool, he is also Honorary Professor and a member of the Centre for Crime, Law and Justice at the Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Adjunct Professor at the School of Justice, QUT, Brisbane and Honorary Professor at Liverpool Hope University. Professor Goldson has also been a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, Brisbane and a Visiting Professor at City University of Hong Kong and, between 2010-17, he was an appointed member of the Pool of European Youth Researchers (PEYR), an expert panel established by the European Commission and the Council of Europe to advise on European youth policy and research. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Crime and Society Research Centre at the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB, Free University of Brussels).
Professor Goldson's most recent books are 'Juvenile Justice in Europe: Past, Present and Future' (2019, Routledge) and 'Youth Justice and Penality in Comparative Context' (2021, Routledge). He is currently working on a further book project also contracted to Routledge, entitled 'Re-imagining Juvenile Justice'.
Professor Goldson has directed many funded research projects and he has fulfilled a number of research leadership roles at Department, School, Faculty and University levels. He has also supervised numerous doctoral research students to completion (PhD) and he always welcomes contact from research collaborators and/or prospective MPhil/PhD students with complementary research interests.
Research groups
Research grants
Establishing components of interventions to reduce restrictive practices with children and young people: an evidence synthesis.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
July 2019 - June 2020
Knowledge, Effectiveness and Human Rights in the Youth Justice Sphere
LEVERHULME TRUST (UK)
September 2012 - August 2013
Evaluation of pilot youth justice liaison and diversion schemes for young people
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
November 2009 - October 2013
Youth justice and penal custody: Developing and sustaining community ‐based 'alternatives' ‐theory, policy and practice.
THE HOWARD LEAGUE FOR PENAL REFORM (INCORPORATING THE HOWARD CENTRE FOR PENOLOGY) (UK)
October 2012 - March 2024