Dr Jenni Ward

Before joining Middlesex I was an academic researcher at Goldsmiths College and Imperial College. My current research specialism is the criminal courts, sentencing and punishment with a focus on 18 to 25 year old 'young adults' in the criminal justice system. This overlaps with my previous research on young people growing up in the 'state' childcare system and 'careleavers'.  My PhD doctoral research was an ethnography of rave nightclub culture and drug selling.

My main teaching areas are the criminal court justice, sentencing and prisons. I lead the postgraduate module 'Criminal Justice, Courts and Prisons'. I also teach a first year and third year module 'Researching Crime in the City' and 'Comparative Criminal Justice'.  I supervise UG, PG research study across a range of criminal justice topics and welcome PhD applications related to my research. 

Education

2019 Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy

2009 PGCert. (Higher Education) Middlesex University

2006 Ph.D. (Sociology) Drug Use and Drug Dealing in the 'Rave' Club Culture. Goldsmiths College

• 1993 BSc. Applied Social Sciences Hons, University of North London

Employment

• 2009 Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Middlesex University
• 2007-2009 Lecturer in Criminology, Middlesex University
• 2004-2007 Senior Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Centre, Middlesex University
• 1999-2004 Research Associate, Goldsmiths College
• 1993-1999 Research Assistant, then Associate, The Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour (CRDHB), Imperial College School of Medicine

Selected publications

Authored books

• Ward, J. (2016) Transforming Summary Justice: Modernisation in the Lower Criminal Court. London: Routledge
• Ward, J. (2010) Flashback: Drugs and Dealing in the Golden Age of the London Rave Scene. Willan Publishing, Cullompton, Devon.

Refereed articles

• Ward, J. and Spence, R. (2022) Criminal Court Sentencing: The Case for Specialist Young Adult Courts in the UK. British Journal of Criminology https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azac076
• Gray, N., Ward, J. and Fogerty, J. (2019) Transforming Learning through University and Prison Partnerships: Reflections from ‘Learning Together’ Pedagogical Practice. Journal of Prison Education and Re-entry, 6, 1, 7-24
• Ward, J. (2019) Problem-solving Criminal Justice: Developments in England and Wales, Utrecht Law Review, 14, 3, 7-18.
• Ward, J. (2015) Transforming ‘Summary Justice’ through Police-led Prosecution and ‘Virtual Courts’ – Is ‘Procedural Due Process’ Being Undermined? British Journal of Criminology, 55, 2, 341-358.
• Ward, J. (2014) Are Problem-solving courts the Way Forward for Justice? Howard League What is Justice? Howard League for Penal Reform Working papers 2/2014.
• Ward, J. (2013) The Punishment of Drug Possession Cases in the Magistrates' Courts: Time for a Rethink, European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research,19, 4, 289-307.
• Ward, J. (2011) Policing Problem Drug Use Through the Anti-Social Behaviour Legislation: Questions and Contradictions, European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 17, 4, 323-341.
• Ward, J. (2008) Researching Drug Sellers: An Experiential Account from the Field. Sociological Research Online, 3, 1.
• Ward, J with Patel, N. (2006) 'Broadening the Discussion on Sexual Exploitation: Ethnicity, Sexual Exploitation and Young People'. Child Abuse Review, 15, 5, 341-350.
• Ward, J. and Henderson, Z. (2003) 'Some Practical and Ethical Issues Encountered While Conducting Tracking Research with Young People Leaving the 'Care' System'. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 6, 3, 255-259.
• Ward, J. (1998) Substance Use Among Young People Looked After by Social Services. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 5, 3, 257-267.
• Ward, J. (1998) Changing Youth Transitions: New Risks and Vulnerabilities. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy, 5, 1, 105-107.
• Ward, J., Hunter, G., Power, R. (1997) Peer Education as a Means of Drug Prevention and Education Among Young People: An Evaluation. Health Education Journal, 56, 251-263.

Chapters in edited collections

• Ward, J. (2022) Contemporary Issues in Criminal Procedure, in E. Johnston (Ed.) Challenges in Criminal Justice. London: Routledge.
• Ward, J.  and Pearson, G. (2016) Drugs, Care and Sex Work: Sex and Survival, in D. Hobbs (Ed.) Mischief, Morality and Mobs: Essays in Honour of Geoffrey Pearson. London: Routledge.
• Ward, J and Thom, B. (2009) Drug Consumption in London: A City of Diverse and Changing Scenes, in I. Eisenbach-Stangl, J. Moskalewicz and B. Thom (Eds.) Two Worlds of Drug Consumption in Late Modern Societies. Ashgate Publishing Ltd.
• Ward, J. with Bayley, M. (2007) 'Young People's Perceptions of Risk', in B.Thom; R. Sales and Pearce. J (Eds.) Growing Up With Risk. London: Policy Press.
• Ward, J. and Fitch, C. (1998) 'Dance Culture and Drug Use', in Stimson/Fitch/Judd (Eds) Drug Use in London. Leighton Print: London.
• Ward, J. and Pearson, G. (1997) Recreational Drug Use and Dealing in London. In Korf/Riper (Eds) Illicit Drugs in Europe. Proceedings of the seventh annual conference on drug use and drug policy. Amsterdam University: The Netherlands.

Official Reports

Cracknell, M. and Ward, J. (2022) The Resettlement Experiences of People Supported by the Charity Prisoners Abroad. London: Prisoners Abroad. https://www.prisonersabroad.org.uk/research

Ward, J., Gray, N. and Cracknell, M. (2017) Transformative Learning Through University and Prison Partnerships. Final report to Centre for Academic Practice (CAPE). London: Middlesex University.

Ward, J. and Warkel, K. (2015) Northampton Youth Offending Service Review Panel Evaluation- Final Report. London: Middlesex University. LINK

• Ward, J., Henderson, Z. and Pearson, G. (2003) One Problem Among Many: Drug Use Among Care Leavers in Transition to Independent Living. Home Office Research Study 260. London: Home Office.https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/5584/
• Pearson, G., Hobbs, R., Jones, S., Tierney, J. and Ward, J. (2001) Middle Drug Market Distribution, London: Home Office./Middle_market_drug_distribution.pdf

Conferences

• Ward, J. (2021) The Return of Problem-solving Drugs Courts: Some Important Considerations. 21^st E-Conference of European Society of Criminology 8-10 September.
• Ward, J. (2019) Problem-solving Justice: Developments in England and Wales. European Society of Criminology Conference, Ghent, Belgium, 18^th -21^st Sept. 2019. Invited panel presentation.
• Ward, J. (2018) Lower Court Sentencing: Social Justice Interconnections with Criminal Justice. European Society of Criminology Conference, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 29^th August – 1^st Sept. 2018.
• Ward, J. (2018) Transforming Summary Justice: Modernisation in the Lower Criminal Courts. Invited seminar presentation. Mannheim Seminar Series, London School of Economics (LSE) 19^th March.
• Ward, J. (2017) Transforming Summary Justice: Lower Criminal Court Sentencing. Socio-legal Studies Association (SLSA) Conference, Newcastle University 5^th -7^th April
• Ward, J. (2016) Problem-solving Justice with Young Offenders. European Society of Criminology Conference (ESC), Munster, Germany, 21^st-24^th Sept.
• Ward, J. (2016) Problem-solving Justice in England and Wales. Invited seminar presentation Montaigne Centre of Utrecht University, The Netherlands, 16^th & 17^th June.
• Ward, J. (2013) Implementing Community Justice Howard League for Penal Reform What is Justice? Re-imagining Penal Policy, Oxford, UK, 1^{st-2nd Oct.}
• Ward, J. (2012) Punishing Drug Possession in the Magistrates' Courts. British Society of Criminology (BSC), Portsmouth, UK, 4th -6th July
• Ward, J. (2011) Punishing Drug Offenders. European Society for Social Drug Research (ESSD), Aarhus, Denmark, 24th – 26th Sept.
• Ward, J. (2010) Drug Use Combinations Among a Sample of 'Problem Drug Users – Drug Market Influences and Challenges for Drug Services. European Society for Social Drug Research (ESSD), Dubrovnik, Croatia. 30th Sept. -2nd Oct.
• Ward, J. (2008) Drug use in London. European Society of Criminology (ESC), Edinburgh, UK. 2nd -5th Sept.
• Ward, J. (2002) Tracking a 'High Risk' Group of Young People- Care Leavers. Longitudinal qualitative methods seminar, Southbank University: 8th April.
• Ward, J. (2001) Drug Use and State Care: A Study of Drug Use Among Young People Living in State Care in the UK. European Society for Social Drugs Research (ESSD) Venice, Italy, 4th-6th Oct.
• Ward, J. (2001) Hard Times: Youth, Disadvantage and Transitions to Adulthood. Co-sponsored by the Foyer Federation and the Government Office of the North-East: Newcastle.
• Ward, J. (2001) Mixed Blessing: The Role of the Family in Young People's Transitions to Adulthood. Co-sponsored by the former Family Policy Studies Centre: London.
• Ward, J. (2000) Moving In, Moving Out: Young People's Involvement in Drug Dealing Within the London Rave Dance Scene. American Society of Criminology (ASC) San Francisco, U.S.A 15th-18th Nov.

Blogposts

Ward, J. (2021) The Return of 'Drugs Courts': Some Important Considerations, 24 May 2021. The Justice Gap https://www.thejusticegap.com/the-return-of-drugs-courts-some-important-considerations/

Ward, J. (2015) Changing Prisons in Challenging Times. Middlesex Minds blogpost- 27 March 2015. www.mdxminds.com

Languages Spoken

English, basic French, Spanish, Dutch