Violence-Informed Approaches to Preventing Criminalisation in the UK
Latest Research Briefing | May 2025
Challenging How We Think About Violence and Crime
This comprehensive briefing examines a novel framework that could reshape violence prevention in Britain. Violence-informed approaches move beyond individual explanations to address the structural conditions that create vulnerability to both experiencing and perpetrating violence.
Drawing on the pioneering work of Professor Stan Gilmour, this analysis reveals how understanding violence as deliberate action within social contexts - rather than random or pathological behaviour - opens new pathways for prevention that don't rely on criminalisation.
Key Findings
- Educational exclusion drives criminalisation: Young people sent to Pupil Referral Units face conviction six years earlier than peers who remain in mainstream education
- Violence Reduction Units show promise: Early evaluations demonstrate meaningful reductions in serious violence, but sustainability challenges remain
- The "carceral-assistential net" is expanding: Welfare and criminal justice systems increasingly converge, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities
- Language shapes reality: How we describe violence determines whether we obscure or reveal perpetrator responsibility and victim resistance
Why This Matters Now
As Britain grapples with persistent violence and rising prison populations, this briefing offers evidence-based alternatives to punitive approaches. From youth justice to domestic abuse services, practitioners across the UK are already implementing these insights with promising results.
The framework challenges three persistent myths: that violence is random, victims are passive, and criminalisation is inevitable. Instead, it reveals how addressing social determinants like poverty, educational disadvantage, and structural inequality can prevent crime at its source.
📄 Download the Full Briefing
Comprehensive 15-page analysis with complete references and policy recommendations
🎧 Listen to the Research Podcast
25-minute AI-generated discussion exploring the briefing's key insights and implications for policy and practice
Join our virtual roundtable as we unpack the evidence behind violence-informed approaches, examine successful UK initiatives, and explore what this means for the future of violence prevention. Perfect for busy professionals who want to grasp the essentials whilst commuting or exercising.
Key discussion points:
- How Response-Based Practice evolved into violence-informed approaches
- Real-world applications in UK Violence Reduction Units
- The intersection of education policy and criminalisation
- Moving from individual pathology to structural solutions
[Listen Now] | [Subscribe to Research Podcasts]
This briefing is part of our ongoing "Doing Violence Reduction" series, examining evidence-based approaches to creating safer communities across the UK.
Tags: Violence Prevention | Criminal Justice Reform | Public Health | Social Policy | Evidence-Based Practice
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