Graham Smyth
Senior Lecturer
My profile
Biography
My research interests include interventions with offenders designed to change their behaviour; probation; youth justice; crime prevention. I’ve looked at intensive probation schemes, resettlement schemes for released prisoners, restorative justice schemes, delivery of services to young offenders and a scheme offering ‘life coaching’ to prisoners.
I’d describe myself as laid back; I like to see the funny side of things; and I’m, er, tall.
I do a bit of performance poetry, I play and watch football (Burnley FC… that’s the watching bit, I might add). I also like cycling and spending time with my family though they’re grown up now; the kids, that is – my wife always was.
I also chip in to things around the Ugandan Charity my wife has set up (Transport for Sick Ugandan Children – TUSC; http://www.tusc.btck.co.uk/ ).
Words of wisdom
Know what you’re letting yourself in for. Have a good idea of the kind of things we look at in Criminology, so you know if it’s really what you want to do. Give yourself a taste of a bit of Criminology in action: volunteer with a youth offending service, probation, victim support, the Police, Partners of Prisoners. Doing something like that will definitely bring your studies to life. Oh and read a paper or at least watch the news. Things never stand still in criminal justice, so it’s worth having an idea of what’s going on.
Academic and professional qualifications
Bachelor of Law (LLB)
MA Economic & Social Studies
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice
Membership of professional associations
Member Higher Education Academy (and I’ve still got my social work qualification)
Teaching
Why do I teach?
I worked for a long time in criminal justice – probation, youth justice, crime prevention. I enjoy bringing this into my teaching so that I can link up academic ideas and research with what happens in the real world. I try to give a feel for how we deal with offenders in the real world: what it’s like, what’s important, what can make a difference.
How I’ll teach you
I want to make learning enjoyable, interesting and fun. It’s my aim to get students thinking things through for themselves.
I always try to teach in a way that involves students rather than just have me spouting from the front all the time. This includes exercises and activities as well as discussion. I want to know my students and have them know me. I want them to feel able to contribute.
3 words to sum up my approach to teaching would be approachable, interactive and engaging, or at least I try to be.
Postgraduate teaching
Programme leader for the MA in Applied Criminology and responsible for the ‘Practice’ and ‘Placement’ options on that programme.
Supervision
On the supervision team for a youth justice related PhD.
Research outputs
Graham Smyth LLB, MA, has been a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at MMU’s Sociology department since January 2006. He joined MMU following a career in which he worked for 26 years in criminal as an officer and a manager within the Probation Service, as a Safer Cities coordinator / community safety manager and as head of a youth offending service. This time was marked by a number of innovative and successful projects, including establishment in 1997 of Burnley’s ‘Dordrecht Initiative’ with persistent offenders in Burnley which was one of the forerunners for the current national PPO programme.
His research and evaluation work has included evaluations of probation, youth offending and restorative justice initiatives and European funded research on the role of housing in resettling offenders and on gender in youth offending.
Research Interests
Graham’s main research interests are:
- Offender rehabilitation / intervention with offenders
- Probation work
- Youth justice
- Criminal justice
- Anti-social behaviour
- Crime prevention and community safety
- Early intervention programmes
- Restorative Justice
Research Activities
2012 Evaluation of Rochdale Targeted Youth Support project
2010 NW Regional Offender Accommodation Pathway group:‘The long and winding road’: pathways to settled accommodation for offenders in the North West - research director
2010 Ministry of Justice: evaluation of Intensive Alternatives to Custody pilot
2010 NACRO / Government Invest to Save Budget: Evaluation of Restorative Peer Panels in Preston, Lancashire
2009 Hefce Urban Regeneration Making a difference fund: Exploring journeys into and out of offending behaviour in young women
2008 Cheshire Youth Offending Service: First Time Entrants to the Youth Justice System in Cheshire: Who Are They and How Can They Be Kept Out?
2008 Hefce Urban Regeneration Making a difference fund: School Transport – the Community Safety Dimension
2006 Cheshire Youth Offending Service: Review of delivery of Referral Orders
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Reports
Hichens, E., Pearce, S., Murray, D., Smithson, H., Gray, P.M., Smyth, G., McHugh, R. (2018) Youth Justice Resettlement Consortia: A process evaluation. Youth Justice Board.
Smyth, G.M. (2015) A Baseline Evaluation of Restorative Justice Work within Manchester Youth Offending Service.
Smyth, G.M. (2014) Evaluation of Coaching Inside And Out. n/a.
Smyth, G.M., Smith, C., Watson, A., Fox, C., Ellison, M. (2013) Evaluation of Choose Change at HMP Manchester.
Smyth, G.M., Fox, C., Ellison, M. (2012) EVALUATION OF ROCHDALE CONNECTIONS TRUST TARGETED YOUTH SUPPORT (TYS) INTERVENTION.
Smyth, G.M., Crookes, L. (2010) The Long and Winding Road: routes to settled accommodation for offenders in the North West..
Smyth, G.M., Hacking, S. (2009) EXPLORING JOURNEYS INTO AND OUT OF OFFENDING BEHAVIOUR IN YOUNG WOMEN.
Smyth, G.M. (2008) First Time Entrants to the Youth Justice System in Cheshire: Who Are They and How Can They Be Kept Out? A review.
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Journal articles
Gray, P.M., Smithson, H., McHugh, R., Smyth, G. (2018) '‘There’s Not Going to Be a Single Solution’ : the role of resettlement consortia in improving the resettlement outcomes of young people leaving custody.' Youth Justice, 18(1) pp. 67-81.
Smyth, G.M., Watson, A. (2018) 'Training for a transformed service: the experience of learners in 2016.' Probation Journal, 65(1) pp. 61-76.
Smyth, G.M. (2015) 'Guest Editorial: Perspectives on Restorative Justice.' Safer Communities, 14
Smyth, G.M. (2014) 'Coaching desistance? Life coaching for offenders in a ‘who works’ environment.' Probation Journal, 61
Smyth, G.M. (2010) 'What have you done right?’ Targets & Youth Crime Prevention.' British Journal of Community Justice, 18(1) pp. 31-39.
Heywood, L., Smyth, G. (2009) 'Peer panels: an innovative approach to restorative justice?.' Safer Communities, 8(3) pp. 39-47.
Fox, C., Smyth, G., Williams, P. (2009) 'Findings from an interim evaluation of Peer Panels – a form of restorative justice.' Cahiers Politiestudies, 2(11) pp. 159-172.