Gill’s research interests focus on lay experiences of the justice system – specifically the criminal court (including youth court) and the Family Court. Currently, she is the principal investigator on a three-year project exploring ‘Lived experience of the Law’, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and in partnership with the national charity Revolving Doors. This explores understandings, expectations, and experiences of ‘participation’ and ‘access to justice’ of people involved in judicial proceedings. The research promotes co-production and academic/NGO partnerships. Gill, with ICPR colleagues, has contributed to the activities of the Public Law Working Group through research with parents, kinship carers and young people about their experiences of public law proceedings.
She has also undertaken research on the impact of language barriers and having English as an additional language on lay experiences of the criminal justice system and on the use of problem-solving approaches in the youth justice system. Her publications include Inside Crown Court: Personal experiences and questions of legitimacy (Policy Press, 2015, with Jessica Jacobson and Amy Kirby) and Participation in Courts and Tribunals: Concepts, Realities and Expectations (Bristol University Press, 2020, Edited by Jacobson and Cooper). Previous research has included professionalisation and the development of evidence-based practice in policing and perceptions about the quality of legal advocacy for defendants in the criminal adult and youth court.
A full list of Gill's publications can be found here