Courts, court users and the judicial process

ICPR has long-standing experience of conducting empirical courts-based research. Prior studies have examined sentence decision-making and public attitudes to sentencing; the quality of criminal advocacy; and what it is like to attend the criminal courts as a defendant, witness or victim. Current work includes research into what it means to 'participate' in criminal, family and tribunal proceedings; the values shaping deliberation in the Court of Protection; and the preparation of witness statements for the Employment Tribunal.

Current projects

Diverse Disabilities: Accessibility and Justice in the Tribunal

Lived experience of the law: A research and policy project

Completed projects include:

Enhancing problem-solving practice in the Youth Court

Inside Crown Court

Joint Enterprise

Judging Values and Participation in Mental Capacity Law

Judicial perceptions of criminal advocacy

Language Barriers in the Criminal Justice System

Participation in Courts and Tribunals

Public engagement with justice: Evidence review

Taking and Making a Statement: An exploratory study analysing through the lens of research the production of witness statements by lawyers and litigants in person (MAS)

The quality of legal advice and representation in the Youth Justice System

The Youth Proceedings Advocacy Review

Voicing loss: Meanings and implications of participation by bereaved people in inquests

Publications

Hough, Mike (2008) Does it matter: reflections on the effectiveness of institutionalised public participation in the development of sentencing policy. In: Freiberg, A. and Gelb, K. (eds.) Penal Populism, Sentencing Councils and Sentencing Policy. Abingdon, UK: Taylor & Francis.

Hough, Mike and Jacobson, Jessica (2008) Creating a Sentencing Commission for England and Wales: an opportunity to address the prisons crisis. Project Report. Prison Reform Trust, London, UK.

Hough, Mike, Roberts, J.V. and Jacobson, Jessica (2008) Attitudes to the sentencing of offences involving death by driving. Project Report. Sentencing Advisory Panel, London, UK

Roberts, J.V., Hough, Mike, Jacobson, Jessica, Bredee, A. and Moon, N. (2008) Public attitudes to sentencing offences involving death by driving. Criminal Law Review 7 , pp. 525-538.

Jacobson, Jessica and Hough, Mike (2007) Mitigation: the role of personal factors in sentencing. Project Report. Prison Reform Trust, London, UK

Jacobson, J., Murray, A. and Templeton, L. (2024) Principles for Practice No. 3 - Humanity at the heart of the coronial process: Respecting and including the deceased person. Documentation. Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research, Birkbeck, University of London, and Centre for Death & Society, University of Bath.