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The Department of Justice publishes its
Research Agenda for the next 3 years
The Department of Justice (DoJ) has
now finalised its 3 year Research
Agenda and has therefore identified the
strategically important evidence and
research needs that the DoJ will seek to
develop over the period to 2024. Whilst
this is the Department's first formal
Research Agenda there has been and
continues to be a strong appetite for
research within the Department, this
Research Agenda seeks to formalise
this appetite for evidence.
Broader evidence needs
We recognise that the current mandate
will end in 2022 and we are therefore
committed to our Agenda being
sufficiently flexible to allow for emerging
and new research needs to be
considered and included as required. As
a Department we remain committed to
looking for opportunities to work in
partnership, especially where we have
common, policy development and
research interests. In this respect, whilst
the Department's Research Agenda
identifies specific projects we also have
a broader interest in overarching
strategic research and evidence base
needs in respect of:
• early intervention;
• evidence and outcomes from
behavioural change programmes;
• the ongoing societal impacts of the
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and
their implications for justice services;
and
• statistics and research which examines
the links between societal and justice
impacts of i) overall addiction level
and ii) those suffering from mental
health related issues.
Working together to meet shared evidence
needs
As we continue to experience the effects
of the pandemic the ability to deliver
upon the research needs identified
within the Agenda will no doubt be
challenging and in seeking to meet this
challenge we welcome the professional
advice, support and direction of
colleagues across Government in policy
areas of mutual interest. In this respect
as a Department we continue to value
the membership of both the Northern
Ireland Social Work Leaders and its Sub
Group as a forum to engage with others
on shared social policy issues.
As part of our wider research
programme, it may be of interest to
colleagues to note that Dr Michelle
Butler has been working with NIPS since
January to help us develop a new
Restorative Justice policy, this has been
funded by the Economic and Social Research
Council. Furthermore, DoJ and
QUB (Dr Andy Percy) have joined up to
offer a Collaborative PhD studentship on
the feasibility and viability for serious
sexual offending, to commence in
October.
You can access the DoJ Research
Agenda for the period 2021-24 here
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