The Crime Security & Justice Network.

The Crime, Security & Justice network consists of a range of academic and professional researchers, who recognise the value of using critical realist ideas in the philosophy of social science to understand and intervene in problems of crime, insecurity, and rival policy responses. In doing so, the Network draws upon the commitment of critical realism to explanation, interpretation, and description as complimentary aims of social scientific approaches to social problems.

The Network emphasises the importance of producing knowledge that is practically adequate in informing interventions in social problems as well as promoting a better understanding of them. The Network also explores the realist belief in the possibility and desirability of criteria for judging between rival accounts of crimes and security challenges, of criminal, restorative and social concepts of justice, and of arguments about managing the risks of crime and insecurity. Given the commitment of the Network to informing practically adequate explanations and interventions, it seeks to foster and improve dialogue between academics, professionals, and activists in this field. To this end, the Network supports participation in its activities through regular online seminars, occasional in-person workshops, and conferences.

“For all intents and purposes you could say, well, he is a philosopher, he has written so many books and there are people who are discussing his ideas. But that does not necessarily make me feel whole, it depends what people are doing with the ideas.”

— Roy Bhaskar (2010:21) The Formation of Critical Realism.

Management Team.

Director, Dr. Adam Edwards.

General Secretary, Mark Brain.