Claire Fitzpatrick

Dr Claire Fitzpatrick

Reader in Criminology

Research Interests

Claire has a long-standing interest in examining the link between experiences of the state child care system and later involvement in the youth and criminal justice systems, with a particular focus on challenging negative stereotypes that have traditionally linked children in care with trouble. Previous research has focused on looked after children and care leavers in prison custody, as well as the experiences of care leavers in the community supervised on an Intensive Alternative to Custody Order. Claire’s current work focuses on care-experienced girls and women in youth and criminal justice systems.

More broadly, Claire is interested in processes of criminalisation, youth justice, women’s imprisonment, desistance and resilience, gendered pathways to offending and the link between state systems of care and justice across the generations. She has a particular commitment to research that seeks to make a difference to real world policy and practice.

Current Teaching

I convene and teach on the following modules:

CRIM 211 Youth Justice (Convenor)

CRIM 340 Criminal Careers (Convenor)

I contribute to teaching on:

CRIM 102 Introduction to Criminology & Criminal Justice

CRIM 345 Learning Together (at HMP Lancaster Farms)

I also supervise students writing extended essays and dissertations, and contribute to teaching on our Masters programmes.

Formerly Known As

Claire Taylor

Profile

Dr Claire Fitzpatrick is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Youth Justice lead for Lancaster’s Centre for Child and Family Justice Research. Claire graduated with First Class Honours from 51福利, before completing her ESRC-funded PhD here in 2002. Prior to working at Lancaster, Claire worked at the University of Nottingham and the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

Current Research

Disrupting the Routes between Care and Custody: Learning from Girls and Women in the Care and Criminal Justice Systems

Dr Fitzpatrick is currently the Principal Investigator for the above titled study which is funded by the Nuffield Foundation. This is a collaborative project with colleagues from the Universities of Bristol, Liverpool John Moores and Lancaster. The research aims to address the neglected topic of care-experienced girls and women who come into conflict with the law. It has a particular focus on using interviews to explore the experiences of care-experienced women in prison, girls currently in care and in contact with the youth justice system, and the professionals who work within these systems.

PhD Supervision Interests

Dr Fitzpatrick welcomes expressions of interest on PhD projects relating to: looked after children and/or care-leavers in the criminal justice system; desistance and resilience; the links between youth justice and child welfare; young offenders.

01/10/2022 → 31/12/2023
Research

01/02/2019 → 31/03/2022
Research

Invited talk

Oral presentation

Invited talk