Justice Focus

Dr Omar Phoenix Khan
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A criminology podcast amplifying the voices shaping justice. Each episode features in-depth conversations with people doing the work—whether through academic research, NGO projects, or frontline practice. Together, we not only shine a spotlight on the ideas and innovations transforming criminal justice across the world, but also challenge traditional ways of thinking about justice and explore what lies beyond them.

  1. The Researcher Wellbeing Project with Dr Tina Skinner

    12/10/2025

    The Researcher Wellbeing Project with Dr Tina Skinner

    Welcome back to part two of our conversation with Dr Tina Skinner. In the first episode, we explored Tina’s powerful work on gender-based violence and asked a vital question: How do we do ethical, sustainable research in such a heavy, emotionally charged field? In this second half, we shift gears to focus on Tina’s latest initiative, The Researcher Wellbeing Project — a project that dares to ask the questions most academics have never been invited to consider. What does it really mean to work day after day with emotionally challenging material? And what is that work doing to the researchers themselves? Tina’s mission is clear: to improve the wellbeing of those carrying the emotional weight of this research. And she has a plan to make that happen. We pick up our conversation with Tina reflecting — with her trademark honesty and vulnerability — on her autoethnographic work. From there, we dive into the realities that sit at the sharp intersections of gender, disability, and academic expectations. And finally, we zoom in on the Researcher Wellbeing Project itself: what it’s uncovering, why it matters, and how it might just change the way we care for the people doing some of society’s most emotionally demanding academic work. Researcher Wellbeing Project Project Website Skinner, T., Brance, K., Halligan, S. et al. Coping with Emotionally Challenging Research: Developing a Strategic Approach to Researcher Wellbeing. J Acad Ethics 23, 2559–2583 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10805-025-09665-5 Also mentioned: Skinner, T. (2011). Dyslexia, mothering and work: intersecting identities, reframing, ‘drowning’ and resistance. Disability & Society, 26(2), 125–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2011.543859 Podcast researched & hosted by Dr Omar Phoenix Khan, University of Bath. Theme music by SHEZ.

    58 min
  2. Researching Gender Based Violence with Dr Tina Skinner

    11/26/2025

    Researching Gender Based Violence with Dr Tina Skinner

    Dr Tina Skinner is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath, where she has been working since 2002. She is one of the founders of the Criminology Degree at the University of Bath,and a founder of the Special Interest Group on Disability, Work, Family and Care within the Work and Families Researcher Network (USA).   In 2020, Dr Skinner was invited to give evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee of the House of Commons inquiry ‘Unequal Impact: Coronavirus and the Impact on People with Protected Characteristics', and then again in 2021 at the Labour Party Conference, to assist them in understanding the gender/dis-ability pay gap. In relation to GBV, Dr Skinner is known for: her research with victim-survivors of rape and their experiences of SARCs (Sexual Assault Referral Centres), She edited the book Researching Gender Violence and has worked with colleagues to develop a strategic response to gender based violence at University. And most recently, she has developed a protocol for the ethical supervision of gender based violence research In this part one of my interview with Dr Skinner we will focus on her thoughts about and experiences of ethically conducting gender based violence research. In part 2, we will turn to consider the impact of this work on the researcher, acknowledging that we are not research-making automatons and instead consider how we can improve the well-being of researchers working on trauma. I think that we all can take a lot from both episodes. Skinner, T., & Taylor, H. (2008). “Being Shut Out in the Dark”: Young Survivors’ Experiences of Reporting a Sexual Offence: Young Survivors’ Experiences of Reporting a Sexual Offence. Feminist Criminology, 4(2), 130-150. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557085108326118 (Original work published 2009) Tina Skinner, MarianneHester, Ellen Malos (2013) ResearchingGender Violence. United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis

    50 min
  3. The Black Criminology Network with Jen Harris

    11/12/2025

    The Black Criminology Network with Jen Harris

    Jen Harris is the founder & Co-Director of The Black Criminology Network, launched in 2020 to assist Criminologists of Black heritage to obtain the relevant opportunities and support to succeed in their careers. Jen is a Criminology PhD Researcher at the University of Birmingham, UK. In this episode, Omar chats to her about The Black Criminology Network and her hopes for the group, as well as her PhD research, which uses Critical Race Theory to examine community policing in the West Midlands. Jen has around a decade’s worth of experience working and volunteering across the Criminal Justice system, and also founded CrimiTalk (2016) to fulfil her passion for supporting others through their Criminology journey. Jen’s achievements include winning multiple awards, contributing to conferences and educational exchanges, and sharing expertise on an episode of MTV’s True Life Crime UK. Join The Black Criminology Network here.

    45 min
  4. Police & Crime Correspondent - Vikram Dodd

    10/29/2025

    Police & Crime Correspondent - Vikram Dodd

    How is crime reported — and who gets to shape the narrative? In this episode, Dr. Omar Phoenix Khan speaks with Vikram Dodd, Police and Crime Correspondent for The Guardian, about the challenges and responsibilities of covering crime, policing, and justice in the UK. With a career spanning some of the most significant moments in recent British criminal justice history — from the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence and the landmark Macpherson Report, to reporting on terrorist attacks and the state’s security responses — Vikram reflects on how journalism can hold institutions to account, and rthe unique pressures that come with reporting on the police. The conversation takes a close look at the Metropolitan Police, a force at the centre of much of his recent reporting, and explores broader questions about the role of media today. How much freedom does a journalist have to express their perspective when covering sensitive topics? What does impartiality mean when evidence points to systemic failures? And how has the rise of social media both complicated and enriched crime reporting — simultaneously driving clicks and amplifying public scrutiny of police misconduct? Finally, Vikram shares what keeps him motivated in a beat that often involves deeply troubling subject matter, and why independent journalism on crime and justice is more vital than ever. This episode will resonate with students of criminology, sociology, and media studies, as well as anyone interested in the power of journalism to expose, challenge, and make sense of how justice is pursued in the UK.

    54 min
  5. Policing the Night - Dr Nikhaela Wicks

    10/15/2025

    Policing the Night - Dr Nikhaela Wicks

    What does it mean to police the night — and how does race shape who gets in, who gets excluded, and who decides? In this episode, Dr. Omar Phoenix Khan speaks with Dr. Nikhaela Wicks, Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Kent, about her ethnographic research on the night-time economy in the South of England. Based on a year of fieldwork with police officers, nightclub door staff, and others working in nightlife, Dr. Wicks shows how racial boundaries are drawn and enforced in spaces that are supposed to be about leisure and celebration. From discriminatory door policies to the paradox of Black consumers being both “wanted” for their cultural presence and “unwanted” as perceived risks, her research unpacks how racism plays out in subtle and not-so-subtle ways after dark. The discussion also turns to criminology as a discipline, where Dr. Wicks argues that race and racism are still treated as “blind spots.” She reflects on the whiteness of criminology teaching and curricula, and shares how students and educators are pushing for a more inclusive and critical future. This conversation will interest anyone curious about nightlife, policing, race, or the future of criminology itself. Read Dr. Wicks’ work here: Wicks, N. (2022). “You Wanna Come to the ‘Urban’ Night Tomorrow… It’s the Wrong Night Tonight”: Black Consumers as both “wanted” and “unwanted” in the night time economy. Conflict and Society, 8, 20–37. https://doi.org/10.3167/arcs.2022.080102 Wicks, N. (2023). “Why is my Criminology Curriculum Still so White? ‘Race’ and racism as ‘Blind Spots’ in UK Criminology Teaching and Student Recommendations for the Future”. Journal of Criminal Justice Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2022.2158205 Dr. Wicks’ 1st book, 'Policing Race and Nightlife' is out in May 2026, available here: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/policing-race-in-the-night-time-economy Music by Shez Manzoor

    1h 16m
  6. Postcolonial Policing with Dr Zoha Waseem

    10/01/2025

    Postcolonial Policing with Dr Zoha Waseem

    How do histories of empire shape the everyday realities of policing today? In this episode, Dr. Omar Phoenix Khan speaks with Dr. Zoha Waseem, Associate Professor at the University of Warwick and Co-Coordinator of the Urban Violence Research Network (UVRN), about her research on policing, security, and urban violence in Pakistan. Drawing on over 200 interviews with serving and retired officers, archival work, case studies, and policy analysis, Dr. Waseem’s ethnography explores how police in Karachi navigate the contradictory roles of enforcing state power while also being victims of structural violence themselves. Many officers come from the same impoverished communities they patrol, embodying both oppressor and oppressed, and are often forced to choose between starvation and predation. The conversation also reflects on the enduring influence of British colonial structures in shaping postcolonial policing practices, as well as on what counts as “success” in this kind of research and what meaningful impact might look like. This episode will interest anyone concerned with policing, security, urban violence, and the legacies of colonialism in the Global South and beyond. Read Dr. Waseem’s work here: Waseem, Z. (2022). Insecure Guardians: Enforcement, Encounters and Everyday Policing in Postcolonial Karachi. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/insecure-guardians-9780192865335

    1h 33m
  7. Series 2 Preview

    SEASON 2 TRAILER

    Series 2 Preview

    Finally, we're back! Announcing Series 2 of Justice Focus. A criminology podcast amplifying the voices shaping justice. Each episode features in-depth conversations with people doing the work—whether through academic research, NGO projects, or frontline practice. Together, we not only shine a spotlight on the ideas and innovations transforming criminal justice across the world, but also challenge traditional ways of thinking about justice and explore what lies beyond them. Dr Omar Phoenix Khan - University of Bath University of Bath Staff Profile Justice Focus Website Google Scholar LinkedIn Instagram Bluesky

    2 min

  8. 12/09/2020

    25: Prof. Ben Crewe - Understanding Life Imprisonment

    Between 2003 and 2016, the average tariff for murder in England & Wales increased by almost 40% to over 20yrs of imprisonment. It's clear that as a society, we have become desensitised to these huge sentences. In this episode, Professor Ben Crewe chats to Omar about his recent book, ‘Life Imprisonment from Young Adulthood’ (coauthored with Dr Susie Hulley, & Dr Serena Wright), which analyses the experiences of prisoners in England & Wales sentenced when relatively young to very long life sentences. Ben also discusses his own professional journey and introduces the new academic journal Incarceration. This is the last episode of the series! Thank you so much to everyone involved and to all those who have listened and shared your feedback! The whole point of the podcast is to help spread the positive impact, so please share this episode (or any of the others) with someone who you think may like it! Ben Crewe is Professor of Penology & Criminal Justice, and Deputy Director of the Prisons Research Centre, at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge. Prof. Ben Crewe | @crewebencrewe | Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge Omar Phoenix Khan | @OmarPKhan | @Justice_Focus | https://www.justicefocus.org/

    1h 11m
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A criminology podcast amplifying the voices shaping justice. Each episode features in-depth conversations with people doing the work—whether through academic research, NGO projects, or frontline practice. Together, we not only shine a spotlight on the ideas and innovations transforming criminal justice across the world, but also challenge traditional ways of thinking about justice and explore what lies beyond them.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Omar Phoenix Khan
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Omar Phoenix Khan
  • Show Website
    Justice Focus