PIER Research Seminar Series - 'Comparing the police of stop and search in Australia and the United Kingdom’

The police use of stop and search is a frequently used, but often controversial, police power across the world. These powers allow police to stop, and potentially search, individuals where they suspect criminal behaviour. Australia and the UK represent two contexts where this power is routinely used – yet important gaps in our knowledge of this practice exist in both contexts.

This seminar will outline the preliminary findings from this comparative study, from interviews with stakeholders in both contexts and available police data. The seminar will explore the similarities and differences in stop and search in the two contexts as well as explore the benefits, and challenges, of conducting comparative research in policing.

Winnie has over six years of experience working in police and crime related research. She is a Research Fellow at the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) at Anglia Ruskin University and is in her second year of a PhD at Flinders University (Australia). Prior to her current roles, Winnie has worked within a range of institutions in Australia and the UK, including the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), University College London (UCL), the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), among others. Her research interests include the use of police powers, police engagement with diverse and vulnerable communities, serious and violent crime prevention and comparative research.