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This case study documents, maps and conceptualises the incidence of occupational death and injury and state responses to these issues. Tombs' work has achieved impact through its connection with the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) which was operational from 1999- 2009; its utilisation by the Labour movement and campaigning organisations; and its reach to policy-makers at local, regional and national levels. It has generated an alternative understanding of deaths and injuries at work, thus impacting on the policy process concerning these issues. The pathways to impact have been developed through an on-going, long term commitment to disseminating this work beyond academia and to working closely with counter-hegemonic user groups.
Research by Dr Kay Goodall and Dr David McArdle has impacted on public policy debate and law making beyond academia in the inter-related fields of hate crime, sectarianism and football related disorder in Scotland. Their research underpinned subsequent activities which:
(1) enriched and informed the development of Scottish Government policy and the passing of the controversial Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 by the Scottish Parliament;
(2) facilitated the participation of and communication between key non-academic stakeholders in policy debate; and
(3) disseminated a range of views for these stakeholders.
The impact relates to research carried out by Professor John Peysner, and subsequently with Dr Angus Nurse, into three linked areas of access to justice: (a) the cost of litigation, in particular fixed fees, budgeting and contingency fees; (b) the financing of claims, in particular Contingency Legal Aid Funds and Third Party Financing; and (c) forms of dispute resolution and redress. Litigation is of major importance in underpinning civil society, and as a global business, and changes in the costs and financing of it will potentially impact on all practising lawyers. The research has had impact on practice developments, government policy, and statutory and procedural rules of court, particularly in connection with the influential Lord Justice Jackson's Review of Litigation Costs(2009). The impact has been at a national and international level.
Wells' research on corporate liability led to direct changes to UK law in the Bribery Act 2010 and has begun to have significant impact internationally. UK law now complies with the 1997 OECD Anti-Bribery Convention. Significant changes were made after Parliamentary scrutiny of the draft Bill, as a result of Wells' intervention, which have a major effect on all corporations, including multinationals, demonstrating the international reach and significance of this law. Her work has had further international reach and significance on the development of the OECD's Anti-Corruption Initiative and on the International Bar Association's Task Force (IBAHRI) on Tax Havens, Poverty and Human Rights.
This case study describes the impact that has arisen from an extended research project carried out by Professor Shute, since 2009, on inspection of the main criminal justice agencies — police, prosecution, courts, prisons and probation — in the United Kingdom. The impact of the research has been at a number of levels: the development by ministers and senior civil servants of high- level strategy concerning criminal justice inspection; the translation of that strategy into inspection policy; and the conversion of inspection policy into inspection practice. Specific changes include: developing a risk-based approach; inspecting the use of the person escort record; and inspecting corruption in prisons.
The problem of how to combat terrorism while respecting fundamental values has become increasingly acute. The research has addressed this problem by influencing the formation, design, development, and governance of counter-terrorism laws through recommendations for legal and policy reform directed at promoting and strengthening key values which cohere around the concept of `constitutionalism' (defined in 2 below). The recommendations have been endorsed by policy reviewers primarily in the UK but also in Australia.
Research published in peer-reviewed journals/books and reports commissioned by government departments have had significant impact on UK government policy relating to the reform of domestic consumer law.
Impact can be seen in legislation adopted to transpose EU directives into domestic law, as well as the development of reform proposals during the current period (notably the Consumer Rights Bill [draft bill published on 12 June 2013]). The research was also used to give evidence to a House of Lords Select Committee and to assist the Law Commission with several projects.
The ultimate non-academic beneficiaries are UK consumers, because a clearer and streamlined set of legal rules will make it easier for them to identify their rights and encourage greater compliance by business. Other non-academic beneficiaries are staff from Consumer Direct and the Citizens Advice Bureau who advise on consumer law, and the UK government itself.
The Scottish Government has long been concerned about delays and "churn" (repeated adjournments) in the criminal justice process (Firm and Fair (1994, Cmnd 2600); Improving Practice (Scottish Executive, 2004); Summary Justice Review Committee (Scottish Executive, 2004)). The criminal justice research cluster in the Law School has a longstanding interest in this area, stemming from initial research into prosecutor or "fiscal fines". Aberdeen researchers have conducted various Scottish Government funded and published studies, which have led to further academic articles. This body of research on "case trajectories" led to Duff's appointment to the Government's Summary Justice Review Committee (2001-2004) and many of its recommendations, some based on the Aberdeen research, were implemented through the Criminal Proceedings etc (Reform) (Scotland) Act 2007 which came into effect in 2008. Additionally, as a ressult of this research, Duff was involved in the fine-tuning of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 as adviser to the Justice Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
This research informed the introduction and on-going implementation of a major criminal policy innovation, namely, Pre-Trial Witness Interviewing (PTWI) by Crown Prosecutors across England and Wales. It was conducted in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and provided independent evaluation of PTWI as an integral component of the piloting phase prior to national roll-out. The research formed part of the initial PTWI training of selected Crown Prosecutors and, following roll-out, continued to serve as a resource for frontline prosecutors, affecting case progression, complainants' experiences and the outcomes of criminal cases (prominently including serious sexual assaults and domestic violence).
Legislation, policy and practice surrounding the criminal justice response to rape in Scotland have been profoundly influenced by the work of Professor Michele Burman. Her research directly informed the Sexual Offences (Procedure and Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2002, and continues to influence policy and practice guidance. Her research on rape attrition/conviction rates informed changes to investigative/prosecutorial responses. Her work was drawn on in the Scottish Law Commission's review of the law of rape and informed the subsequent Sexual Offences 2009 Act which introduced radical changes to the definitions of rape and of consent. Burman's research has been adopted by Rape Crisis Scotland in national campaigns, and crucially informed training materials for the judiciary in Scotland and abroad.