University of Leicester Academics Identify the Right PATH to Combat Hate Crime

An important new partnership between criminologists from the University of Leicester and representatives from regional criminal justice organisations will be launched from the start of the next academic year.

Neil Chakraborti and Jon Garland, senior lecturers at Leicester’s Department of Criminology, have received funding from the University’s Knowledge Exchange Stimulation Scheme to support the creation of a Partnership Against Targeted Hate (PATH), designed to offer member organisations a forum through which they can share ideas for best practice in this highly important and challenging area of policy. Dr Chakraborti’s and Mr Garland’s expertise in the field of targeted hate crime has frequently been drawn upon by policy-makers and practitioners, and the establishment of the PATH network presents them with an opportunity to share their academic knowledge with criminal justice partners keen to develop closer links and to identify opportunities for future collaborative activities.

Dr Chakraborti commented: "We are excited by the potential of the PATH network to facilitate much-needed knowledge exchange amongst regional criminal justice organisations. Developing effective responses to targeted hate is a difficult and ongoing challenge, and a partnership of this nature will be of benefit in the identification and delivery of good practice."

In addition to the University of Leicester, the PATH will consist initially of six criminal justice partners from within the region, including Leicestershire Constabulary, Leicestershire and Rutland Victim Support; HMP Leicester; HMP Ashwell; Glen Parva Young Offenders' Institution; and Northamptonshire Police.

"Combating targeted hate has increasingly become a priority for both academics and practitioners" continued Jon Garland, "but all too rarely have we seen criminologists and criminal justice agencies jointly working to identify solutions. That is what makes this partnership so important."