Projects per year
Personal profile
Research Interests
Imprisonment, effects of imprisonment, prison-based parenting programmes, penal reform, penal policy, desistance, reintegration, conflict, criminological psychology and social media related crimes.
Research Statement
My research background is in criminological psychology and imprisonment. Criminological psychology involves understanding why people engage in crime, how society reacts to and manages criminal behaviour and how individuals begin to leave behind a criminal career. In recent years, I have been involved in investigating the outcomes people experience in prison, penal policy and prison-based parenting programmes. Additionally, I have examined the experiences of those with complex needs, how the imprisonment of parents/caregivers may affect children and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the challenges involved in dealing with social media related crimes. I have also been involved in projects assessing how a history of conflict may affect penal reform, desistance and reintegration.
I have supervised a number of PhD students and would encourage prospective PhD students to contact me to discuss their proposals.
Current PhD Students
Sinead Meade – Effects of prison work in the Irish Prison Service.
Keira Flanagan - The potential effects of educational and vocational programmes on the desistance process in imprisoned young people.
Karen Johnson - Developing a measure of desistance self-narrative.
Mark Williams - The detection and prevention of inappropriate and criminal behaviour on social media.
Abdullah Al Habsi - A cross-national study of WhatsApp users in Oman: Motivations for self-disclosure and risk of blackmail.
Past PhD Students
Aimee Muirhead - Behind Closed Doors: A study of cell-sharing, wellbeing and coping in prison.
Shane Bell - Doing desistance in divided neighbourhoods: The role of conflict affected neighbourhoods.
Lauren Hogg – The impact of state intervention on the work of community-based restorative justice projects in Northern Ireland.
Annemarie Millar - Policing incidents of domestic abuse involving children: Children's and police officers' experience.
Julie Harris - Initiations and transitions to and from injecting drug use and heroin use.
Teaching
Introducing Criminology (CRM1001)
Punishment, Penal Policy and Prison (CRM3001)
Psychological Perspectives on Crime (CRM3005)
Particulars
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Network
Recent external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.
Projects
R2674SES: Families Matter
Percy, A., Butler, M., Clarke, M., Hayes, D., Lohan, M. & Lynn, F.
11/12/2019 → …
Project: Research
R2642SES: Worsening child outcomes? Parental imprisonment and its impact on child health, wellbeing and poverty
30/10/2019 → …
Project: Research
R2583SES: The relationship Between alcohol and mental health problems : A rapid review of evidence
Campbell, A., Butler, M., Davidson, G. & McLaughlin, A.
19/03/2019 → …
Project: Research
R1973SES: Tackling the negative impact of caregiver imprisonment on child outcomes in Uganda
12/12/2018 → …
Project: Research
Research Output
Blackmail on social media: What do we know and what remains unknown?
Al Habsi, A., Butler, M., Percy, A. & Sezer, S., 04 Apr 2020, In : Security Journal.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Deaths in prison custody: A scoping review of the experiences of staff and bereaved relatives
Roulston, A., McKeaveney, C., Anderson, M., McCloskey, P. & Butler, M., 16 Jun 2020, (Accepted) In : British Journal of Social Work.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Prison Gangs
Dias, C., Slade, G. & Butler, M., 01 Jul 2020, (Accepted) Prisons and Community Corrections Critical Issues and Emerging Controversies. Birch, P. & Sicard, L. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis GroupResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)
Using Specialised Prison Units to Manage Violent Extremists: Lessons from Northern Ireland
Butler, M., Apr 2020, In : Terrorism and Political Violence. 32, 3, p. 539-557 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
2
Citations
(Scopus)
146
Downloads
(Pure)
Worsening Child Outcomes? Caregiver Imprisonment and Its Impact on Child Poverty, Health, Wellbeing and Education in Uganda
Butler, M. & Misinde, C., 14 Jul 2020, In : European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. 34 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
Open Access
File
Prizes
Nominated for QUB Personal Tutor of the Year Award 2012
Butler, Michelle (Recipient), 2012
Prize: Other distinction
Nominated for QUB PhD Supervisory Excellence Award 2015
Butler, Michelle (Recipient), May 2015
Prize: Other distinction
Nominated for QUB PhD Supervisory Excellence Award 2016
Butler, Michelle (Recipient), 13 Apr 2016
Prize: Other distinction
Nominated for QUB PhD Supervisory Excellence Award 2018
Butler, Michelle (Recipient), 25 Apr 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Nominated for QUB Staff Excellence Award in the 'Outstanding Leadership' category 2017
Butler, Michelle (Recipient), 21 Dec 2016
Prize: Other distinction
Activities
KU Leuven Research Council (External organisation)
Michelle Butler (Reviewer)
2020 → …
Activity: Membership types › Membership of peer review panel or committee
Criminal Justice and Behavior (Journal)
Michelle Butler (Peer reviewer)
2020 → …
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity
Journal of Criminal Justice (Journal)
Michelle Butler (Peer reviewer)
2020 → …
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial activity
External Examiner PhD Transfer
Michelle Butler (Examiner)
Jul 2020
Activity: Examination types › PhD external examination
The realities, obstacles and challenges of imprisonment and prison re-entry in a transitional justice framework
Michelle Butler (Invited speaker)
04 Mar 2020
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Press / Media
A get-out-of-jail card for Executive over dilemma of separating prisoners
03/11/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
What is happening with healthcare in Northern Ireland prisons?
27/10/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
What is happening to healthcare in Northern Ireland prisons?
20/10/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Learning the lessons from Northern Ireland: don't put Islamic extremists in specialised prison units
19/10/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Learning the lessons of Northern Ireland: don't put Islamic extremists in specialised prison units
13/10/2016
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
Thesis
Behind the Door: A Study of Cell-Sharing, Wellbeing and Coping in Prison
Author: Muirhead, A., Dec 2019Supervisor: Butler, M. (Supervisor) & Davidson, G. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
File
Doing desistance in divided neighbourhoods : the role of conflict-affected neighbourhoods in the desistance process during reintegration
Author: Bell, S., Dec 2019Supervisor: Lawther, C. (Supervisor) & Butler, M. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
File
Policing Incidents of Domestic Abuse Involving Children: Children’s and Police Officers’ Experiences
Author: Millar, A., 2019Supervisor: Butler, M. (Supervisor), Devaney, J. (Supervisor), Serisier, T. (Supervisor), Butler, M. (Supervisor) & Corr, M. (Supervisor)
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
File