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Graham Farrell

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Professor of Crime Science, University of Leeds

I hold the position of Professor of Crime Science at the University of Leeds. My academic journey has taken me across continents, from Canada (Simon Fraser) to the United States (Rutgers, Cincinnati), and now to the vibrant city of Leeds.

My research primarily revolves around situational crime prevention, crime trends, and designing-out crime plus, over the years, a range of studies relating to policing and the criminal justice system. My theoretical foundations lie primarily in crime opportunity theory, underpinned by rational choice and routine activities.

Before joining Leeds, my work included serving as the deputy research director at the Police Foundation in Washington, D.C. My earlier career included stints at the United Nations in Vienna and research roles at Oxford University and the Home Office Crime Prevention Unit.

My work spans diverse topics, from phone theft and robbery to student academic misconduct. A particular focus has been my contributions to understanding the international crime drop and developing the security hypothesis. Other highlights included numerous studies of repeat victimisation (the topic of my 1993 doctoral thesis), a study of racial incidents in prison, fieldwork in Afghanistan to evaluate progress in criminal justice (during the fledgling democracy of the noughties), and a series of studies of the crime effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. My research funding has come from esteemed institutions including the Economic and Social Research Council and the European Union.

In 2023, I received the prestigious Ronald V. Clarke Award for my contributions to environmental criminology and crime analysis.

Experience

  • 2015–present
    Professor of Crime Science, University of Leeds
  • 2012–2015
    Professor, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
  • 2004–2012
    Professor, Loughborough University
  • 2001–2004
    Associate professor, University of Cincinnati
  • 1999–2001
    Deputy research director, Police Foundation, Washington D.C.
  • 1997–1999
    Visiting assistant professor and Research Director, Center for Crime Prevention Studies, Rutgers University
  • 1993–1996
    International Expert, United Nations International Drug Control Programme, Vienna, Austria
  • 1992–1993
    Research Associate, University of Oxford, Centre for Criminological Research
  • 1990–1992
    Research Assistant, University of Manchester
  • 1988–1989
    Research Assistant, Home Office (Crime Prevention Unit), London

Education

  • 1994 
    University of Manchester, PhD
  • 1990 
    University of Surrey, BSc Economics and Sociology

Honours

Ronald V. Clarke Award for Fundamental Contributions to Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis, 2023