Dr Helen Nichols

Dr Helen Nichols

Reader in Criminology

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Arts Cultures and Education
  • School of Criminology, Sociology and Policing

Qualifications

  • BA
  • MA
  • PGCert
  • PhD / DPhil

Summary

Helen Nichols is a Reader in Criminology. Helen’s research broadly focuses on the impact of prisons on people who live and work within them. Her PhD research explored adult male prisoners’ experiences of education in the processes of personal change and coping with the experience of imprisonment and led to the publication of ‘Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men: (Re)education’ with Routledge in 2021. Helen has also conducted research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on access to healthcare for people under probation supervision. She continues to actively research in the field of penology and is currently working on projects exploring the wellbeing of prison staff and culture within carceral spaces. Helen is also interested and experienced in working with people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and continues to work on collaborative academic publications in this area.

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Book Chapter

Balancing Sympathy and Empathy in an Emotive Discipline

Nichols, H., & Humphrey, V. (2022). Balancing Sympathy and Empathy in an Emotive Discipline. In S. Young, & K. Strudwick (Eds.), Teaching Criminology and Criminal Justice : Challenges for Higher Education (179-198). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14899-6_9

Journal Article

It's not ok to not be ok . . . when you're a prison governor:The impact of workplace culture on prison governors' wellbeing in England, Scotland and Wales

Nichols, H., Saunders, G., Harrison, K., Mason, R., Smith, L., & Hall, L. (2024). It’s not ok to not be ok . . . when you’re a prison governor:The impact of workplace culture on prison governors’ wellbeing in England, Scotland and Wales. Incarceration, 5, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/26326663241253698

Pen(ology) Pals: Connected Through Conversation

Nichols, H., & Glenn. (2024). Pen(ology) Pals: Connected Through Conversation. Prison service journal, 12-18

Knowledge Equity and Naming Names in Carceral Research

Nichols, H., Maruna, S., & Harriott, P. (2024). Knowledge Equity and Naming Names in Carceral Research. Prison service journal, 2-3

The Health and Wellbeing of Prison Governors in England, Wales, and Scotland

Harrison, K., & Nichols, H. (2023). The Health and Wellbeing of Prison Governors in England, Wales, and Scotland. Prison service journal, 4-10

Research interests

Experience of imprisonment, impact of imprisonment, penology, prison education, lived experience, health and wellbeing of prison staff

Lead investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

HIKE: Writing for Wellbeing

Funder

AHRC Arts & Humanities Research Council

Grant

£2,850.00

Started

1 February 2024

Status

Ongoing

Co-investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

HEIF: Prison Officers and Creativity; Supporting the Self and the Inmate

Funder

University of Hull

Grant

£43,112.00

Started

1 August 2022

Status

Complete

Postgraduate supervision

People serving prison sentences

Prison staff

Wellbeing in carceral settings

Penology

Penal policy

Education and purposeful activity in prison

Awards and prizes

Inspirational Educator Award in Prison Education, The Worshipful Company of Educators

2018

Outstanding Contribution to Enterprise and Innovation, Leeds Beckett University

2018

Journal editorial role

Book Reviews Editor, Prison Service Journal

2022

Membership/Fellowship of professional body

European Prison Education Association

2024

Principal Fellow HEA

2023

British Society of Criminology

2010

Other

Visiting Senior Fellow in Criminal Justice, University of Lincoln

2022 - 2025

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