Mrs Abigail Carter

I am a Lecturer in Applied Criminology at Canterbury Christ Church University, having taught as a sessional lecturer since 2019 before joining the University as a full-time member of staff in 2023. Prior to this, I taught on undergraduate and postgraduate Criminal Justice programmes at the University of Surrey.

Alongside my teaching, I am currently completing a PhD examining the use of rehabilitative sentences in England and Wales between 1948and 1967. My research explores the historical development of penal policy and practice, with a particular interest in the relationship between policy intentions and their implementation in practice.

My teaching and research interests include punishment and imprisonment, victimology, vulnerabilities and offending, criminal justice policy and practice, and the often complex relationship between political rhetoric and operational reality. I am particularly interested in understanding how criminal justice interventions affect individuals and communities, and how historical and contemporary approaches to rehabilitation, punishment, and support continue to shape the criminal justice system today.

I teach across all levels of the Applied Criminology curriculum, from Foundation Year through to Master's level, supporting students at every stage of their academic journey. My teaching draws on both contemporary research and practical criminal justice perspectives, with a focus on creating engaging and inclusive learning environments that encourage critical thinking and academic development.

I am the Module Leader for Criminal Justice and Accountability, Contemporary Issues in Criminology, and an Individual Study module, where I support students in developing their independent research skills and pursuing areas of personal academic interest. In addition, I contribute to a wide range of modules across the Criminology team, covering diverse topics within criminology and criminal justice. I particularly enjoy helping students connect theoretical concepts with real-world criminal justice issues and supporting them in developing the skills needed for future study and employment.

My current research focuses on the history of rehabilitation within the criminal justice system. Through my PhD, I am exploring the development and use of rehabilitative sentences between 1948 and 1967,examining both the rationale behind these interventions and the realities of their implementation in practice. This research seeks to better understand how post-war criminal justice policy approached rehabilitation and the extent to which policy ambitions translated into meaningful outcomes.

More broadly, I am interested in the relationship between criminal justice policy and practice, particularly the gaps that can emerge between political and institutional rhetoric and the lived realities of those affected by the system. A key area of interest is victimology, including how victims are considered within policy frameworks and whether intended support and protections are effectively realised in practice.

My wider research interests include punishment, prisons, rehabilitation, and the evolving purposes of criminal justice interventions. I am particularly interested in how ideas of reform, support, and rehabilitation are understood, implemented, and experienced, both historically and in contemporary criminal justice settings.