`A genuine one usually sticks out a mile': policing coercive control in England and Wales

Myhill, A., Johnson, K., McNeill, A., Critchfield, E. and Westmarland, N. (2023) `A genuine one usually sticks out a mile': policing coercive control in England and Wales. Policing and Society, 33(4), pp. 398-413. (doi: 10.1080/10439463.2022.2134370)

Abstract

In 2015, legislation was enacted in England and Wales to criminalise coercive control. While there has been considerable debate on the merits of the law, there has been little empirical study of its use in practice. This paper presents findings from a focused ethnography conducted in two police forces in England. Field observations with first response officers and specialist investigators reveal structural and social-cultural contexts that mitigate against successful implementation of the law. Specifically, we identify officer knowledge and attitudes, resourcing and the framing of the legislation itself as impeding its wider use. While we did not observe the unintended consequences feared by some observers, we conclude that systemic change is required if the theoretical benefits of the legislation are to be fully realised.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Johnson, Dr Kelly
• Authors: Myhill, A., Johnson, K., McNeill, A., Critchfield, E., and Westmarland, N.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Sociology Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences
• Journal Name: Policing and Society
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 1043-9463
• ISSN (Online): 1477-2728
• Published Online: 18 October 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Policing and Society 33(4): 398413
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy