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The University of Southampton
Institute of Criminal Justice ResearchMembers

Professor Peter Squires

Professor of Criminology & Public Policy, University of Brighton

Email: P.A.Squires@brighton.ac.uk

Biography

Peter Squires began working at the University of Brighton in 1986 and was promoted to Professor of Criminology & Public Policy in 2005. He had originally graduated in Sociology & Social Policy from the University of Bristol and his PhD. titled, Studies in the Criminalisation of Poverty, was completed there in 1985.  Since then his acadmic work has ranged across a wide range of themes and topics, outlined more extensively in the rest of this website.

After experience as a management Committee member of the Brighton Community Law Centre and the Community Health Council he was elected as a Brighton Borough councillor for Regency Ward (between 1990-94) with particular responsibilities for ‘anti-poverty' strategy, policing and public safety and economic development.

Since the early 1990s he has helped develop the new teaching and research specialism in criminology and criminal justice at Brighton. This has attracted many new students (at undergraduate, graduate and research student levels) and contributed significantly to the growth of the school.  In 2009 he became a member of the British Society for Criminology Executive Committee, in 2010 he was appointed as a panel member for the REF2014 research assessment.

He has undertaken a great deal of research and consultancy with, among others, Sussex Police, The Metropolitan Police, London Boroughs, the European Forum for Urban Safety, the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and the Youth Justice Board - as well as with colleagues in other universities. In 2003 he was briefly co-opted onto the Home Office Firearms Consultative Committee as a result of his work in the field of firearms and crime. More recently he has joined the ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) independent advisory group on criminal use of firearms.

Major research interests and areas of contribution:

  • Criminology
  • Policing
  • Youth Crime
  • Anti-social behaviour & Criminalisation
  • Gangs
  • Weaponisation
  • Gun Crime
  • Firearms Control
  • Cross Cultural Criminology

Publications

'Community Safety: Critical Perspectives on Policy and Practice', (2006) The Policy Press, Bristol. (Edited, and Introduction and Conclusion, Squires, P.).

Squires, P. (2005) 'Rougher Justice: Young People and Anti-social Behaviour', Cullompton, Devon, Willan Publishing (with Dawn Stephen) (220 pages approx)

Squires, P. (2000) Gun Culture or Gun Control? Firearms, Violence and Society. London: Routledge.

Squires, P. (2000) 'Firearms and policy: driven to it' in Criminal Justice Matters, No 38, Winter pp.18-19

Squires, P.(1997) 'Reviewing the firearms control debate', British Journal of Criminology, 37(4)

Reports, articles and other papers

P. Squires, 'Embracing Danger: Self-Defense Firearms in the Home', article for The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, 6 March 2013
Read the article on the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs website

P. Squires, 'There's nothing 'simple' about 'simple criminality'', article for UC Online, 27 October 2011
Download article (pdf 1.8Mb)

R. Cavalcanti, C. Goldsmith, J. Lea, L. Measor, P. Squires and D. Wolff, 'Youth and Community: Connections and Disconnections', summary report for the Arts & Humanities Research Council 'Connected Communities' project, November 2011
Download summary report (pdf 355Kb)

P. Squires, 'You can't just stick up cameras and expect everything to change for the better', interview in the European Urban Knowledge Network: Security and Crime Prevention Newsletter, 5 October 2011
Read the interview on the European Urban Knowledge Network website

P. Squires, 'Guns in Britain', article to accompany the programme Dispatches: Gun Nation, Channel 4, July 2010
Read article on the Channel 4 website

P. Squires, 'Police perceptions of gang and gun related offending: a key informant survey', Magnet project report: Modelling analysis of Gun Crime Networks
Download report (pdf 606Kb)

 

P. Squires, 'Evaluating CCTV: Lessons from a Surveillance Culture' (2010) Paper prepared for the Final Conference of the European Forum for Urban Safety: 'Citizens, Cities and Video-Surveillance Programme' and for the EFUS CCTV Charter launched in Rotterdam, May 2010
Download paper (pdf 165Kb)

P. Squires, 'Beyond the 4th of July: Rights, Wrongs and Ricochets (in a Dangerous World)' (2005) Paper to the World Forum on Shooting Activities, Symposium on Self Defence, Washington DC, November 2005.

Entry on 'Anti-Social Behaviour' in Sage Dictionary of Criminology, (2005) (ed. E. McLoughlin and J. Muncie).

P. Squires with D. Stephen, 'Rethinking ASBOs' (2005) in Critical Social Policy, Vol 25 (4), pp. 517-528

P. Squires, 'Anti-Social Behaviour and New Labour' in Critical Social Policy, Vol. 26 (1), pp. 144-168.

D. Stephen and P. Squires, 'They're Still Children.. ' in Journal of Youth Studies, Volume 7(3) (Summer 2004). pp. 351-369.

P. Squires, Report: 'Independent Evaluation of Neighbourhood Wardens in a Rural Environment: Follow-up Study', Horsham District Council (June 2004). 60pp.

P. Squires and L. Measor, 'Below Decks on the Youth Justice Flagship: Evaluating Youth Justice', in Taylor & Balloch (2004), The Politics of Evaluation, Policy Press. pp. 21-40.

P. Squires, 'Report on Public Perceptions of Anti-Social Behaviour in the London Borough of Sutton', HSPRC Report (2004), University of Brighton, 163pp.

P. Squires, 'The UK Gun Debate since 1998', Paper to the American Society for Criminology Conference, Denver, November 2003.

Publications from the institutional repository

Number of items: 66.

Squires, Peter (2012) The universal and the particular in Latin American penal state formation - Markus-Michael Miller neoliberal, brutish and short? Cities, inequalities and violences In: Squires, Peter and Lea, John, eds. Crimilisation and advanced marginality critically exploring the work of Loic Wacquant. The Policy Press, Bristol, UK. ISBN 9781447300014

Squires, Peter (2012) Criminalisation and advanced marginality: a critical assessment of the work of Loic Wacquant Policy Press, Bristol. ISBN 9781447300014

Squires, Peter (2012) Neoliberal, brutish and short?: cities, inequalities and violences In: Squires, Peter and Lea, John, eds. Criminalisation and advanced marginality: a critical assessment of the work of Loic Wacquant. Policy Press, Bristol, pp. 217-242. ISBN 9781447300014

Squires, Peter and Lea, John (2012) Introduction: reading Wacquant, opening questions and overview In: Squires, Peter and Lea, John, eds. Criminalisation and advanced marginality: a critical assessment of the work of Loic Wacquant. Policy Press, Bristol. ISBN 9781447300014

SQUIRES, PETER (2012) The surveillance blues Sociology Review, 21 (3). ISSN 0959-8499

CAVALCANTI, ROXANA, Goldsmith, Carly, MEASOR, LYNDA and SQUIRES, PETER(2012) Riotous connections? Criminal Justice Matters, 87 (1). pp. 34-35. ISSN 0962-7251

Davies, M.J., Wells, C., Squires, Peter, Hodgetts, T. and Lecky, F.E. (2011) Civilian firearm injury and death in England and Wales Emergency Medicine Journal, 29 (1). pp. 10-14. ISSN 1472-0213

Cavalcanti, Roxana, Goldsmith, Carlie, Lea, John, Measor, Lynda, Squires, Peterand Wolff, David (2011) Connected communities. Youth and community: connections and disconnections Arts & Humanities Research Council (Connected Communities Programme), Brighton.

Martin, Denise, Squires, Peter and Stephen, Dawn E. (2011) Crime, anti-social behaviour and schools - key themes In: Hayden, Carol and Martin, Denise, eds. Crime, anti-social behaviour and schools. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp. 1-16. ISBN 9780230241978

Squires, Peter (2011) There's nothing simple about simple criminality UC2 Online (2). pp. 2-6.

Squires, Peter (2011) Young people and 'weaponisation' In: Goldson, Barry, ed. Youth in crisis? 'Gangs', territoriality and violence. Routledge, Abingdon, pp. 144-160. ISBN 9781843927525

Squires, Peter and Goldsmith, Carlie (2010) Bullets, blades and mean streets: youth violence and criminal justice failure In: Berridge, David and Barter, Christine, eds. Children behaving badly: perspectives on peer violence. John Wiley & Sons, UK. ISBN 9780470727058

Squires, Peter and Stephen, Dawn E. (2010) Pre-crime and precautionary criminalisation Criminal Justice Matters, 81 (1). pp. 28-29. ISSN 0962-7251

SQUIRES, PETER (2010) Gun control could have prevented Cumbria shootingsThe Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077

Shepherd, J., Pease, K., Reiner, R., SQUIRES, PETER and Westmarland, L. (2010)Debating policing research: a research council for crime and justice? Criminal Justice Matters, 80 (1). pp. 2-5. ISSN 0962-7251

Squires, Peter (2010) Citizens, justice and CCTV: democracy, privacy and effective crime prevention In: Calfa, Roxana, Sperber, Sebastian and Bourgeois, Nathalie, eds. Citizens, cities and video surveillance towards a democratic and responsible use of CCTV. European Forum for Urban Security, pp. 37-56. ISBN 2913181376

Squires, Peter (2010) Evaluating CCTV: lessons from a surveillance culture In: Citizens, cities and video surveillance: towards a democratic and responsible use of CCTV. European Forum for Urban Security, Paris, pp. 37-57. ISBN 9782913181373

Squires, Peter (2010) Evaluating CCTV: lessons from a surveillance cultureEuropean Forum for Urban Safety.

Squires, Peter (2009) Respect for the elders, review of "one blood: inside Britain's new street gangs" by John Heale The Times Literary Supplement. ISSN 0307-661X

Silvestri, Arianna, Oldfield, Mark, Squires, Peter and Grimshaw, Roger (2009)Young People, Knives and Guns: a comprehensive review, analysis and critique of gun and knife crime strategies [Report (for external body)]

Squires, Peter (2009) "You lookin' at me?": discourses of respect and disrespect, identity and violence In: Millie, Andrew, ed. Securing Respect: Behavioural expectations and anti-social behaviour in the UK. The Policy Press, Bristol. ISBN 978-1847420947; 13-978-1847420930; 10-1847420931

Squires, Peter (2009) Beyond the mainstream: the knife crime 'epidemic' and British politics British Politics, 4 (1). pp. 127-157. ISSN 1746-918X

Squires, Peter (2009) Policing gun crime In: Wakefield, Alison and Fleming, Jenny, eds. The Sage Dictionary of Policing. Sage, London. ISBN 978-1-4129-3098-7; 978-1-4129-3099-4; 10:1412930995; 13: 978-1412930994

Squires, Peter, Oldfield, M., Silvestri, Arianna and Grimshaw, Roger (2009)Selective literature review on children and young people's involvement in gun and knife crime - final report Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.

Squires, Peter, Thurston, H. and Cunningham, Liz (2008) Interim report: evaluation of East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service Home Safety Visits HSPRC, Brighton.

SQUIRES, PETER (2008) Anti-social behaviour policy - driving fast, running on empty? Crimestoppers Monthly Bulletin.

Squires, Peter (2008) ASBO nation: the criminalising of nuisance [Edited Collections]

Squires, Peter, Silvestri, Arianna, Grimshaw, Roger and Solomon, Enver (2008)Street weapons commission: guns, knives and street violence - final report [Report (for external body)]

SQUIRES, PETER (2008) Turning down the noise and breaking down the wall of silence on gun crime Crimestoppers Monthly Bulletin.

Squires, Peter (2008) Policing a mixed economy of firearms: layers in the gun culture In: Workshop on Guns, Crime and Social Order, May 2008, York University, Toronto.

Squires, Peter (2008) Firearm availability, gangs and violence In: COST A25 European Small Arms and the Perpetuation of Violence, 17-19 March 2008, Brussels, Belgium.

SQUIRES, PETER (2008) The politics of anti-social behaviour British Politics, 3 (3). pp. 300-323. ISSN 1746-918X

Squires, P., ed. (2008) ASBO Nation: The Criminalisation of Nuisance in Contemporary Britain The Policy Press, Bristol. ISBN 1847420273

Squires, Peter, Thurston, H. and Cunningham, Liz (2008) Community fire safety: home fire safety visits in East Sussex HSPRC, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter, Grimshaw, Roger and Solomon, Enver (2008) 'Gun crime': a review of evidence and policy [Report (for external body)]

Squires, Peter (2008) New approaches to gun violence Criminal Justice Matters, 71 (1). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0962-7251

Squires, Peter (2007) Beyond the ASBO question In: ASB Research Conference, 23 November 2007, Southbank University.

Stephen, Dawn E. and Squires, Peter (2007) Rough justice, enforcement or support: Young people and their families in the community In: Balloch, Susan andHill, Michael, eds. Care, community and citizenship: research and practice in a changing policy context. The Policy Press, United Kingdom, pp. 105-119. ISBN 978 1 86134 870 8; 13: 9781861348715

Squires, Peter (2007) Evaluating fire safety initiatives: home safety visits and life skills for young people at risk In: Home safety visits and life skills for young people at risk, University of Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter (2006) Beyond July 4th?: Critical reflections on the self defence debate from a British perspective Journal of Law, Economics and Policy, 2 (2). pp. 221-264. ISSN 1553-4367

Cunningham, Liz and Squires, Peter (2006) Brighton and Hove drug and alcohol team shop theft project evaluation Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter (2006) Asking questions of community safety In: Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice. The Policy Press, Bristol, pp. 1-12. ISBN 1861347294, 9781861347299; 1861347308; 9781861347305

Wilcox, Paula (2006) Community safety, the family and domestic violence In:Squires, Peter, ed. Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice. The Policy Press, Bristol, pp. 53-70. ISBN 9781861347299

Squires, Peter (2006) New Labour and the politics of antisocial behaviour Critical Social Policy, 26 (1). pp. 144-168. ISSN 1461-703X

Stephen, Dawn E. (2006) Community safety and young people: twenty-first century homo sacer and the politics of injustice In: Squires, Peter A., ed. Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice. The Policy Press, UK, pp. 219-236. ISBN 1861347294

Squires, Peter (2006) Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice [Edited Collections]

Squires, Peter (2006) Contradictions and dilemmas: the rise and fall of community safety? In: Squires, Peter, ed. Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice. The Policy Press, Bristol, pp. 237-248. ISBN 1861347294; 9781861347299; 1861347308

Measor, Lynda (2006) Young women, community safety and informal cultures In:Squires, Peter, ed. Community safety: critical perspectives on policy and practice. The Policy Press, Bristol, p. 181. ISBN 9781861347305 ; 1861347294

Squires, Peter and Stephen, Dawn E. (2005) Rethinking ASBOs Critical Social Policy, 25 (4). pp. 517-528. ISSN 0261-0183

Squires, Peter and Stephen, Dawn E. (2005) Rougher justice: anti-social behaviour and young people G-reference, information and interdisciplinary subjects series . Willan Publishing, Devon, UK. ISBN 1843921111; 9781843921110

Measor, Lynda and Squires, Peter (2005) Below decks on the flagship: evaluating youth justice In: Taylor, David and Balloch, Susan, eds. The politics of evaluation: participation and policy implementation. The Policy Press, Bristol, UK, pp. 21-49. ISBN 1861346050

Stephen, Dawn E. and Squires, Peter (2004) 'They're still children and entitled to be children': problematising the institutionalised mistrust of marginalised youth in Britain Journal of Youth Studies, 7 (3). pp. 351-369. ISSN 1367-6261; 1469-9680

Squires, Peter, Cunningham, Liz and Fyvie-Gauld, Marylynn (2004) Second independent evaluation of the Ashington, and West Sussex neighbourhood wardens scheme Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton.

Squires, Peter, Cunningham, Liz and Fyvie-Gauld, Marylynn (2004) Independent evaluation of neighbourhood wardens in a rural environment: follow-up studyUniversity of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter, Cunningham, Liz and Fyvie-Gauld, Marylynn (2004) Public perceptions of anti-social behaviour within the London Borough of Sutton University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Stephen, Dawn E. and Squires, Peter (2003) Community safety, enforcement and acceptable behaviour contracts: an evaluation of the work of the Community Safety Team in the east Brighton "New Deal for Communities" area University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Stephen, Dawn E. and Squires, Peter (2003) 'Adults don't realize how sheltered they are': a contribution to the debate on youth transitions from some voices on the margins Journal of Youth Studies, 6 (2). pp. 145-164. ISSN 1367-6261

Squires, Peter (2003) An independent evaluation of the installation of CCTV cameras for crime prevention on the Whitehawk estate, Brighton University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter and Smith, Naomi (2002) Neighbourhood wardens in a rural village environment: an independent evaluation of the Ashington Village, West Sussex, neighbourhood warden scheme University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter (2002) Sussex Police, EastDowns Division: evaluation of crime diversion arrest referral project University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Stephen, Dawn E. and Squires, Peter (2001) Vehicle crime and young people in Brighton and Hove University of Brighton, Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Measor, Lynda and Squires, Peter (2001) Breaking in: partnership working, health promotion and prison walls In: Taylor, David, ed. Breaking down barriers: reviewing partnership practice. University of Brighton, Health & Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton. ISBN 978-1901177374; 1901177378

Measor, Lynda and Squires, Peter (2001) Rounding up the usual suspects: police approaches to multi-agency policing In: Balloch, Susan and Taylor, Marilyn, eds. Partnership working: policy and practice. The Policy Press, Bristol, p. 223. ISBN 9781861342201; 1861343477

Squires, Peter (2000) Gun culture or gun control? Routledge/Taylor & Francis, Abingdon. ISBN 10:0415-17087-7; 0415-17086-9; 13:978-0415170871

Squires, Peter (2000) CCTV and crime reduction in Crawley: follow-up study 2000. An independent evaluation of the Crawley CCTV system Health and Social Policy Research Centre, Brighton, UK.

Squires, Peter (1998) Cops and customers: consumerism and the demand for police services Policing and Society, 8 (2). pp. 169-188. ISSN 1043-9463

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