Alison Wakefield

Professor Alison Wakefield

Professor of Criminology and Security Studies
School of Human and Social Sciences
alison.wakefield@uwl.ac.uk

Alison Wakefield is Professor of Criminology and Security Studies at the University of West London, and Co-Director of UWL’s Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre, having joined the University in January 2020. She previously taught at the University of Portsmouth, the University of New South Wales in Sydney, City University London and the University of Leicester, and worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a consultant following her PhD at the University of Cambridge. Alongside her research interests, Alison is a specialist in doctoral, distance learning and security education.

Alison’s recent honours and awards include being named one of SC Media UK’s 30 Women of Influence in Cyber Security 2021, winning (alongside her co-authors) the Emerald Outstanding Paper 2018 award for the paper ‘Confronting the “fraud bottleneck”’ in the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, ranking 3rd in the IFSEC Global Top 50 Most Influential People in Security and Fire 2020 (Association Figures/Academics/Thought Leaders category), and winning the Association of Security Consultants Imbert Associations Prize 2017 for her contribution to the security profession.

She is an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute, a Commissioner of the National Preparedness Commission, and Academic Adviser to the Chartered Security Professionals Registration Authority, having led the working group that devised the pathways to CSyP certification. She serves on the editorial boards of Security Journal, the Journal of Criminology, the Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice and the Internet Journal of Restorative Justice, and the advisory council for the International Security Expo run annually at Olympia. Alison is also a Chartered Security Professional and a Chair Emeritus, Board Adviser and Fellow of the Security Institute, the UK’s largest member association for security professionals, having served as Chair from 2018 to 2020. She was Executive Secretary of the British Society of Criminology from 2004 to 2008.

  • Qualifications

    BSc (Hons) (University of Hull), M.Phil (Cantab), Ph.D (Cantab), Chartered Security Professional (CSyP), Fellow of the Security Institute (FSyI)

  • Memberships

    British Society of Criminology
    Security Institute

Teaching

I am a Professor of Criminology and Security Studies at the University of West London, and a member of the executive of UWL’s Cybersecurity and Criminology Centre, having joined the University in January 2020. I previously taught at the University of Portsmouth, the University of New South Wales in Sydney, City University London and the University of Leicester, and worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers as a management consultant following my PhD at the University of Cambridge. I am a specialist in doctoral, distance learning and security education.

Research

  • Research and publications

    Books

    Wakefield, A. and Fleming, J. (eds) (2009) The Sage Dictionary of Policing, Sage: London.

    Wakefield, A. (2003) Selling Security: The Private Policing of Public Space, Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing.

    von Hirsch, A., Garland, D. and Wakefield, A. (eds) (2000) Ethical and Social Perspectives on Situational Crime Prevention, Oxford: Hart Publishing.

    Journal articles

    Nunan, J., Palfreyman-Jones, S., Milne, B. and Wakefield, A. (2019) ‘The timeline of information exchange: An evaluation of London Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s front-line communication and emergency response to Exercise Unified Response’, British Paramedic Journal.

    Gilbert, M. and Wakefield, A. (2018) ‘Tackling fraud effectively in central government departments: a review of the legal powers, skills and regulatory environment of UK central government counter fraud champions’, Journal of Financial Crime, 25(2).

    Button, M., Wakefield, A., Brooks, G., Lewis, C. and Shepherd, D. (2015) ‘Confronting the “fraud bottleneck”: private sanctions for fraud and their implications for justice’, Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice, 1(3).

    Lewis, C., Button, M., Shepherd, D., Brooks, G. and Wakefield, A. (2014) ‘Evaluating the case for greater use of private prosecutions in England and Wales for fraud offences’, International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 42(1):3-15.

    Aleem, A., Wakefield, A. and Button, M. (2013) 'Addressing the weakest link: implementing converged security', Security Journal, 26(3):236–248.

    Wakefield, A. and Gill, M. (2009) ‘When security fails: the impact of human factors on the deployment of retail security personnel’, accepted by the Journal of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism.

    Wakefield A (2008) ‘Private policing: a view from the mall’, Public Administration, 86(3):659-78.

    Wakefield, A (2007) ‘Carry on constable: the value of foot patrol’, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 1(3):1-14.

    Wakefield, A. (2004) ‘The public surveillance functions of private security’, Surveillance and Society, 2(4):529-545.

    Wakefield, A. (2003) ‘Police powers in England and Wales’, Gongan Daxue Xuebao (‘Journal of the Chinese People’s Public Security University’), March/April edition.

    Chapters in books

    Oosthuizen, J. P. and Wakefield, A. (2018) ‘Societal implications of community-oriented policing and technology’ in G. Leventakis and M.R. Haberfeld (eds.) Societal Implications of Community-Oriented Policing and Technology. (SpringerBriefs in Policing). New York: Springer.

    Button, M. and Wakefield, A. (2017) ‘”The real private police”: franchising constables and the emergence of employer supported policing’ in A. Hucklesby and S. Lister (eds.) ThePrivate Sector and Criminal Justice, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Wakefield, A. (2016) ‘Conceptualising private policing’ in M. Brunger, S. Tong and D. Martin (eds) Introduction to Policing Research: Taking Lessons from Practice, London: Routledge.

    Wakefield, A. (2014) ‘Where next for the professionalisation of security?’ in M. Gill (ed.) The Handbook of Security (2nd ed), Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Nalla, M. and Wakefield, A. (2014) ‘The security officer’ in M. Gill (ed.) The Handbook of Security (2nd ed), Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Wakefield, A. and Button, M. (2014) ‘Private policing in public spaces’ in R. Kane and M. Reisig (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Police and Policing, New York: Oxford University Press.

    Wakefield, A. (2014) ‘Corporate security and enterprise risk management’ in K. Walby and R. Lippert (eds.) Corporate Security in the 21st Century: Theory and Practice in International Perspective, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Wakefield, A. (2014) ‘Private policing in a neoliberal society: the new relation in Britain’s extended police family’ in V. Eick and K. Briken (eds.) Urban Security Work Spaces: Policing the Crisis – Policing in Crisis. Ottawa/ON: Red Quill Books.

    Button, M. and Wakefield, A. (2013) ‘Police or policing? The privatization of policing in an international context’ in G. Bruinsma and D. Weisburd (eds) Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice, New York: Springer Verlag.

    Wakefield, A. and Button, M. (2013) ‘New perspectives on police education and training: lessons from the private security sector’ in P. Stanislas (ed.) International Perspectives on Police Education and Training, London: Routledge.

    Earle, R. and Wakefield, A. (2012) ‘Restorative justice and the right to move on: toward deinstitutionalizing the stigma of a criminal conviction’ in T. Gavrielides (ed.) Rights and Restoration Within Youth Justice, Whitby, ON, Canada: de Sitter Publications.

    Wakefield, A. (2010) ‘Doing a criminological literature review’ in P. Davies, P. Francis and V. Jupp (eds.) Doing Criminological Research (2nd ed.), London: Sage.

    Wakefield, A. (2006) ‘The security officer’ in M.Gill (ed.) The Handbook of Security, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Wakefield, A. (2000) ‘Situational crime prevention in mass private property’ in A. von Hirsch, D. Garland and A. Wakefield (eds.) Ethical and Social Perspectives on Situational Crime Prevention, Oxford: Hart Publishing.

    Reports

    Wakefield, A., Bradley, C., Connell, J., Vine, J. and Hall, R. (2017) Securing UK borders: an examination of the implications of leaving the EU for UK border management, London First, London.

    Veness CBE QPM, D., Wakefield, A., Rosemont, H., Clark, D., Hankin, C. and Hall, R. (2016) What are the Security and Resilience Implications of Brexit? London First, London.

    Button, M., Lewis, C., Brooks, G., Shepherd, D. and Wakefield, A. (2016) Fraud and Attrition in the United Kingdom: Uncovering the Dark Matter of Criminology, Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth

    Button, M., Lewis, C., Shepherd, D., Brooks, G. and Wakefield, A. (2012) Fraud and Punishment: Enhancing Deterrence Through More Effective Sanctions, Centre for Counter Fraud Studies, Portsmouth: University of Portsmouth.

    Wakefield, A. (2006) The Value of Foot Patrol, London: Police Foundation.

  • Conferences

    Wakefield A. (2019) Chair, Roundtable on ‘What does ‘security’ mean in a criminological context?
    How can criminologists engage more effectively with security agendas in research funding and public policy?’, British Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Lincoln, 3-5 July.

    Wakefield A. (2019) ‘The security implications of fake news’, British Society of Criminology Annual Conference, Lincoln, 3-5 July.

    Wakefield A. (2019) ‘Southern criminology: a new approach or just good scholarship?’, Southern Criminology: Policing, Security and Social Order - Research Day and Roundtable, University of Brighton, Brighton, 27 June.

    Wakefield A. (2019) Invited presentation: ‘Security for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’, Future of Security Theatre, IFSEC, London, 18 June.

    Wakefield, A. (2019) Moderator, Roundtable on Capabilities, Global Research Network on Terrorism and Technology workshop, Royal United Services Institute, London, 13 May.

    Wakefield A. (2019) Invited presentation: ‘Contemporary security challenges and future responses’, Captains of Industry Breakfast Briefing, London, 14 March.

    Wakefield A. (2019) ‘The security challenges presented by ‘fake news’, Conference on A Multi- and Inter-Disciplinary Approach to Disinformation Research and Policy, University of Oxford, 11 March.

    Wakefield, A. (2019) Panel speaker, Workshop on Is Your Security Fit for the “4th Industrial Revolution”?, Royal United Services Institute and American International Group, Inc. (AIG), London, 5 March.

    Wakefield, A. (2019) Discussant, Everyday Political Economies of Plural Policing International Workshop, University of Leeds, Leeds, 17-18 January.

    Wakefield, A. (2018) Panel speaker, ‘Education, training and neurodiversity’, International Security Expo, London, 29 November.

    Wakefield, A. (2018) Invited presentation: ‘Community resilience to rapid social change’, Resilient Cities 3rd Annual Resilience Symposium, London, 16 May.

    Wakefield, A. (2018) Panel speaker, ‘Women in security: some personal reflections’, 3rd SASIG Workshop on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Security Profession, London, 25 September.

    Wakefield, A. (2018) Invited presentation: ‘Skills and qualifications for delivering security in a complex world’, Duty of Care Conference 2018, London, 28 February.

    Jones, T. and Wakefield, A. (2017) Invited presentation: ‘Public service values and private security’, Public Policing and Private Security: Shifting Relations, Future Prospects and Ethical Implications, Final Conference of the ESRC Seminar Series ‘Markets in Policing’, London, 31 October.

    Wakefield, A. (2017) Panel speaker, ‘UK security independent but not alone: maintaining security in a global context‘, CONSEC: 23rd Annual Conference and Exhibition of the Association of Security Consultants, 12 October.

    Hall, R. and Wakefield, A. (2017) ‘21st century security challenges and UK security after Brexit’, public seminar, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, 22 September.

    Wakefield, A. (2017) Invited presentation: ‘Emerging security threats in the current climate’, Spotlight Briefing on Tacking Emerging Security Threats, London, 18th July.

    Wakefield, A. (2017) Panel speaker, Launch of London First report on Securing UK Borders: An Examination of the Implications of Leaving the EU for UK Border Management, London First, London, 7 June.

    Wakefield A. (2017) ‘The security implications of Brexit’, Brexit Criminology Conference, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, 5 April.

    Wakefield, A. (2016) Invited presentation: ‘The marketization of policing in an international context’, The Appetite For and Organisational, Cultural and Moral Limits to Markets in Public Policing: International and Comparative Experiences from Europe and Beyond, Conference of the ESRC Seminar Series ‘Markets in Policing’, University of Leeds, 11-12 July.

    Wakefield, A. (2016) Panel speaker, ‘Inspirational women in security, IFSEC Expo, London, 22 June.

    Wakefield, A. (2015) Invited presentation: ‘The BSc Risk and Security Management at the University of Portsmouth’, Security Management Education in Europe: Taking Stock and Looking Forward, Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security (BIGS), November.

    Wakefield, A. (2015) Invited presentation: ‘Developing internationally relevant security risk management curricula’, No Limits? The Internationalization of Continuing Education Programmes Symposium in Honour of Professor Dr Erwin Seyfried, Berlin School of Economics and Law, October.

    Wakefield, A. (2015) Invited presentation: ‘Understanding enterprise risk management’, European Inter-Agency Security Forum, Brussels, March.

    Wakefield, A. (2014) Chair and organiser Security Institute Knowledge Centre half-day workshop, IFSEC Expo, London, June.

    Wakefield, A. (2013) Panel speaker, Women in Security Annual Lecture Series, Canadian Security Partners Forum, Ottawa, February.

    Wakefield, A. (2012) Invited presentation: ‘What competencies should be required of a security professional in Wakefield, A. (2012?’, annual conference of EPIC (Ex-Police in Industry and Commerce), London, May.

    Wakefield, A. (2012) Panel speaker on ‘Security as a profession: exploring the latest trends and initiatives from around the world’, annual conference of ASIS Europe, London, April.

    Wakefield, A. (2011) Invited presentation: ‘Preparing for an economic upturn: training and qualifying for the future’, CONSEC: annual conference of the Association of Security Consultants, London, November.

    Wakefield, A. (2010) Invited presentation: ‘Corporate security and enterprise risk management’, ASIS UK Chapter Winter Meeting, London, December.

    Wakefield, A. (2010) Invited presentation: ‘When security fails’ and ‘Corporate security and enterprise risk management’, 6th Annual Security Management Skills Updating Seminar, University of South Africa, Pretoria, August.

    Wakefield, A. (2010) Invited presentation: ‘Private policing in neoliberal societies’, Policing the Crisis Workshop, Freie Universität Berlin/Goethe University Frankfurt, Berlin, August.

    Wakefield, A. (2008) Invited presentation: ‘Stain theory? The CRB, rehabilitation and the right to move on’, Department of Criminology and Sociology, Middlesex University, London.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘Policing in a competitive marketplace: professionalism and Britain’s mixed economy of policing’, Police Professionalism Workshop, Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘When security fails: the impact of human factors on the deployment of retail security personnel’, public seminar on security and policing, Laurea University, Helsinki.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘Criminal record disclosure and the rehabilitation debate’ (with R. Earle), School of Psychology, University of South Australia.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘When security fails: the impact of human factors on the deployment of retail security personnel’ (with M. Gill), School of Commerce, University of South Australia.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘Private policing: a view from the mall’, School of Law, Flinders University.

    Wakefield, A. (2007) Invited presentation: ‘The value of foot patrol’, Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania.

    Wakefield, A. (2006) Invited presentation: ‘Criminal record disclosure and the rehabilitation debate’ (with R. Earle), School of Applied Social Science, University of Brighton.

    Wakefield, A. (2005) Invited presentation: ‘Security and surveillance’ (with M. McCahill). British Society of Criminology Southern Regional Group, London School of Economics.

    Wakefield, A. (2004) Invited presentation: ‘Risk and corporate security: public policing and private security’, MDA programme, The Royal Military College of Science, Cranfield University.

    Wakefield, A. (2004) Invited presentation: ‘The security officer’, ESRC Security Seminar on ‘People and Security Management, Loughborough.

    Wakefield, A. (2004) Invited presentation: ‘The public surveillance functions of private security’, British Society of Criminology Wales Regional Group, Cardiff University.

    Wakefield, A. (2003) Invited presentation: ‘Police powers in England and Wales’, Sino-British Workshop on Public Order Administration, Beijing.

    Wakefield, A. (2002) Invited presentation: ‘Private security and public space’, Strategic Command Course, Centrex, Bramshill.

Courses taught on