A case study submitted to the Research Excellence Framework 2014 demonstrating the impact of the University's research.
Professor Theresa Gannon’s research showed how the factors causing women to commit sexual offences against children are often different to those that underpin offending by men. Prior to her research, virtually no studies had focused on female offenders’ offence style or thinking patterns.
Her findings have made a significant impact on the assessment and treatment of offenders in the UK and internationally. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has described Professor Gannon’s work as ‘a clear step forward’. A number of organisations worldwide (including both correctional and non-government organisations) have used the research to inform their training, assessment and treatment practices.
Theresa Gannon is Professor of Forensic Psychology in the School of Psychology.
The Research Excellence Framework 2014 showed that Kent ranks 17th in the UK for research intensity, has world-leading research in all subjects and that 97% of our research is deemed to be of international quality.
Contributing to the University’s REF success were the number of our world class publications, the number of research active staff and the demonstrable impact our research has made to the sciences and to economic, social and cultural understanding.