Vickie Barritt

Department of Sociological Studies

PhD Student

A photo of Vickie Barritt
Profile picture of A photo of Vickie Barritt
vbarritt1@sheffield.ac.uk

Full contact details

Vickie Barritt
Department of Sociological Studies
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
91Ö±²¥
S10 2AH
Profile

Vickie joined the Department for Sociological Studies in 2021, following a 15-year career developing criminal justice projects in Local Authorities, the Police, and a Third Sector Voluntary organisation. Prior to this she gained a First-Class Honours Degree in Criminology and more recently a MA in Social Research. Vickie’s curiosity into the role literacy plays within the criminal justice system was sparked when her son started school and he began to learn how to read. This curiosity shaped her PhD research project, where she will partner with a regional Probation Service to explore how probation practitioners consider and respond to literacy needs. As there has been very little research over the last 30 years to understand criminal justice responses to literacy needs and even less in the probation service, Vickie has a particular interest in operationalising her research findings.

Qualifications
  • MA Social Research (Distinction) (2019-2021) – 91Ö±²¥.
  • BA Hons Criminology (First Class) (2003-2005) – University Centre at Blackburn College
Research interests

Research interests:

  • Probation Practice
  • Qualitative Research Methods
  • Literacy Policy
  • Neurodivergence
  • Edgework

Research Title: Reading Right from Wrong: Examining how the probation system considers
and responds to service users’ literacy needs when delivering criminal justice services.

Supervisors:

Research group

Research Groups

  • British Society of Criminology Vulnerability Research Network
  • Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network
  • PhD Student and ECR Network – Lancaster Literacy Research Centre
Grants
  • Funding for this research has been provided by the Economic and Social Research Centre and White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership.
Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of the British Society of Criminology
  • Member of the Probation Institute