James Alexander

James Alexander is an Associate Enterprise Fellow in the Criminology Department at London Metropolitan University, part of the School of Social Sciences and Professions. His role combines teaching and fostering partnerships with local authorities, statutory bodies, and grassroots organizations to address criminality through university resources. He holds a PhD focused on how violence reduction programs altered relational dynamics, inadvertently entrenching violent street cultures among young people.

Before entering academia, James worked with young people for 15 years, managing training projects for unemployed youth and young offenders. He previously taught at Westminster University and Kingston University. His research interests center on youth criminality, including evaluations of youth safety projects (e.g., a VRU parents empowering initiative) and a longitudinal study on the Drill music scene's influence.

Professional activities include serving as a Trustee for the St. Matthew's Project in Brixton, an informal advisor to the Holloway Ward Safer Neighbourhood Partnership, and an advisor to Maximum Recordings. His publications analyze policy impacts on community dynamics, frontline program experiences, and youth identity formation.

James leads the criminology master's courses at London Met. He emphasizes collaboration between academia and communities to address youth violence and safety, reflecting his commitment to applied research and practical solutions.