Sarah Waite

Dr. Sarah Waite is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Leeds Law School, Leeds Beckett University. She specializes in penology, gendered criminal justice responses, and prison staff-prisoner dynamics. Her work bridges academia and practice, collaborating with HMPPS, Unlocked Graduates, and Transform Justice.

Education & Career:

• HE Lecturer in Further Education (2012–2017), leading law and criminal justice curricula
• Moved to Higher Education in 2017, teaching at Sheffield Hallam University and Leeds Trinity University
• PhD focused on trust in staff-prisoner relationships in women’s prisons

Research Interests: Gendered approaches to punishment, prison officer work, and co-producing knowledge with criminal justice stakeholders. Recent projects include menopause education for prison staff and women’s problem-solving courts.

Awards:

• British Society of Criminology Teaching Excellence Award
• HEA Senior Fellowship

Advisory Roles:

• External Advisor, University of Worcester
• External Examiner, University of Hull/Doncaster College
• Trustee, Transform Justice

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with HMPPS, the Howard League, and academic partners on prison reform and gendered justice initiatives.