Beth Weaver

Beth Weaver is a Professor in Social Policy at the University of Strathclyde, specializing in criminal justice, desistance from crime, and social policy. She holds an ORCID profile and actively supervises PhD students. Her research focuses on penal systems, community justice models, and the intersection of health and justice. Weaver has led or co-investigated over 20 projects, including major grants from the Leverhulme Trust, ESRC, and Scottish Government, exploring topics like prison reform, user engagement in justice systems, and social cooperative structures for desistance.

Her work emphasizes participatory approaches, such as co-producing justice solutions with criminalized individuals and designing inclusive policies for marginalized groups. Notable projects include the Health-Justice Nexus (2024–2029) examining crime as a social determinant of health, and the Penal Supervision in Comparative Context project (2023–2026). Weaver’s research also addresses collateral consequences of criminal records, probation dynamics, and the role of social relations in personal change. She has advised on policy reforms, including Scotland’s Management of Offenders Bill, and contributed to training programs for criminal justice managers.

Over 69 publications span desistance theory, carceral epistemology, and systemic inequities. Her recent work (2026) advocates generative justice frameworks emphasizing cooperative systems over punitive measures. Weaver collaborates internationally through Erasmus+ initiatives and co-edits special issues on co-production in justice systems.