Jill Dando Institute
Encyclopedia
The UCL Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science (informally the Jill Dando Institute or the JDI) is an institute of crime science
located in London
, United Kingdom
and a part of University College London
(UCL). It was founded in 2001, becoming the first university institute in the world devoted specifically to crime science.
The Institute's current Director is Professor Richard Wortley.
In April 1999 the broadcaster Jill Dando
was murdered outside her home in west London. Her colleague Nick Ross
proposed a memorial to her in the form of a new university institution in her name. Ross had already conceived of crime science
as a new discipline which distinguished itself from criminology by focusing on crime prevention, scientific methodology and multidisciplinary approach. He and Jill's fiancé, Alan Farthing, established the Jill Dando Fund with the help of the Metropolitan Police
Commissioner
Sir John Stevens
, The Countess of Wessex, and Jill's family and friends. On the 15 March 2000 the Jill Dando Fund was launched at London's Claridge's
hotel, followed by the launch of the Jill Dando Fund Appeal on 12 September 2000. The fund raised £1.5 million and UCL was selected to host the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science. Professor Gloria Laycock, OBE
was appointed as the first Director of the Institute in January 2001. The Institute was opened on 26 April 2001, the second anniversary of Jill Dando's murder, and on that day Prof Laycock gave her inaugural speech as Director. The Jill Dando Institute was founded in 2001.
In May 2004 the Institute established new scholarships for its MSc in crime science. In 2005 a Security and Crime Science Centre was established at the Institute to work with industry partners in creating new approaches to countering terrorism
. In the same year the International Crime Science Network was established. The Institute published research in May 2006 which showed that the UK and France are perceived to have the worst problems with anti-social behaviour in Europe. The Centre for Security and Crime Science opened in October 2006.
In 2009 UCL established the Department of Security and Crime Science as a separate entity from the Institute in order to enable the offering of post-graduate taught and research courses in security and crime science. The Institute continued as a cross-departmental research institute in security and crime science. In September 2009 the Home Office was criticised after it drew up timescales for how long DNA samples should be retained based on research by the Institute that had not yet been finished.
The Institute was awarded over £3 million in research and consultancy funding between 2001 and 2007. The Institute has collaborations with psychologist
s, geographer
s, economist
s, physicist
s, chemist
s, computer scientist
s, and biologist
s as well as designer
s and town planners.
Research at the Institute primarily takes place within the following groupings:
Crime science
Crime science is the study of crime in order to find ways to prevent it. Three features distinguish crime science from criminology: it is single-minded about cutting crime, rather than studying it for its own sake; accordingly it focuses on crime rather than criminals; and it is multidisciplinary,...
located in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and a part of University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(UCL). It was founded in 2001, becoming the first university institute in the world devoted specifically to crime science.
The Institute's current Director is Professor Richard Wortley.
History
Jill Dando
Jill Wendy Dando was an English journalist, television presenter and newsreader who worked for the BBC for 14 years. She was murdered by gunshot outside her home in Fulham, West London; her killer has never been identified....
was murdered outside her home in west London. Her colleague Nick Ross
Nick Ross
Nick Ross is a British radio and television presenter across a wide range of factual programmes and during the 1980s and 90s he was one of the most ubiquitous of British broadcasters, but he is best known for his long-running co-hosting of the BBC TV show Crimewatch which he left on 2 July 2007...
proposed a memorial to her in the form of a new university institution in her name. Ross had already conceived of crime science
Crime science
Crime science is the study of crime in order to find ways to prevent it. Three features distinguish crime science from criminology: it is single-minded about cutting crime, rather than studying it for its own sake; accordingly it focuses on crime rather than criminals; and it is multidisciplinary,...
as a new discipline which distinguished itself from criminology by focusing on crime prevention, scientific methodology and multidisciplinary approach. He and Jill's fiancé, Alan Farthing, established the Jill Dando Fund with the help of the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan police
Metropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
Commissioner
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is the head of London's Metropolitan Police Service, classing the holder as a chief police officer...
Sir John Stevens
John Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington
John Arthur Stevens, Baron Stevens of Kirkwhelpington KStJ QPM DL FRSA was Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 2000 until 2005. From 1991 to 1996, he was Chief Constable of Northumbria Police before being appointed one of HM Inspectors of Constabulary in September 1996...
, The Countess of Wessex, and Jill's family and friends. On the 15 March 2000 the Jill Dando Fund was launched at London's Claridge's
Claridge's
Claridge's is a luxury hotel in Mayfair, central London. It is located at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street.-History:Claridge's is a traditional grand hotel. Its extensive and old connections with royalty have led to it being referred to as an "extension to Buckingham Palace"...
hotel, followed by the launch of the Jill Dando Fund Appeal on 12 September 2000. The fund raised £1.5 million and UCL was selected to host the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science. Professor Gloria Laycock, OBE
Gloria Laycock
Gloria Laycock, OBE, is Director of the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science at University College London , and runs UCL's Centre for Security & Crime Science...
was appointed as the first Director of the Institute in January 2001. The Institute was opened on 26 April 2001, the second anniversary of Jill Dando's murder, and on that day Prof Laycock gave her inaugural speech as Director. The Jill Dando Institute was founded in 2001.
In May 2004 the Institute established new scholarships for its MSc in crime science. In 2005 a Security and Crime Science Centre was established at the Institute to work with industry partners in creating new approaches to countering terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. In the same year the International Crime Science Network was established. The Institute published research in May 2006 which showed that the UK and France are perceived to have the worst problems with anti-social behaviour in Europe. The Centre for Security and Crime Science opened in October 2006.
In 2009 UCL established the Department of Security and Crime Science as a separate entity from the Institute in order to enable the offering of post-graduate taught and research courses in security and crime science. The Institute continued as a cross-departmental research institute in security and crime science. In September 2009 the Home Office was criticised after it drew up timescales for how long DNA samples should be retained based on research by the Institute that had not yet been finished.
Research
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
s, geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
s, economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
s, physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
s, chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
s, computer scientist
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
s, and biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
s as well as designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
s and town planners.
Research at the Institute primarily takes place within the following groupings:
- Crime Mapping Centre
- Designing Out Crime Group
- Crime Policy and Evaluation Group
See also
- Crime scene investigationCrime scene investigationCrime scene investigation may refer to:* Forensic science, science used in determining facts during legal proceedings* CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a US television series...
- Crime prevention through environmental designCrime prevention through environmental designCrime prevention through environmental design is a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design. CPTED strategies rely upon the ability to influence offender decisions that precede criminal acts...
- Crime statisticsCrime statisticsCrime statistics attempt to provide statistical measures of the crime in societies. Given that crime is usually secretive by nature, measurements of it are likely to be inaccurate....