Dr Lindsey Rice

I am a Lecturer in Criminology in the School of Law. I completed my PhD at the University of Sheffield in 2016, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). My doctoral research examined the civilianisation and privatisation of crime investigation in England, focusing on the changing role of non-warranted civilian investigators in comparison to warranted police detectives within Criminal Investigation Departments across England and Wales. The study adopted a mixed-methods design, drawing on interviews, observational research and a national survey.

Findings from this research informed evidence-based recommendations that supported a successful bid to the Police Transformation Fund, contributing to the development of improved approaches to the recruitment, training and professionalisation of civilian investigators. This work underpinned the development of a new postgraduate-level qualification for police civilian investigators working in the complex field of vulnerability-related crime, coproduced and delivered in partnership with Durham Constabulary, South Yorkshire Police and the College of Policing.

Prior to taking up my current role, I was a Research Associate at the University of Sheffield on the ‘Good’ Police Custody Study: Theorising the 'Is' and the 'Ought'. project explored how police custody is organised and delivered across the UK, examining the impact of civilianisation and privatisation on fairness, justice, accountability and suspect experiences in order to theorise what constitutes 'good' police custody and policing practice.

I am currently leading a project (working with Professor Layla Skinns and in partnership with police forces, the National Appropriate Adult Network and Centre for Justice Innovation) funded by an N8 Policing Priority Grant examining voluntary police interview practice in England and Wales. This research explores interviews conducted both inside and outside police stations, focusing on safeguards for vulnerable suspects, the use of digital recording technologies, and race- and gendered decision-making under PACE Code C and the 2024 NPCC voluntary interviewing guidance. The project aligns with the NPCC Race Action Plan, PEEL and HMICFRS (2025) expectations on fairness and consistency, and the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser’s Science and Technology in Policing priorities on digital recording and vulnerable interviewing, and aims to inform national policy, inspection and police training.