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Policing of Drugs in Scotland: Moving beyond the stalemate to redesigning the chess board (2022)
Book Chapter
Fotopoulou, M., & Aston, E. (2022). Policing of Drugs in Scotland: Moving beyond the stalemate to redesigning the chess board. In M. Bacon, & J. Spicer (Eds.), Drug law enforcement, policing and harm reduction: Ending the stalemate. Routledge

This chapter aims to illuminate aspects of the risk environment within which drugs are consumed and policed in Scotland. Firstly, we focus on the macro-level policy context and legislation that governs the way policing of drugs is carried out in Scot... Read More about Policing of Drugs in Scotland: Moving beyond the stalemate to redesigning the chess board.

‘Channel shift’: Technologically mediated policing and procedural justice (2022)
Journal Article
Wells, H. M., Aston, E. V., Bradford, B., O'Neill, M., Clayton, E., & Andrews, W. (2023). ‘Channel shift’: Technologically mediated policing and procedural justice. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 25(1), 42-52. https://doi.org/

In recent years, police forces in the United Kingdom have introduced various technologies that alter the methods by which they interact with the public. In a parallel development, many forces have also begun to embrace the concept of procedural justi... Read More about ‘Channel shift’: Technologically mediated policing and procedural justice.

Challenges for drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions (2022)
Journal Article
Falzon, D., Aston, E. V., Carver, H., Masterton, W., Wallace, B., Sumnall, H., …Parkes, T. (2022). Challenges for drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions. Harm Reduction Journal, 19(1), Article 105. https://do

Background The impact of policing practices on the engagement of people who use drugs (PWUD) with harm reduction services is well evidenced. Although the police have traditionally taken an enforcement role in responding to drug use, it is increasing... Read More about Challenges for drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions.

Challenges for drug checking services in a Scottish context: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions (2022)
Journal Article
Falzon, D., Aston, E. V., Carver, H., Masterson, W., Wallace, B., Sumnall, H., …Parkes, T. (2022). Challenges for drug checking services in a Scottish context: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions. Harm Reduction Journal, 19, Article 105. htt

Background The impact of policing practices on the engagement of people who use drugs (PWUD) with harm reduction services is well evidenced. Although the police have traditionally taken an enforcement role in responding to drug use, it is increasing... Read More about Challenges for drug checking services in a Scottish context: a qualitative exploration of police perceptions.

A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs (2022)
Journal Article
Masterton, W., Falzon, D., Burton, G., Carver, H., Wallace, B., Aston, E. V., …Parkes, T. (2022). A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs. Internation

With rising numbers of drug-related deaths in the UK and globally, exploration of interventions that seek to reduce drug-related harm is essential. Drug checking services (DCS) allow people to submit drug samples for chemical analysis and receive fee... Read More about A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs.

‘Virtual policing’, trust and legitimacy (2022)
Book Chapter
Bradford, B., Aston, E., O'Neill, M., & Wells, H. (2022). ‘Virtual policing’, trust and legitimacy. In J. Terpstra, R. Salet, & N. R. Fyfe (Eds.), The Abstract Police: Critical reflections on contemporary change in police organisations (213-238). Elev

Increasing technological mediation of police-public contact is a significant trend in UK policing. Members of the public are increasingly likely to encounter policing in ways that are, one way or another, technologically mediated, and are very often... Read More about ‘Virtual policing’, trust and legitimacy.

Technology and Police Legitimacy (2022)
Book Chapter
Aston, E., Wells, H., Bradford, B., & O'Neill, M. (2022). Technology and Police Legitimacy. In A. Verhage, M. Easton, & S. De Kimpe (Eds.), Policing in Smart Societies (43-68). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-83685-6_4

Through a consideration of the use of mobile devices by the police and the public, this chapter explores some of the potential issues raised by the incorporation of technology. What internal challenges should be considered for police organisations? W... Read More about Technology and Police Legitimacy.

Evidence submission on 'Policing of drugs in Scotland' to Criminal Justice Committee session on the criminal justice aspects of drugs (2021)
Other
Aston, E. (2021). Evidence submission on 'Policing of drugs in Scotland' to Criminal Justice Committee session on the criminal justice aspects of drugs

In this brief submission I will focus mainly on evidence pertinent to the policing and drugs in Scotland but I will also endeavour to begin address some of the key topics which I understand may be discussed at the roundtable. Much of the content belo... Read More about Evidence submission on 'Policing of drugs in Scotland' to Criminal Justice Committee session on the criminal justice aspects of drugs.

Information sharing in community policing in Europe: Building public confidence (2021)
Journal Article
Aston, L., O'Neill, M., Hail, Y., & Wooff, A. (2023). Information sharing in community policing in Europe: Building public confidence. European Journal of Criminology, 20(4), 1349-1368. https://doi.org/10.1177/14773708211037902

The literature on the importance of procedural justice in policing is extensive. Using the context of information sharing in community policing, this paper argues that interactional, procedural and distributive justice are salient in interactions bet... Read More about Information sharing in community policing in Europe: Building public confidence.

Vulnerability assessment across the frontline of law enforcement and public health: a systematic review (2021)
Journal Article
Enang, I., Murray, J., Dougall, N., Aston, E., Wooff, A., Heyman, I., & Grandison, G. (2022). Vulnerability assessment across the frontline of law enforcement and public health: a systematic review. Policing and Society, 32(4), 540-559. https://doi.org/10

Assessing vulnerability is an international priority area across law enforcement and public health (LEPH). Most contacts with frontline law enforcement professions now relate to ‘vulnerability’; frontline health responders are experiencing a similar... Read More about Vulnerability assessment across the frontline of law enforcement and public health: a systematic review.

Evaluating and Revising Police Stop and Search Practices in Scotland (2021)
Book Chapter
O'Neill, M., & Aston, E. (2021). Evaluating and Revising Police Stop and Search Practices in Scotland. In J. F. Albrecht, & G. den Heyer (Eds.), Enhancing Police Service Delivery: Global Perspectives and Contemporary Policy Implications (31-51). Cham: Spr

Compared to other areas in the United Kingdom, stop and search in Scotland was on a disproportionately large scale prior to 2015 and overwhelmingly targeted children and young people. Scottish police officers conducted more non-statutory searches tha... Read More about Evaluating and Revising Police Stop and Search Practices in Scotland.

Investigating New Types of Engagement, Response And Contact Technology in Policing (2021)
Other
Aston, E. (2021). Investigating New Types of Engagement, Response And Contact Technology in Policing. [Blog post]

A major new research project will examine how police-public engagement is being changed by the use of new technologies. Public URL: https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/enuapplyscience/2021/01/29/investigating-new-types-of-engagement-response%e2%80%afand%e2... Read More about Investigating New Types of Engagement, Response And Contact Technology in Policing.