Dr Karen Washington-Dyer
Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice

Dr Karen Washington-Dyer is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the MA Criminology and Criminal Justice Degree Programme. Karen began her career in the Wrexham Youth Service where she went on to become an area co-ordinator. As well as working with young people in the community Karen was also the resident youth worker in a Wrexham high school working with young people excluded from mainstream education.
Following this Karen went on to work with vulnerable adults suffering from poor mental health before moving on to working with convicted sex offenders being released from prison in an attempt to resettle them back into the community, whilst also holding them accountable. Karen began her academic career in 2008 when she enrolled onto the BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice programme at Wrexham Glyndwr University. Following graduating with a first-class honour’s degree Karen achieved a scholarship to undertake her PhD. This was awarded in 2016 and explores how the construction of ‘New’ terrorism since 9/11 has influenced perceptions of Islam. Karen began as a lecturer on the BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice programme in 2014 and in 2018 was made senior lecturer and programme leader of the MA Criminology and Criminal Justice programme at Wrexham University. Karen teaches a range of modules across the BA and MA with a main focus around social inequality, hate crimes, and terrorism. Karen is also a member of academic development teams at Wrexham University, most prominently with the peer mentor programme, she is also a member of the religion and faith forum and has been a keynote speaker at one of the chaplaincy conferences. Karen has experience of working on high value research projects, most recently contributing to research considering the experience of homelessness, with both males and females within the Criminal Justice System. Karen is also supervisor to several PhD students which cover many areas of interest such as stalking, bilingualism in the criminal justice system, perceptions of female offenders, and trust in the police service.
Publications
Year | Publication | Type |
---|---|---|
2020 | Preventing homelessness among women prison leavers in Wales, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY. [DOI] Gorden, Caroline;Lockwood, Kelly;Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Dubberley, Sarah;Hughes, Caroline;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Wilding, Mark A.;Ahmed, Anya |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
2020 | Imaginary Homelessness Prevention with Prison Leavers in Wales, Social Policy and Society, 19. [DOI] Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Ahmed, Anya;Hughes, Caroline;Dubberley, Sarah;Gorden, Caroline;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Lockwood, Kelly;Wilding, Mark |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
2020 | Preventing homelessness among women prison leavers in Wales, [DOI] Gorden, Caroline;Lockwood, Kelly;Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Dubberley, Sarah;Hughes, Caroline;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Wilding, Mark;Ahmed, Anya |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
2019 | Rethinking Preventing Homelessness amongst Prison Leavers, [DOI] Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Hughes, Caroline;Gorden, Caroline;Dubberley, Sarah;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Ahmed, Anya;Lockwood, Kelly;Wilding, Mark |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
2018 | Rethinking preventing homelessness amongst prison leavers, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROBATION, 10. [DOI] Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Hughes, Caroline;Gorden, Caro;Dubberley, Sarah;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Ahmed, Anya;Lockwood, Kelly;Wilding, Mark |
Peer Reviewed Journal |
2016 | Encouraging signs: A qualitative evaluation of Review and Congratulate Panels in the Wrexham Youth Justice Team, Hughes, Caroline;Madoc-Jones, Iolo;Washington-Dyer, Karen;Dubberley, Sarah;Gorden, Caroline |
Other Publication |
Teaching Interests
Terrorism; Social inequality; Hate crime; The use of prisons; Victimology
Programs/ Modules Coordinated
Title | Subject |
---|---|
Crime, Society and Social Policy | SOC477 |
Control, Justice and Punishment | SOC661 |
Social Difference and Inequality | SOC573 |
Crime and Criminal Behaviour | SOC572 |
Terrorism | SOC672 |
The Terrorist Risk and its Consequences | SOC718 |
Current Postgraduates
Name | Degree |
---|---|
Louise Bosanquet | PH |
Helena Barlow | PH |
Andrea Cooper | PH |
Emma Stones | PH |