The powerful role universities and charities can play together was explored by Law School students during a visit from criminologist and prison reform campaigner, Lady Edwina Grosvenor.
She spent time with University of Southampton students to talk about criminal justice, the difference they can make and her experiences as the founder of One Small Thing.
One Small Thing champions the rights of women and children in the justice system and has founded Hope Street - a pioneering residential community for justice involved women and their children - which opened in June this year.
Professor Harry Annison said: "As part of Southampton Law School's Careers Programme, we were delighted to welcome Lady Edwina to give students first-hand insights about the ways in which they could pursue justice and fairness through their future careers."
Southampton Law School has developed collaborative relationships with Lady Edwina and other third sector leaders through the Growing Hope and Power project.
This is a collaborative project between Professor Harry Annison and Dr Kate Paradine, reflecting ongoing interventions by Southampton Law School in debates about how to achieve a justice system that is more fair and effective.
"We have been delighted to engage with Lady Edwina, and are grateful for her giving her time to support our students through events like this. It helps to build a real understanding of their future potential career trajectories and how they might engage with criminal justice."
Lady Edwina, who studied criminology, added: "I think it's a natural evolution to be working with academic institutions. There were lots of things I didn't know when I first started out – and I do wish there was someone back then who could tell me the potential impact I could have.
"It's a great privilege to be given the opportunity myself to inspire future generations in a field I have dedicated over two decades to. It's exciting and I really enjoy those conversations."
The Growing Hope and Power project will continue to explore ways to achieve a trusted, evidence-based, justice system which reduces crime and harm and treats people equitably. It involves people with lived experience, charities, academics, policymakers and practitioners, all working collectively to positively impact the current justice system.
Professor Annison added: "We will continue to build links to make meaningful contributions to local, regional and national debates, reflecting Southampton Law School's commitment to addressing the most pressing issues within society today."
