ESRC DTP Collaborative Studentship: Understanding Homicide Data: Institutional Practices, Analytical Innovation, and the Prevention of Serious Violence in London.

The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 15 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration between the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham, Nottingham, Aston Leicester, Loughborough, De Montfort and Nottingham Trent.

The University of Warwick as part of Midlands Graduate School is now inviting applications for an ESRC Doctoral Studentship in association with our collaborative partners; London’s Violence Reduction Unit (LVRU), the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) and The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to commence in October 2026.

About the project

This PhD will examine how knowledge about homicide in London is socially and institutionally produced, and how administrative data can be better used to inform the prevention of serious violence. It will examine how homicide and serious-violence data are generated, coded, linked, and analysed. It will draw on the LVRU’s innovative Homicide Coding Framework currently being implemented within the MPS, alongside the Home Office’s ‘Homicide Index’ and other administrative datasets, to explore how behavioural, situational, and institutional factors converge prior to fatal events. A particular focus will be on issues of data completeness, investigative outcomes, and the growing proportion of cases with no suspect identified.

The project is collaborative and interdisciplinary, combining criminological, sociological, and data-analytic approaches. While the overall direction of the research is defined, the successful candidate is encouraged to shape the precise focus in line with their interests and skills. Indicative research questions may ask:

• How do relational and environmental factors interact in the escalation to homicide or serious “near-miss” incidents?
• In what ways does prior contact with health, education, or social-services feature in pathways to lethal violence?
• How do different agencies collect, code, and interpret data on homicide and serious violence?
• Can analytical or computational methods identify patterns of escalation to inform prevention strategies?

The project will adopt a mixed-methods design. Quantitative analysis may include statistical modelling and computational techniques applied to homicide and serious-violence data. Qualitative elements may involve interviews with analysts and practitioners and analysis of institutional coding and reporting practices. Equality, diversity and inclusion considerations will be embedded throughout, including intersectional analysis of victimisation, service contact, and case outcomes.

The student will be based at the University of Warwick and will work closely with the LVRU during the studentship. The collaboration will provide hands-on experience of applied policy research, multi-agency working, and the ethical handling of sensitive administrative data.

Application Process

To be considered for this PhD, please complete the Collaborative Studentship application form available online via the' Apply' button above. Applicants will be required to upload an anonymised CV, anonymised cover letter, and transcripts as part of the online application process.

Application deadline: Tuesday 17^th February.

Interviews: Tuesday 3^rd March. 

Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP

Our ESRC studentships cover fees at the home rate, a maintenance stipend, and extensive support for research training, as well as research activity support grants. Support is available to both home and international applicants. For further details, visit: www.mgsdtp.ac.uk/studentships/eligibility/.

Informal enquiries about the project can be directed to Dr Emily Gray (emily.gray@warwick.ac.uk).

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