Danica Darley

I started my PhD in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield in 2021. Prior to this I completed my MA in Social Research Methods at the Sheffield Methods Institute. I also gained my undergraduate degree in Sociology with Criminology at the University of Sheffield. 

My PhD has been shaped by my experience of working with children in care and the youth justice system. 

My research examines the experiences of children in care of criminal gangs in England and focuses on child criminal exploitation and county lines activity. The key question the research will address is how we can ensure that children in care are better protected from exploitation by criminal gangs.

My research interests include children in care, youth justice, women in prison, convict criminology, organised crime, and urban street gangs as well as participatory, sensory and creative methods.