Danielle McDermott is Chartered Psychologist and Professor of Custodial Practice at Leeds Trinity University. She oversees the strategic delivery of a national contract with His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and Unlocked Graduates, contributing to transformative education for future leaders in the criminal justice system. With a PhD in Forensic Psychology from the University of Leeds and extensive experience as a practicing psychologist within HMPPS, Professor McDermott brings a unique blend of academic excellence and applied professional insight. 

Her research interests focus broadly on aspects of offender rehabilitation and treatment within prison, including topics such as self harm and suicide and the barriers to education for justice involved children. Professor McDermott has published in high impact journals and contributed to national conversations on youth justice, including her advisory role with the Youth Justice Board. She is also an Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Criminal Psychology and an active reviewer for numerous academic journals in forensic and criminal pscyhology. 

A recipient of the British Society of Criminology National Award for Excellence in Teaching Criminology and Criminal Justice (2024), she is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Trustee of the Wise Owl Multi-Academy Trust. Her work with Tempus Novo and strategic engagement with prison Governors across the UK underpins her commitment to social justice, rehabilitation and meaningful education reform.  

A passionate educator, Professor McDermott has consistently delivered innovative, practitioner-informed teaching. Her work reflects a deep commitment to student-centred learning, inclusive curriculum design, and embedding employability and applied skills into programme outcomes. 

In her current role as Head of the Prisons and Custody team, she oversees the delivery of an MSc Applied Custodial Leadership, which students study part-time, whilst working full-time as Prison Officers. 

Previously, as Academic Lead for Psychology, Criminology, Sociology and Policing, she was responsible for departmental strategy, interdisciplinary curriculum development, staff recruitment, and quality assurance processes. She has previously been appointed as a member of the Academic Board and the Ethics Commitee for Social Sciences, contributing to academic governance and cross-university initiatives. 

Professor McDermott's research is grounded in forensic psychology, with a strong focus on offender behaviour, criminal identity, mental health within custodial environments, and system-level approaches to improving outcomes for justice-involved individuals. 

He work has explored the psychological drivers of self-harm, alongside the broader impacts of childhood adversity and exposure to violence. A key strand of her research investigates the structural barriers justice-involved individuals face in accessing education and employment, with recent studies examining higher education as a diversionary tool in youth justice and the transformative impact of peer mentoring in prison settings. Her co-authored publiation on peer mentoring highlights the importance of lived experience and relation suppprt in reducing reoffending and promoting wellbeing. 

Through this body of work, Professor McDermott contributes to evidence based practices across the criminal justice system, with implications for policy, education and rehabilitation.