Centre for Applied Social Sciences, Policy, Practice and Research

The Centre for Applied Social Sciences, Policy, Practice and Research (CASSPPR) researches real-world issues to work towards the improvement of society by informing policy, shaping practice, and leading public debates.

Co-directed by Professor Alessio D’Angelo (Social Policy) and Professor Nicholas Blagden (Criminology), the CASSPPR is home to world-leading researchers with diverse expertise and from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, including Sociology, Criminology, Social Policy, and International Relations.

Our aims

Through its active engagement with public, private and third sector stakeholders, the Centre aims to be a hub for knowledge exchange, community participation and social change.

The centre has key partnerships with local, national and international agencies including:

A particularly close relationship has been established with the charity Safer Living Foundation, which focuses on rehabilitating people who have committed sexual offences and reducing the likelihood of them reoffending.

The centre also informs the university's teaching portfolio and offers learning and placement opportunities to students and members of the local community. Academics within the centre are available for PhD supervisions across their areas of expertise.

Portrait of Professor Alessio D'Angelo
Professor Alessio D'Angelo

Alessio is Professor of Social Policy within the School of Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby. He also co-directs the Centre for Criminology and Social Policy Research.

Nicholas Blagden
Professor Nicholas Blagden

Professor Nicholas Blagden is a Professor of Criminological Psychology who has worked and researched within the Criminal Justice System and HM Prison and Probation Service for nearly 15 years. 

Our research

Three Research Clusters sit within the centre: ‘Rehabilitation & Reintegration of People with Convictions’, ‘Policing, Criminology & Forensic Science’, and ‘Applied Crime, Justice & Social Policy’.

Examples of current major projects include a recent £2.6 million EU Horizon-funded study on the prevention of child sexual abuse, as well as:

The centre also undertakes commissioned research by local authorities, public sector organisations, NGOs, and criminal justice organisations.

Work within the centre has also led to international dissemination events (e.g. with the European Parliament) and the development of global partnerships (e.g. universities across Europe, New Zealand and South Korea).

Additionally, members of the centre have longstanding collaborations with many international NGOs and local community organisations and are active in major scholarly associations, including the British Sociological Association (BSA) and the Social Policy Association (SPA), also being involved in leading academic journals.

Join us

If you are interested in joining this research centre, want to find out more or are interested in applying for a PhD in this area, please contact Professor Alessio D'Angelo or Professor Nicholas Blagden.