Co-creating a national open research partnership in criminal justice: restorative and design approaches

• In Event: Open Science in Criminology

Abstract

Criminal justice research partnerships typically involve a small number of universities and partners and last only as long as the single research project to which they relate. What would be needed to establish a research partnership involving virtually every university in a jurisdiction, alongside dozens of criminal justice policymaking, practice and oversight bodies, non-state justice services, civil society groups, and members of the research ecosystem? How might those partners be facilitated to explore the principles and purposes of this partnership? This presentation explores the establishment of the Criminal justice Open Research Dialogue (CORD) Partnership. Funded by the National Open Research Fund in 2023/24, CORD aims to embed a culture of open research in criminal justice in Ireland. The presentation explores the process by which partners used restorative practices and design thinking to build relationships and understanding, consider the Partnership’s principles, purposes and priorities, and co-author an article through an open authorship process. The literature on successful research partnerships indicates that establishing strong relationships and a shared purpose at their outset is essential, but that partnerships too often fail to do so. The lessons learned and techniques used in CORD will be of interest to all those with an interest in open research, research impact, knowledge exchange and partnership working.

Authors

• Ian Marder, Maynooth University

• Patrice McCormack, Maynooth University