![Robert Jones](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/6399?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Overview
Rob joined Cardiff School of Law and Politics in January 2022 as a Lecturer in the Welsh Criminal Justice System. His main areas of interest are imprisonment, penal policy, devolution, and criminal justice in Wales. He is a member of the Wales Governance Centre and the Cardiff Centre for Crime, Law and Justice. Rob is also a Coordinator of the European Group for the Study of Deviance and Social Control's Prisons, Punishment and Detention Working Group.
In 2018, Rob was seconded to the Wales Governance Centre’s Justice and Jurisdiction project which was set up to inform the ongoing work of the Commission on Justice in Wales. He was cited as an Expert Contributor within the Commission’s final report published in October 2019.
Rob currently teaches on Miscarriages of Justice: The Cardiff Innocence Project and Crime, Law and Society. He is is the Chair of the School of Law and Politics Research Ethics Committee.
Publication
2024
- Jones, R., Hart, E. and Scott, D. 2024. ‘A pre-requisite of progress’? Prison modernisation and new prison building in England and Wales. Punishment and Society: The International Journal of Penology 26(5), pp. 860-879. (10.1177/14624745241229149)
- Jones, R. 2024. What do we know about punishment in Wales?. Probation Quarterly 31, pp. 38-42. (10.54006/WDYJ5288)
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2024. The administrative disenfranchisement of prisoners in England and Wales. Prison Service Journal 270, pp. 12-19.
- Jones, R. 2024. Prisons and Sentencing in Wales: 2023 Factfile. Technical Report.
2023
- Jones, R. 2023. Prisons in Wales: 2022 Factfile. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. and Davies, G. 2023. Prisoner voting in the United Kingdom: an empirical study of a contested prisoner right. Modern Law Review 86(4), pp. 900-926. (10.1111/1468-2230.12778)
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2023. Prisoner voting in Wales: devolved autonomy and human rights at the jagged edge. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 74(1), pp. 1-27. (10.53386/nilq.v74i1.1016)
- Jones, R., Harrison, M. and Jones, T. 2023. Policing and devolution in the UK: the ‘special’ case of Wales. Policing 17, article number: paac063. (10.1093/police/paac063)
2022
- Jones, R., Hart, E. and Scott, D. 2022. Chorley ‘Super Prison’: The case against. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. and Wyn Jones, R. 2022. The criminal justice system in Wales: On the jagged edge. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
- Jones, R. 2022. Criminology and criminal justice in post-devolution Wales. European Journal of Criminology 19(4), pp. 811-829. (10.1177/1477370820916447)
2021
- Jones, R., Evans, J. and Haines, K. 2021. The criminal justice system in Wales. In: The Oxford Textbook on Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Evans, J., Jones, R. and Musgrove, N. 2021. ‘Dragonisation’ revisited: A progressive criminal justice policy in Wales?. Criminology and Criminal Justice (10.1177/1748895821990428)
2020
- Jones, R. 2020. Prison, probation and sentencing in Wales: 2019 factfile. Project Report. [Online]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2446129/Prison,-Probation-and-Sentencing-in-Wales-2019-Factfile.pdf
- Jones, R. 2020. Covid-19 and imprisonment in Wales. Technical Report.
- Evans, J., Jones, R. and Haines, K. 2020. The criminal justice system in Wales. In: Case, S. et al. eds. Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
2019
- Jones, R., Series, L. and Dehaghani, R. 2019. International covenant on civil and political rights: conditions of detention In Wales. Technical Report.
- Jones, R., Wyn Jones, R., Pritchard, H. and Nicholas, L. 2019. International evidence on driving down imprisonment rates: What Wales could be?. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/1701402/International-Evidence-on-Driving-Down-Imprisonment-Rates.pdf
- Jones, R. 2019. Sentencing and imprisonment in Wales: 2018 factfile. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1547914/WGC-Report-SentencingandImprisonment04.pdf
- Brewster, D. and Jones, R. 2019. Distinctly divergent or hanging onto English coat-tails? Drug policy in post-devolution Wales. Criminology and Criminal Justice 19(3), pp. 364-381. (10.1177/1748895818757834)
- Jones, R. and Davies, G. 2019. Deprivation and imprisonment in Wales by local authority area. Supplementary evidence to the National Assembly's equality, local government and communities committee's inquiry into voting rights for prisoners.. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. 2019. The provision of health and social care in the adult prison estate [Written Evidence Submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1468512/WRITTEN-EVIDENCE-THE-PROVISION-OF-HEALTH-AND-SOCIAL-CARE-IN-THE-ADULT-PRISON-ESTATE.pdf
- Jones, R. and Wyn Jones, R. 2019. Justice at the jagged edge in Wales. Project Report. [Online]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2673647/Justice-at-the-Jagged-Edge-in-Wales.pdf
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2019. Voting Rights for Prisoners [Written Evidence Submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1535638/Davies-and-Jones-Written-Evidence-to-Equality-Local-Government-and-Communities-Committee-002.pdf
- Jones, R. 2019. Sentencing and immediate custody in Wales: a factfile. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1448915/Sentencing-and-Immediate-Custody-in-Wales-A-Factfile.pdf
2018
- Jones, R. 2018. Prison provision in Wales {written evidence submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1448782/Welsh-Affairs-Committee-Supplementary-Evidence.pdf
- Jones, R. 2018. Imprisonment in Wales: a local authority breakdown. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1286992/Imprisonment-in-Wales-A-Local-Authority-Breakdown-.pdf
- Jones, R. 2018. Imprisonment in Wales: a factfile. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom: Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1287210/WGC-Report-Imprisonment-FinalPDF.pdf
2017
- Jones, R. D. 2017. The hybrid system: imprisonment and devolution in Wales. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
2016
- Jones, R. 2016. Prison reform [written evidence submission]. House of Commons Justice Committee. Available at: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/justice-committee/prison-reform/written/40083.pdf
2013
- Jones, R. 2013. A Welsh criminological imaginary: The state of criminology in Wales. Contemporary Wales 26(1), pp. 99-120.
Articles
- Jones, R., Hart, E. and Scott, D. 2024. ‘A pre-requisite of progress’? Prison modernisation and new prison building in England and Wales. Punishment and Society: The International Journal of Penology 26(5), pp. 860-879. (10.1177/14624745241229149)
- Jones, R. 2024. What do we know about punishment in Wales?. Probation Quarterly 31, pp. 38-42. (10.54006/WDYJ5288)
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2024. The administrative disenfranchisement of prisoners in England and Wales. Prison Service Journal 270, pp. 12-19.
- Jones, R. and Davies, G. 2023. Prisoner voting in the United Kingdom: an empirical study of a contested prisoner right. Modern Law Review 86(4), pp. 900-926. (10.1111/1468-2230.12778)
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2023. Prisoner voting in Wales: devolved autonomy and human rights at the jagged edge. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 74(1), pp. 1-27. (10.53386/nilq.v74i1.1016)
- Jones, R., Harrison, M. and Jones, T. 2023. Policing and devolution in the UK: the ‘special’ case of Wales. Policing 17, article number: paac063. (10.1093/police/paac063)
- Jones, R. 2022. Criminology and criminal justice in post-devolution Wales. European Journal of Criminology 19(4), pp. 811-829. (10.1177/1477370820916447)
- Evans, J., Jones, R. and Musgrove, N. 2021. ‘Dragonisation’ revisited: A progressive criminal justice policy in Wales?. Criminology and Criminal Justice (10.1177/1748895821990428)
- Brewster, D. and Jones, R. 2019. Distinctly divergent or hanging onto English coat-tails? Drug policy in post-devolution Wales. Criminology and Criminal Justice 19(3), pp. 364-381. (10.1177/1748895818757834)
- Jones, R. 2013. A Welsh criminological imaginary: The state of criminology in Wales. Contemporary Wales 26(1), pp. 99-120.
Book sections
- Jones, R., Evans, J. and Haines, K. 2021. The criminal justice system in Wales. In: The Oxford Textbook on Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
- Evans, J., Jones, R. and Haines, K. 2020. The criminal justice system in Wales. In: Case, S. et al. eds. Criminology. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Books
- Jones, R. and Wyn Jones, R. 2022. The criminal justice system in Wales: On the jagged edge. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Monographs
- Jones, R. 2024. Prisons and Sentencing in Wales: 2023 Factfile. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. 2023. Prisons in Wales: 2022 Factfile. Technical Report.
- Jones, R., Hart, E. and Scott, D. 2022. Chorley ‘Super Prison’: The case against. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. 2020. Prison, probation and sentencing in Wales: 2019 factfile. Project Report. [Online]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/2446129/Prison,-Probation-and-Sentencing-in-Wales-2019-Factfile.pdf
- Jones, R. 2020. Covid-19 and imprisonment in Wales. Technical Report.
- Jones, R., Series, L. and Dehaghani, R. 2019. International covenant on civil and political rights: conditions of detention In Wales. Technical Report.
- Jones, R., Wyn Jones, R., Pritchard, H. and Nicholas, L. 2019. International evidence on driving down imprisonment rates: What Wales could be?. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff: Wales Governance Centre. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/1701402/International-Evidence-on-Driving-Down-Imprisonment-Rates.pdf
- Jones, R. 2019. Sentencing and imprisonment in Wales: 2018 factfile. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1547914/WGC-Report-SentencingandImprisonment04.pdf
- Jones, R. and Davies, G. 2019. Deprivation and imprisonment in Wales by local authority area. Supplementary evidence to the National Assembly's equality, local government and communities committee's inquiry into voting rights for prisoners.. Technical Report.
- Jones, R. 2019. The provision of health and social care in the adult prison estate [Written Evidence Submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/1468512/WRITTEN-EVIDENCE-THE-PROVISION-OF-HEALTH-AND-SOCIAL-CARE-IN-THE-ADULT-PRISON-ESTATE.pdf
- Jones, R. and Wyn Jones, R. 2019. Justice at the jagged edge in Wales. Project Report. [Online]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/2673647/Justice-at-the-Jagged-Edge-in-Wales.pdf
- Davies, G. and Jones, R. 2019. Voting Rights for Prisoners [Written Evidence Submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1535638/Davies-and-Jones-Written-Evidence-to-Equality-Local-Government-and-Communities-Committee-002.pdf
- Jones, R. 2019. Sentencing and immediate custody in Wales: a factfile. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1448915/Sentencing-and-Immediate-Custody-in-Wales-A-Factfile.pdf
- Jones, R. 2018. Prison provision in Wales {written evidence submission]. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1448782/Welsh-Affairs-Committee-Supplementary-Evidence.pdf
- Jones, R. 2018. Imprisonment in Wales: a local authority breakdown. Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1286992/Imprisonment-in-Wales-A-Local-Authority-Breakdown-.pdf
- Jones, R. 2018. Imprisonment in Wales: a factfile. Project Report. [Online]. Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom: Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University. Available at: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1287210/WGC-Report-Imprisonment-FinalPDF.pdf
- Jones, R. 2016. Prison reform [written evidence submission]. House of Commons Justice Committee. Available at: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/justice-committee/prison-reform/written/40083.pdf
Thesis
- Jones, R. D. 2017. The hybrid system: imprisonment and devolution in Wales. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Research
Rob was awarded a PhD in Law at Cardiff University in 2017. His thesis, The Hybrid System: Imprisonment and Devolution in Wales, charted the emergence of Wales as a distinct criminological space within the once ‘uniform’ England and Wales system. Having mapped out the territorially distinct arrangements that characterise the operation of the prison system in post-devolution Wales, Rob's research highlighted the complications and practical difficulties that arise because of the ‘jagged edge’ between non-devolved justice functions and other (devolved) areas of social policy.
Since completing his PhD in 2017, Rob has published numerous outputs including academic publications as well as a series of research reports aimed at developing a more detailed, critical, and authoritative understanding of the Welsh criminal justice system. In 2022, The Welsh Criminal Justice System: On the Jagged Edge was published by University of Wales Press. The book was co-authored alongside Professor Richard Wyn Jones and provides the first academic account of the Welsh Criminal Justice System.
Teaching
Rob currently teaches on Sociology of Law; Miscarriages of Justice: The Cardiff Innocence Project; and Crime, Law and Society.
Biography
Rob was awarded a PhD from Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics in 2017. His research focused on imprisonment and devolution in Wales. Prior to studying at Cardiff, Rob completed a MRes Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies at the University and Manchester and BA Criminology and Sociology at Liverpool John Moores University.
Ph.D. Law (Cardiff University, 2017).
Thesis: The Hybrid System: Imprisonment and Devolution in Wales
Supervisors: Professor Richard Wyn Jones and Dr Kirsty Hudson
MRes Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies (University of Manchester, 2010).
BA Hons. Criminology and Sociology (Liverpool John Moores University, 2009). First Class Honours
PgCDPPHE Postgraduate Certificate in Developing Professional Practice in Higher Education (University of South Wales,
2017)
Supervisions
I am interested in supervising PhD students in the areas of:
- Prisons
- Penal Policy
- Devolution
- The Welsh Criminal Justice System
Current supervision
Lucy Dunkling
Research student
