What administrative data reveals about violence in the UK: Connecting Society special live episode, part two
30 July 2026
The second of our special live episodes of the Connecting Society podcast is now available to watch.
Recorded at Pint of Science, a worldwide science festival which brings researchers to the pub to share their knowledge with local communities, this instalment features Professor Iain Brennan, who is a Professor of Criminology at the University of Hull and an ADR UK Ambassador. Iain discusses his ADR UK-backed research on violence, school exclusion and knife crime.
Is a fork a knife?
Iain opened with a live quiz for the audience to test what actually counts as "knife crime". A fork used to threaten murder? A robbery where the knife is never actually seen? As Iain explained, there is no single legal offence of "knife crime" in England and Wales. What counts depends entirely on how the government chooses to define and measure it,
How does school exclusion relate to violent crime?
Iain also shared findings from his ADR UK-backed research into the relationship between school exclusion and later involvement in serious violence. Using linked, de-identified education and justice data, and a target trial method borrowed from clinical drug trials to strengthen the reliability of the findings, his team was able to move beyond simple associations to get closer to understanding the true impact of exclusion on children's lives.
Gaps in the data on violence against women
The discussion also turned to the limits of administrative crime data, particularly for women. Iain explained that because there is no specific offence of domestic abuse, incidents are recorded under general categories such as common assault, making it impossible to separate domestic abuse from other forms of violence in the data.
Bringing science to the community
Pint of Science is an annual festival that takes research beyond universities and into community spaces, creating opportunities for people to engage directly with researchers and ask questions about topics that affect their lives. Since public engagement sits at the heart of ADR UK's work, this was a fantastic opportunity to take our research out into the real world and hear from those we want to benefit – the public. By bringing researchers and communities together, events such as Pint of Science help build understanding, transparency and trust around data-driven research.
Watch the full episode now
Missed part one? Catch up with Dr Alice Wickersham on how educational data reveals the impact of school experiences on life opportunities.
