Funding opportunity: Using linked justice system administrative data to evaluate the impact of justice services

Fellows will access linked MoJ data for England and Wales, hosted by the ONS SRS and/or the SAIL Databank. The datasets provide rich information on people and cases as they interact across the criminal and family courts, prisons and probation services. Linking these datasets provides new and unique opportunities to enhance understanding of the pathways, needs and outcomes of justice system users.  

Datasets include: 

• Magistrates’ court defendant case level 

• Crown Court defendant case level 

• Prisoner custodial journeys 

• Family courts (which can be linked to Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) data via SAIL) 

• Probation  

• Criminal courts, prisons and probation linking dataset 

• MoJ - Department for Education datashare. 

Further information about the content of these datasets can be found in individual data catalogues and a user guide, published on the MoJ Data First webpage.  

The aim of the Evaluation Fellowships is to establish whether different policies and practices within the justice system are effective in delivering intended outcomes of reducing reoffending, protecting the public and delivering swift access to justice. Evaluation Fellows will help to fill vital evidence gaps, including those outlined in the MoJ Areas of Research Interest 2020 and contribute to better evidence-based policy across the justice system. 

Fellows will work alongside MoJ teams to co-design the evaluation programme, and identify the most policy-relevant, timely and impactful evaluations that are feasible with the data.  

Examples of areas that the Evaluation Fellows could focus on to inform policy and practice include:  

• Criminal justice: looking at the frequency of reappearance and reconviction before the criminal courts for specific groups of offenders who differ in a key outcome (such as sentencing, custody, or post-custody supervision) because of legislative, policy or practice changes. Fellows could also explore strategic crime prevention priorities – looking at the impact on reoffending of different sentencing outcomes for high-frequency recurrent offences, such as burglary and vehicle crime. 

• Family law: exploring the impact of changes to processes, practices or policy (for example, the introduction of ‘no-fault’ divorce or the implementation of a 26-week timeframe for public law cases) on volume, cost and return rate of cases through the family courts. 

• Civil law: assessing the impact of recent changes in housing law, such as legislation preventing bailiff enforcement of evictions during the pandemic in England, on the numbers of orders made and enforced. 

• Court reform: evaluating an aspect of the complex and wide-ranging HMCTS court reform programme (for example, the impact of digital services on access to justice), in line with the HMCTS Reform Evaluation Framework. 

The Fellowships align with the UK government’s National Data Strategy to transform the government’s use of data – including unlocking the potential of linked administrative data – to understand the impact of services and make improvements that benefit service users. 

Proposals are welcome from individual researchers from eligible research organisations.  

Check if you are eligible to apply for research and innovation funding. 

Read ESRC’s research funding guide. 

Researchers on fixed term contracts will be eligible to apply if their institutions are willing to extend their contracts to cover the period of the fellowship. 

We will be looking for demonstrable experience of working with large datasets coupled with a willingness to engage with other researchers across the ADR UK partnership, as well as policymakers. 

Experience in the justice space or using justice administrative data is not essential. We will be looking for the ability to apply relevant skills and experience to these datasets.  

You will need to become an accredited researcher of the Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service (ONS SRS) or have completed one of the safe researcher trainings. Read the safe researcher training list. 

Successful applicants will need to have their project approved by data owners and through the UK Statistics Authority’s Research Accreditation Panel. 

Joint applications are not permitted for this opportunity. However, applications can still include mentorship and research assistance where necessary. You should be the one to use and lead on the analysis of the dataset(s). 

Letters of support from other organisations, both academic and non-academic, are also welcomed, as we are keen to ensure that research is relevant and well-received. 

Time commitment

This opportunity is open on a job share or job splitting basis. We are open to applications on a part-time basis and welcome applications for proposed job shares. 

If your application is linked to another applicant as a proposed job share, please state this in your case for support and set out your proposed arrangements. 

If your application is on a part-time basis, our assessment panel and colleagues at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will look to match you with another part-time applicant on a job-share basis. 

We have a minimum time commitment of 0.5 FTE (full-time equivalent) for the core implementation phase for each job share partner. We do not have minimum time commitments for the scoping and impact phases. When combined, the time commitment from job share partners should not exceed 1 FTE. 

Person specification

• Expertise in and experience of quasi-experimental methods using large-scale datasets, including working with administrative and novel datasets and assessing data quality and reliability  

• Understanding of the analytical needs of government stakeholders and an ability to grasp and respond to these effectively at pace 

• Subject matter expertise in one or more of the justice research priorities (as outlined in the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) areas of research interest 2020 and listed in the ‘what we’re looking for’ section),  or ability to transfer and apply skills and expertise to new topics  

• The ability to translate complex information and analysis into meaningful, easily understood narrative for a non-academic audience, verbally and in writing 

• Understanding of the challenges and opportunities of co-production and collaboration including with non-academics 

• The ability to design and lead activity that supports effective knowledge exchange between research, policy and funder communities 

• Value for money across all budget areas requested, including where relevant for wider institutional mentorship and support. 

What we will fund

Each Evaluation Fellow will receive funding up to a maximum of £177,500 at 100% full economic cost. The Evaluation Accelerator Fund will fund 80% full economic costs. 

The Fellowships can be offered part-time (at least 0.5 full-time equivalent) and full-time, and can include job-share arrangements. 

How to apply

You must apply using the Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system. 

You can find advice on completing your application in the: 

• Je-S handbook 

• Je-S guidance for applicants. 

Your host organisation will also be able to provide advice and guidance. 

Submitting your application 

Before starting an application, you will need to log in or create an account in Je-S. We recommend you start your application early. 

When applying, select ‘new document’, then: 

• council: ESRC 

• document type: fellowship 

• scheme: research fellowship 

• call/type/mode: ADR UK Data First Evaluation Fellowship. 

Once you have completed your application, make sure you ‘submit document’. You can save completed details in Je-S at any time and return to continue your application later. 

Mandatory attachments: 

• Case for support (three pages)  

• Vision for Fellowship  

• Evaluation expertise: previous relevant work 

• Understanding of the evidence priorities for the justice system 

• CV, including one-page publication summary list 

• Justification of resources 

• Head of Department statement. 

We must receive your Je-S application form and mandatory attachments by 26 October 2022 at 16:00. You will not be able to apply after this time. 

Process: 

Assessment will have two stages. All applications will be assessed and shortlisted by a panel of academic and non-academic experts. A maximum of eight applicants will be invited to attend an interview with panel members. 

Interviews are expected to take place in the week of 5 December 2022 via an online communications platform. When the call closes, all applicants will be informed of the final interview dates and when we expect to inform you if you have been shortlisted. We expect an informal funding decision will be communicated by 16 December 2022. 

Funding approval and offer letters are expected to be issued by mid-January 2023 with a latest start date of 6 February 2023. 

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) supports the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognises the relationship between research assessment and research integrity. 

Read UKRI’s principles of assessment and decision making. 

Location 

Fellows will be embedded within an MoJ team with the support of a line manager and other team members. MoJ staff are based in several locations nationally, offering geographic diversity. We anticipate the Fellow will adopt a hybrid approach, working flexibly between home and the MoJ office(s) to connect with colleagues as necessary.  

Level of security clearance 

Baseline Personnel Security Standard (expected to take up to 4-6 weeks from submission). See National security vetting: clearance levels - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

Training and development 

The Fellows will benefit from wider support, networking opportunities, and learning and development available to MoJ Data and Analysis colleagues. They will be supported by the MoJ Evidence and Partnerships Hub in the translation, dissemination, and application of their work for policymakers, including via knowledge exchange opportunities such as seminars and roundtables. 

ESRC activity	Expected timeframes / deadlines
Call opens	9 August 2022
Applicant webinar	15 September 2022, 13:00 - 14:30
Call closes	26 October 2022
Panel meeting	25 November 2022
Interviews (shortlisted applicants)	Week of 5 December 2022
Latest project start date	6 February 2023
Project end date	July 2024