Dr Daniel Briggs uses ethnographic methods with a range of social groups – from the most vulnerable to the most dangerous to the most misunderstood. His work takes him inside prisons, crack houses, mental health  nstitutions, asylum seeker institutions, hostels, care homes and hospices, and homeless services. His research interests include social exclusion, culture and deviance, and late modern identities.

Module leader for Criminal Justice Process, Research Methods in Criminology and Crime, Deviance and Culture

Erasmus co-ordinator for the School of Law

Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (UK)

Member of the British Sociological Association

Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Safer Communities

Daniel’s interests concern processes of social exclusion which the result of structural violence, various forms of stigma and/or social oppression. His work initially examined crime, criminal justice, drug users and prisons but, more broadly, his work has also come to examine social suffering and marginalisation and how these experiences merge with the potential for deviancy and crime. More recently, he has also moved into the arenas of anti-social behaviour and health. His PhD, which examined the social and structural barriers for crack users in accessing crack services, was based on nine months of ethnographic fieldwork with crack cocaine users. His most recent work was based on ethnographic fieldwork with excluded school pupils in Lewisham. Unsurprisingly, ethnography is his preferred methodology although he has been involved in quantitative research such as prevalence studies and crime surveys.

• BA Criminology and Criminal Justice

Daniel has recently undertaken work in Spain on gypsies and youth risk behaviours while on holiday, and is currently undertaking research on youth gangs across six London Olympic boroughs, female drug dealers and the London riots.

Books

Briggs, D. (2011) Crack cocaine users: High Society and Low Life in South London, London: Routledge.

Matthews, R., Easton, H., Briggs, D., and Pease, K. (2007) Assessment of the Outcomes of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, Bristol: Policy Press.

Book chapters

Briggs, D.  (2011) ‘New avenues to school exclusion and social exclusion for urban young people in the UK’ in L. Bass and D. Kinney (Eds) Sociological Studies of Children and Youth: Book Series 14: (pp 133-157) Michigan: Emerald.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘True stories from bare times on road: Developing empowerment, identity and social capital among urban minority ethnic young people in north London’ in T. Reynolds (Ed) Young People, Social Capital and Ethnic Identity, (pp 103-123) London: Routledge.

Matthews, R., and Briggs, D. (2008) ‘Lost in Translation: Interpreting and implementing anti-social behaviour strategies’ in P. Squires (Ed) ASBO Nation: The Criminalisation of Nuisance (pp 87-100), Bristol: Policy Press.

Journals

Briggs, D. and Turner, T. (2012) ‘Understanding British youth behaviors on holiday in Ibiza’ in The International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol 6 (2) (In press).

Briggs, D. (2012) ‘Emotions, ethnography and crack cocaine users’ in Emotion, Space and Society, (In press).

Briggs, D. (2011) ‘Researching death: Some reflections on life’ in Quality in Aging, Vol 12 (4) (In press).

Briggs, D., Tutenges, S., Armitage, R., and Panchev, D. (2011) ‘Sexy substances and the substance of sex: Findings from an ethnographic study in Ibiza, Spain’ in Drugs and Alcohol Today, Vol 11 (4) (In press).

Briggs, D. (2011) ‘Barriers to integration for Los Gitanos in La Coruña, Spain’, in Journal of Legal Anthropology, (In press).

Briggs, D. (2011) ‘Tales from prison: Reflections on a decade of offender research’ in Safer Communities, Vol 10 (4) (In press).

Briggs, D. and Turner, T. (2011) ‘Risk, transgression and substance use: An ethnography of young British tourists in Ibiza’ in Studies of Transition States and Societies, Vol 3 (2) 14-25.

Briggs, D., and Turner, T. (2011) ‘Understanding the appeal of risk for British youth abroad: Some ethnographic observations’ in European Journal of Child and Youth Research, 7: 90-99.

Briggs, D., Turner, T., David, K., and De Courcey, T. (2011) ‘British youth abroad: Some observations on the social context of binge drinking in Ibiza’ in Drugs and Alcohol Today, Vol 11 (1): 22-32.

Briggs, D., and Bright, L. (2011) ‘Reducing hospital admissions from care homes: Considering the role of a Local Enhanced Service from GPs’ in Working with Older People, Vol 15 (1): 4-11.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Los Gitanos (Gypsies) in La Coruña, Spain: Politically ‘included’ but socially excluded’ in The International Journal for Iberian Studies, Vol 23 (2): 111-122.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Crack houses in the UK: Some observations on their operations’ in Drugs and Alcohol Today, Vol 10 (4): 33-42.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘How to make a bad school, better while making the ‘bad’ children, worse’, in Every Child Journal, Vol 2 (1): 40-45.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Crack cocaine users: Ways in, ways down, but ways out?’ in Safer Communities, Vol 9 (4): 9-21.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Notes on the End of Life: The social interactions between patients, carers and professionals’ in Quality in Aging, Vol 11 (2): 35-46.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Researching dangerous populations: Some methodological reflections’ in Safer Communities, Vol 9 (3): 49-59.

Briggs, D. (2010) 'True stories on bare times on road: Developing empowerment, identity and social capital among urban minority ethnic young people in North London' in International Journal of Racial and Ethnic Studies, Vol 33 (5): 851-871.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘The world is out to get me bruv’: Life after school exclusion’ in Safer Communities, Vol 9 (2): 9-19.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘It’s a money house’: Burglary, crime decisions and ‘problematic drug use’ in UEL Law and Criminology Journal, Vol 2: 38-54.

Briggs, D. (2009) ‘Facing fear and trauma in the field: visual ethnographic methods in drug-using locations’ in Fieldwork Seminar Series: Working Papers, London South Bank University, 64-80.

Briggs, D. Rhodes, T., Marks, D., Kimber, J., Holloway, G., and Jones, S. (2009) 'Injecting drug use, unstable housing, and the scope for structural interventions' in Drugs, Education, Prevention and Policy, Vol 15 (5): 436-450.

Briggs, D. (2009) ‘Gotta have faith?’ The capacity of faith groups in the field of substance use in one London Borough’ in UEL Law and Criminology Journal, Vol 1: 19-38.

Briggs, D. (2008) 'Robbery careers and desistance attempts' in Safer Communities, Vol 7, (3): 27-34.

Published research reports

Briggs, D. (2009) Research to investigate why Year 11 pupils were referred to off-site educational provision and to examine their progress, London: Lewisham Children and Young People's Directorate.

Briggs, D., and Matthews, R. (2006) A review of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) strategies and trends in Barking and Dagenham, Greenwich and Havering, London: Government Office for London.

Rhodes, T., Briggs, D., Holloway, G., Jones, S., and Kimber, J. (2006) Visual Assessments of Injecting Drug Use: A Pilot Study, London: National Treatment Agency.

Briggs, D., Khan, L., and Fox, A. (2005) Crack users and crack houses in Southwark: A Research Report, London: Southwark Drug Action Team.

Fox, A., Khan, L., Briggs, D., Rees-Jones, N., Thompson, Z., and Owens, J. (2005) Throughcare and Aftercare: Promising Practice in Service Delivery for clients released from Prison or leaving Residential Rehabilitation, London: Home Office, Online Report 01/05.

Fox, A., Khan, L., Parker, H., Briggs, D., and Cremin, D. (2004) Substance Misuse and Juvenile Offenders, Youth Justice Board: Online Report.

Matthews, R., Hancock, L., Briggs, D. (2004) Jurors' perceptions, understanding, confidence and satisfaction in the jury system: A Six Court Study, RDS OLR 5/04 London: Home Office.

Borril, J., Madden, A., Briggs, D., Miller, S., Burnett, R. (2003) The Substance Misuse Treatment Needs of Women, Ethnic Minorities and Young Offenders In Prison, RDS OLR 33/03 London: Home Office.

Research reports

Briggs, D. (2010) Research report on binge drinking British youth abroad: Some methodological reflections, London: University East London.

Briggs, D., Easton, H., and Matthews, R. (2008) Supporting People in Greenwich: Developing a strategy for Vulnerable Adults with Chaotic Lifestyles, London: Greenwich Supporting People.

Briggs, D., Pitts, J., and Matthews, R. (2007) Street robbery careers and implications for interventions, London: Lewisham Children and Young People's Directorate.

Easton, H., Matthews, R., and Briggs, D. (2007) Fear of crime and recent victimisation in the London Borough of Lambeth, London: Lambeth Community Safety Team.

Briggs, D. (2007) Action research into newly arrived young people who have been in contact with the Youth Offending Team in Lewisham, London: Lewisham Youth Offending Team.

Sondhi, A., Simpson, I., Matthews, R., and Briggs, D. (2006) Turning a Corner: A Problem-Solving Analysis of Theft from Motor Vehicles in Barnet, London: Barnet Community Safety.

Matthews, R., Easton, H., Briggs, D., and Barker, J. (2006) Assessment of the Outcomes of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, London: Home Office.

Consultancies and evaluations

Briggs, D. (2010) Sexual Health Services Local Enhanced Service Review, London: Camden Primary Care Trust.

Briggs, D. (2010) Care Homes Local Enhanced Service Review, London: Camden Primary Care Trust.

Briggs, D. (2009) Patients experiences and expectations of End of Life care services, London: Camden Primary Care Trust.

Briggs, D. (2008) Patients with lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) and their experiences of healthcare services, London: Camden Primary Care Trust.

Briggs, D. (2008) Evaluation of RISE community programme for community action against anti-social behaviour and gangs, London: In-Volve.

Briggs, D. (2008) Evaluation RAW programme for young people from two deprived estates involved in youth crime, London: In-Volve.

Briggs, D. (2008) Evaluation of Little Miss RAW programme for young female offenders involved in gangs and youth crime, London: In-Volve.

Briggs, D. (2007) Evaluation of the One Day At A Time Drug Rehabilitation Facility, London: Hope Worldwide.

Briggs, D. (2007) Mapping of faith groups involved in substance use provision in Lambeth, London: Lambeth Drug Action Team.

Briggs, D. (2006) Evaluation of Anti-social behaviour programmes in Havering schools, London: Havering Community Safety Team.

Briggs, D. (2006) Results from a Prisoner Survey in Featherstone Prison, London: Action for Prisoners Families.

Briggs, D. (2006) Results from a Prisoner survey in Drake Hall prison, London: Action for Prisoners Families.

Briggs, D. (2005) Social and structural factors influencing syringe and needle availability, access and use in two Russian cities, London: Imperial College.

Briggs, D. (2005) Risk awareness and risk practice of drug injectors in two Russian cities, London: Imperial College.

Rhodes, T., Briggs, D., Holloway, G., Kimber, J., and Jones, S. (2005) A Visual Assessment of Injecting Drug Use: A Pilot Study, London: National Treatment Agency.

Fox, A., Khan, L., and Briggs, D. (2004) Findings from The Armed Forces' substance misuse Early Intervention Programme (EIP), Surrey: Galahad Substance Misuse Solutions.

Williams, J., Matthews, R., and Briggs, D. (2004) Report on the prevalence of football hooliganism at Euro 2004, London: Home Office.

Matthews, R., and Briggs, D. (2003) National Prostitution Audit, London: The Network.

Briggs, D. (2002) Fear of crime on a North London Estate, London: Barnet Council.

Martin, D. and Briggs, D. (2002) Evaluation of the Behavioural Improvement Programme (BIP) for the London East Connexions Partnership, (LECP), London: LECP.

Conference papers

September 2011 – What we did when it happened: A timeline analysis of the social disorder in London, Urban Unrest, Social Resentment and Justice Conference, York, UK.

June 2011 – Risk and Deviance on holiday: An ethnography of British youth abroad, York Deviancy Conference, York, UK.

February 2011 – Understanding the appeal of risk for British youth abroad, Youth Subcultures in Changing Societies, Tallinn, Estonia.

November 2010 – How to make a bad school, good while making the bad children, worse, American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, USA.

November 2010 – The crimininalisation of Los Gitanos (Gypsies) in La Coruña, Spain, American Society of Criminology, San Francisco, USA.

September 2010 – ‘The world is out to get me, bruv’: Life after school exclusion. European Sociological Association, Manchester, UK.

July 2010 – Kicked out to go centre: Disorientation from mainstream education and its implications for urban youth identity, lifestyles and life perspectives. World Congress of Sociology, Gothenburg, Sweden.

June 2010 - Los Gitanos (Gypsies) in La Coruña, Spain: Politically ‘included’ but socially excluded. Exclusive Education Symposium, Leicester, UK.

April 2009 - “True stories from bare times on road”: Accounts of life among disadvantaged urban minority ethnic young people in London, U.K. British Sociological Association, Cardiff, UK.

April 2009 - The socio-situational and structural factors which deter crack users from accessing drug support services, British Sociological Association, Cardiff, UK.

January 2009 - Street culture and street crime: Tales from South London, European Sociological Association, Tallinn, Estonia.

July 2008 - Young robbery careers, British Society of Criminology, Huddersfield, UK.

June 2006 – Capturing Reality: Visual ethnography in drug-using locations, Cultural Criminology Conference, London, UK

May 2005 - Visual ethnographic methods: Filming in drug-using locations, Common Study Sessions, New York, U.S.

April 2004 - Guatanamo Bay and the Spectacle of Terror, European Common Study Sessions, Barcelona, Spain.

September 2003 - Prostitution: A Comparative National Audit, Criminology Conference, Liverpool, UK.

August 2003 – Jurors' Confidence in Criminal Court Trials, ESC paper, Helsinki, Iceland

June 2003 - Jurors' Confidence in Criminal Court Trials: Results from the research, BSC paper, University of Bangor, Wales, UK.

May 2003 - The Weakest Link? Young People and Drug Use in Rural English Community, European Common Study Sessions, Gent, Belgium.

June 2002 - Jurors' and the Criminal Justice System, British Society of Criminology, University of Keele, UK.

April 2002 - Asylum Seekers in the UK and Italy from 1997 to 2002: Key Issues and Social Policy, European Common Study Sessions, Athens, Greece.

November 2001 - A Comparison Between Prison Populations In England and Wales and the Netherlands over the last 30 years, European Common Study Sessions, Hamburg, Germany.

Seminar papers

Briggs, D. (2011) ‘The barriers which prevent crack cocaine users from accessing services’ for Addiction Seminar Series at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London.

Briggs, D. (2010) ‘Ethnography with hard-to-reach/problematic populations’ for Coventry University and of 3rd year dissertation students.

Briggs, D. (2008) ‘Facing fear and trauma in the field: Working with and filming crack users’ for Up Close and Personal: Emotions Within and Through Research SPUR Seminar Series, October.

Briggs, D. (2008) ‘Research proposal tactics’ for Research Funding Workshop 2, LSBU FAHS, March.

Book reviews

Briggs, D. (2011) Illegal Leisure Revisited: Changing Patterns of Alcohol and Drug Use in Adolescents and Young Adults, in Addiction, (In press).

Briggs, D. (2011) Controversies in Drug Policy and Practice, N. McKeganey (2011) in The Sociological Review, Vol 59 (3): 848-50.

Briggs, D. (2011) Flashback: Drugs and dealing in the golden age of the London rave scene, J. Ward (2010) in British Journal of Criminology, Vol 51 (2): 461-464.

Briggs, D. (2010) Crime and Muslim Britain: Culture and the Politics of Criminology among British Pakistanis, M. Bolognani (2009) in The International Journal of Racial and Ethnic Studies. Vol 33 (8) 1473-5.

Briggs, D. (2010) Unequal Crime Decline: Theorising Race, Urban inequality and Criminal violence, K. Parker (2008) in The International Journal of Racial and Ethnic Studies, Vol 33 (5): 907-8.

Briggs, D. (2009) The Practice of Research in Criminology and Criminal Justice, R. and S., Russell (2008) in The International Journal of Research Methodology, Vol 12 (5): 44-5.

Briggs, D. (2009) Race, Incarceration, and American values, G. Loury (2008) in The International Journal of Racial and Ethnic Studies, Vol 32 (7): 1289-90.

Briggs, D. (2009) Undertaking Sensitive Research in the Health and Social Sciences, Dickson-Swift et al., (2008) in The International Journal of Research Methodology, Vol 12 (4): 76-7.