Welcome to my website.
A little about me...
Hi, my name is Lynne. I am a PhD Candidate in
Criminology at the University of Northumbria at
Newcastle upon Tyne. My research interests are within
the field of Wildlife Criminology, predominantly hunting
with hounds.
I am also one of the 85% who oppose fox hunting, and always have. As well as a researcher, I am an anti-hunt activist and campaigner. I spend my spare time trudging through the countryside in all weathers, armed with a bottle of citronella, in the hope of preventing foxes from being killed.
When the Hunting Act came into being, I thought that it meant an end to hunting. I found out that wasn’t the case; it appeared to as popular as ever, and so I joined the anti-hunt movement. My experiences to date, have therefore informed this research.
My PhD research
Title:
No Justice. Just Us: A Mixed methods Ethnographic Study of Organised Fox Hunting and Anti-Hunt Activism in England and Wales
This project has involved investigating the policing of organised fox / trail hunts. Focusing on the Hunting Act (2004), this doctoral research project examines the policing of organised fox hunting and anti-hunt activism in England and Wales. Drawing on critical criminology perspectives, I approach fox hunting as a “Crime of the Powerful” exploring how the criminal justice system is failing wildlife, and those who protect them. I was particularly interested in the way that hunting with hounds and anti-hunt activism is policed in practice so I was keen to speak to people about it.
The data for this research is drawn from: Freedom of Information requests; ethnographic observations; as well as qualitative interviews.
As this is a divisive issue in which very few people sit 'on the fence' I was very keen to speak to people with differing perspectives. Consequently, I interviewed a range of respondents including:
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Anti- hunt groups and activists such as Hunt Saboteurs and Hunt Monitors
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Professional Hunt Investigators
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Campaign groups
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Members of the local community
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Police Officers
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Members of the Hunt Communities e.g. hunt supporters or former hunt supporters
Interviews were carried out with respondents throughout England and Wales
Findings from my PhD data are focused on four main themes:
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The Truth about Trail Hunting
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Protecting the Trail Hunt Myth
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Concealing illegal fox hunting in Cloak of Invisibility
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Networks of Power that facilitate illegal fox Hunting
I completed and passed my viva exam in December 2024. Consequently, my research results are due for publication during 2025. These will be disseminated to key stakeholders. Notification will be published on my website.
Publications based upon research findings:
“It’s just totally lawless out here”: A rural green criminological exploration of foxhunting, policing, and ‘regulatory capture.’
Co-authored with Supervisors Professor Tanya Wyatt and Dr. Nathan Stephens-Griffin. This paper applies the concept of ‘regulatory capture’ to the case of foxhunting, in order to explore the policing of foxhunting through a rural green criminological lens.
This article is open access and can be viewed here:
https://criminologicalencounters.org/index.php/crimenc/article/view/94
If you would like any further information, or to contact me then please email
lynne.graham@northumbria.ac.uk
All participants are guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality in this, and any subsequent research.
Participation in the research is anonymous and confidential. I have / will not include any identifying characteristics in my thesis and any quotes used given a Pseudonym
Your name will not be written on any of the data I collect; the written information you provide will have an ID number, not your name. Your name will not be written on the research data, or on the typed up versions of your discussions from the research, and your name, or any identifying characteristics will not appear in any reports or documents resulting from this study.
The general findings will be reported in my PhD thesis and presented at a research conference, however the data will be anonymised. You or the data you have provided will not be personally identifiable.
Data will be stored according to Northumbria University's guidelines on GDPR and Data protection.
This research project has received Ethical approval from Northumbria University's Ethics Committee.
Supervisory Team
My Supervisory team at Northumbria University are:
Dr. Nathan Stephens Griffin
Email: Nathan.Stephens-Griffin@Northumbria.ac.uk
Professor Tanya Wyatt
Email: tanya.wyatt@northumbria.ac.uk
