Biography
Emma is a critical criminologist whose research focusses on police use of less-lethal weapons and police accountability for use of excessive force more broadly. She has taught in the discipline for over 25 years and also worked in state-based anti-corruption bodies in Victoria. A passionate teacher of criminology, Emma has published in leading Australian textbooks on various aspects of criminological theory. Having taught in the discipline of criminology in leading Victorian Universities, Emma is a passionate advocate for accountability both for people study and profit from the criminal legal system and for those who claim to deliver it. She Emma brings rich industry experience and insight to her academic practice and welcomes inquiries of all kinds.
Read more on Emma's profileBiography summary
Dr Emma Ryan is a critical criminologist whose research focusses on police use of less-lethal weapons and police accountability for use of excessive force more broadly. She has worked in state-based anti-corruption bodies in Victoria and has published for students in leading Australian textbooks on various aspects of criminological theory. Emma has taught in the discipline of criminology for over 25 years in several leading Australian Universities and brings rich industry experience and insights to her academic practice.
Research interests
Police use of tasers and other 'less-lethal' weapons
Transparency and accountability in policing
Effectiveness of anti-corruption bodies
Decolonisation of criminology and criminal justice practice
Criminology curricula and learning design
Teaching interests
Emma has dedicated much of her academic career to teaching criminology, especially at the first year level. She held the position of Course Director of the Bachelor of Criminology from 2016-2022 and has a broad knowledge of the criminology curriculum. She most enjoys teaching about theory and how it relates to criminal justice policy and practice, as well as units that prepare students for the challenges presented to people who aspire to meaningful careers in criminal justice (and especially social justice) related roles.
Units taught
ACR214 Inequality, Power and Justice
ACR306 Careers in Criminology
Knowledge areas
Emma's research has primarily focussed on conducted energy weapons use by police and police accountability to the public. She has also published in textbooks, and has authored several influential chapters aimed at helping students make sense of the complex theoretical perspectives that inform the discipline of criminology.
Expertise
- Criminology
Conferences
‘Tasers on Trains’ 5th International Conference for Carceral Geography, University of Melbourne, 14-15 December 2022.
‘Old Patterns Amplified? An Examination of Conducted Energy Weapons Use by Police in Australia’ European Society of Criminology e-conference, September 8-10 2021.
‘Models of police oversight: What about public trust?’ Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology 31st Annual Conference, December 4-7 Melbourne 2018.
‘Policing with conducted energy weapons: what do we really know?’ 9th Annual Conference for the Asian Criminological Society and 4th biennial International Conference for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, July 10-13 Cairns 2017
‘Sublethal weapons and Use of Force models: the paradox of proportionality’ ’Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology 28th Annual Conference, November 24-28 Adelaide 2015.
‘Policing with Conducted Energy Weapons in Australia: an examination of policy and practice’ 2nd Crime Justice and Social Democracy Conference, July 8-11 Queensland University of Technology Brisbane 2013.
‘Enhancing Integrity through Education’ Centre for Excellence in Policing and Security Annual Conference, Oct 4-6 Melbourne 2012.
‘Conducted Energy Weapons – do they affect Police Legitimacy?‘ York Deviancy Conference, June 29-July1 York 2011
Media appearances
- 27/11/08 2CC (Canberra) The Drive Show (Radio)
- 12/06/09 SBS World News Australia (Television news)
- 12/06/09 The Brisbane Times (Newspaper)
- 13/06/09 The Courier Mail (Newspaper)
- 10/07/09 ABC News, PM (Radio)
- 27/4/10 3CR Melbourne, Done By Law (Radio)
- 05/10/10 ABC2, Sydney News Breakfast (Television news)
- 06/10/10 Sydney Morning Herald (Newspaper)
- 06/10/10 2CC, Canberra; Radio Adelaide, Adelaide; ABC 774 Melbourne (Radio)
- 20/10/10 SBS, Sydney - Insight (Television)
- 27/10/10 3CR Melbourne, Doing Time (Radio)
- 09/11/10 Frankston Weekly (Newspaper)
- 01/08/12 Rolling Stone (Magazine)
- 14/11/12 ABC, 7.30 Report (Television)
- 28/02/17 ABC Radio National, The Law Report (Radio)
- 15/11/18 ABC Canberra (Radio)
- 03/09/19 Channel 10 News (Television)
- 23/10/19 ABC Perth (Television)
- 29/10/19 ABC Townsville (Radio)
- 23/06/20 ABC News (Television)
- 26/06/20 The New Daily – COVID Conversation Podcast
- 20/05/23 Sydney Morning Herald (News media)
- 24/05/23 Sydney Morning Herald (News media)
- 24/05/23 The Conversation (Online commentary)
- 25/05/23 ABC NSW, ABC National, ABC Sydney Radio
- 25/05/23 2CC Canberra Radio
- 25/05/23 The Hack Radio
- 25/05/23 The Wire Radio
- 16/09/23 ABC Afternoons with Joe O’Brien (Television)
Awards
2023 Curriculum Innovation Based in Scholarly and Practice-Based Research that Advances Strategic Agendas in Teaching and Learning Award, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University.
2023 Accessibility in Action Awards 2023 - Individual Winner, Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training.
2011 Dean’s Award for Sessional Teaching, Faculty of Arts, Monash University.
Publications
Reporting Police Use of Conducted Energy Weapons to the Public: A Cross-Jurisdictional Comparison
Emma Ryan, Laura Bedford
(2023), pp. 111-136, Police Use of Force, Cham, Switzerland, B1
Ian Warren, Emma Ryan
(2023), Vol. 10, pp. 45-57, Digital Transformations of Illicit Drug Markets Reconfiguration and Continuity, Bingley, Eng., B1
African Criminologies: Decolonization, Relativism, and Resistance
Ian Warren, Emma Ryan
(2022), pp. C38.S1-C38.S9, The Oxford Handbook of Sociology of Africa, Oxford, Eng., B1
Southern Criminologies, Indigenous Stories and Qualitative Research
Ian Warren, Emma Ryan
(2022), pp. 1-17, Journal of Criminal Justice Education, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Biopolitics, control and pandemic policing in Victoria, Australia
Emma Ryan, Ian Warren, bree Carlton
(2022), Vol. 5, pp. 127-147, Justice, Power and Resistance, Bristol, Eng., C1
Emma Ryan
(2021), pp. 81-104, Crime and Justice: A Guide to Criminology, Pyrmont, N.S.W., B1
Crime, Deviance and Society An Introduction to Sociological Criminology
Ana Rodas, Melanie Simpson, Paddy Rawlinson, Ronald Kramer, Emma Ryan, Emmeline Taylor, Reece Walters, Alan Beckley, Chris Cunneen, Ashlee Gore, Amanda Porter, Scott Poynting, Emma Russell
(2020), Cambridge, Eng., A1
Shocked and Stunned: A Consideration of the Implications of Tasers in Australia
Emma Ryan
(2008), Vol. 20, pp. 293-302, Current Issues in Criminal Justice, C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
No Funded Projects at Deakin found
Supervisions
No completed student supervisions to report