Dr Emma Ryan

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.

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

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 criminological thinking and criminal justice policy, as well as units that prepare students for the challenges presented to people who aspire to careers in criminal justice and especially social justice related roles.

ACR214 Inequality, Power and Justice

ACR306 Careers in Criminology

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.

Police use of weapons, especially sub-lethal weapons Police accountability mechanisms

• Policing

‘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

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.