Objectives
The LERSnet working party has drafted three core objectives for the new network. These are still to be finalised but they do help provide a good indication of where the network may go in the future and what it might be able to achieve.
Connecting people
- Using a website to establish effective communications between groups of empirical researchers who may, in the past, have worked in isolation from each other (notably criminal justice researchers and civil justice researchers)
- establishing a researchers’ forum on the website for empirical researchers to seek colleagues’ advice and guidance
- ensuring that LERSnet communicates with and learns from other bodies offering research support to their communities
- promoting stronger links between those working in academic research departments and those working in private research companies/consultancies.
Bringing new people in
- Providing empirical research training modules (eg building on SLSA postgraduate conferences and the sessions at the SLSA’s Manchester conference)
- assisting in the development of empirical research training programmes
(eg experienced researchers acting as consultants to those wanting to develop training courses) - identifying and publicising empirical research training courses available in the UK and abroad.
One-stop opportunity shop
- Making use of the LERSnet webpages to advertise activities designed to promote the capacity of researchers to undertake empirical research into law and the justice system
- developing the use of the webpages to advertise empirical research opportunities
- developing use of the webpages to inform the research community about research funding opportunities.
