Staff Profiles

Mr David O'Mahony, MPhil, MA, B.Soc.Sc.

Reader in Durham Law School

Telephone: +44 (0) 191 33 42815

Fax: +44 (0) 191 33 42801

Room number: PCL217

Director of the Centre for Criminal Law & Justice

Member of the Human Rights Centre

Member of Law and Conflict at Durham

Contact Mr David O'Mahony (email at d.omahony@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

David O'Mahony is Reader at Durham Law School and Director of the Centre for Criminal Law and Criminal Justice. His research focuses on the meaning of ‘justice’ in the context of criminal justice systems, with particular sensitivity to the rights of young people; and the use of restorative justice and alternative ways of responding to crime, based on analyses of the needs of victims, communities and offenders. David’s research has applied a range of empirical methods to explore concepts of justice, rights and participation in criminal justice. This work has informed his development of a distinctive critical theory of restorative justice and its application in criminal justice systems. He is co-author of the monograph Restorative Justice and Criminal Justice: Theory, Law and Practice (Hart Publishing, forthcoming 2013), and current projects include research applying restorative justice perspectives to the criminalisation of squatting in England and Wales and theorising the role of restorative justice within criminal justice.

David has published widely in the areas of criminal justice, youth justice, restorative justice and transitional justice. This research has directly impacted on the reform of criminal justice in several jurisdictions. He has conducted a national evaluation of the youth justice system in England and Wales for the Home Office, and was commissioned by the Criminal Justice Review Group, set up after the ‘Good Friday/Belfast’ Agreement, to conduct a fundamental review of Juvenile Justice in Northern Ireland. This research was published as ‘Juvenile Crime and Justice’ (Criminal Justice Review Group Research Report 17, London: HMSO, 2000) and led to the enactment of the Justice (NI) Act 2002, which established the first mainstreamed restorative youth conferencing system in Europe. His study of the use of restorative practices for dealing with young offenders, using a large-scale quantitative analysis and qualitative observations of police practice, led to the adoption of new police cautioning procedures.

David has been successful in securing funding from a wide range of sources, including the Northern Ireland Office, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Ireland), the British Council, the Criminal Justice Review Group, the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, the Probation Board, the National Commission on Restorative Justice and the Home Office.

David started his academic career at the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University, and has taught at University College London, Birkbeck, the Open University and Queen’s University, Belfast. He has held a fully funded visiting research fellowship at Cornell Law School, USA under the ‘Gender, Sexuality and the Family: Expanding International Human Rights Norms’ programme. He is a member of the editorial board for the journal 'Youth Justice', and a member of the Northern Ireland Crime Prevention Panel and the Restorative Justice Working Group. His teaching interests include the legal regulation of young people, restorative justice, crime and social control, and legal and social research methods. He is module convener of Crime and Social Control, and Legal Skills. David has held several major administrative posts within the Law School, including Director of Education, and is currently Director of Undergraduate Studies in Law.

Research Supervision

Ms Elizabeth McClory (PhD Student)

Mr Adeniyi O Olayode (PhD Student)

Ms Kelly Stockdale (PhD Student)

Teaching Areas

Legal Skills
Crime and Social Control

Research Interests

Criminology and Criminal Justice
Legal Regulation of Young People
Restorative Justice and Transitional Justice
Legal and Social Research Methods

Selected Publications

Books: authored

O'Mahony, D. & Doak, J. (2013). Restorative Justice and Criminal Justice: Theory, Law and Practice. Hart Publications (Forthcoming).
Campbell, C. Devlin, R. O’Mahony, D. , Doak, J. Jackson, J. Corrigan, T. & McEvoy, K. (2006). The Northern Ireland Youth Conferencing Scheme. Belfast: HMSO.
O’Mahony, D. , McEvoy, K. Geary, R. & Morrison, J. (2000). Crime, Community and Locale: The Northern Ireland Communities Crime Survey. Aldershot: Ashgate.

Books: edited

Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J. Horsfield, P. Pruin, I. In collaboration with Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Juvenile justice systems in Europe: current situation and reform developments; Volume 1. Schriften zum Strafvollzug, Jugendstrafrecht und zur Kriminologie. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg.
Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J. Horsfield, P. Pruin, I. In collaboration with Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Juvenile justice systems in Europe: current situation and reform developments; Volume 2. Schriften zum Strafvollzug, Jugendstrafrecht und zur Kriminologie. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg.
Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J. Horsfield, P. Pruin, I., In collaboration with Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Juvenile justice systems in Europe: current situation and reform developments; Volume 3. Schriften zum Strafvollzug, Jugendstrafrecht und zur Kriminologie. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg.
Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J. Horsfield, P., Pruin, I., In collaboration with, Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Juvenile justice systems in Europe: current situation and reform developments; Volume 4. Schriften zum Strafvollzug, Jugendstrafrecht und zur Kriminologie. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg.

Books: sections

Ellison, G. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Crime and Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland. In Crime and Punishment around the World. Newman, G. (general editor) Santa Barbra: ABC-Clio. Vol. 4: Europe.
Doak, J. & O’Mahony, D. (2010). Developing Mediation and Restorative Justice for Young Offenders across Europe. In Juvenile Justice Systems in Europe: current situation and reform developments. Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J., Horsfield, P., Pruin, I., In collaboration with Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg. Vol. 4: 1691-1720.
Breen, J. Manning, U. O’Donnell, I. O’Mahony, D. & Seymour, M. (2010). Ireland. In Juvenile Delinquency in Europe and Beyond: Results from the Second International Self-Reported Delinquency Study. Junger-Tas, J., Marshall, I., Enzmann, D., Killias, M., Steketee, M. & Gruszczynska, B. New York: Springer. 111-124.
O'Mahony, D. (2010). Northern Ireland. In Juvenile Justice Systems in Europe. Dunkel, F. Grzywa, J. Horsfield, P. Pruin, I. In collaboration with Gensing, A. Burman, M. & O’Mahony, D. Germany: Forum Verlag Godesberg. Vol. 2: 957-990.
O’Mahony, D. & Doak, J. (2009). Restorative Justice and Youth Justice: Bringing Theory and Practice Closer Together in Europe. In Reforming Juvenile Justice. Junger-Tas, J. & Dunkel, F. New York: Springer. 165-182.
Doak, J. & O’Mahony, D. (2009). State, Community and Transition: Restorative Youth Conferencing in Northern Ireland. In Urban Crime Prevention, Surveillance and Restorative Justice: Effects of Social Technologies. Knepper, P. Doak, J. & Shapland, J. Boca Raton USA: CRC Press. 149-166.
O'Mahony, D. (2008). 'Restorative Cautioning', 'Restorative Youth Conferencing' and 'The Youth Diversion Scheme'. In Dictionary of Youth Justice. Goldston, B. Culmcott, Devon: Willan Publishing. 300-301, 303-305, 376-377.
O’Mahony, D. & Chapman, T. (2007). Probation, the State and Community – Delivering Probation Services in Northern Ireland. In Handbook of Probation. Gelsthorpe, L. & Morgan, R. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing. 157-178.
Chapman, T. & O’Mahony, D. (2007). Youth and Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland. In Developments in Social Work with Offenders. McIvor, G. & Raynor, P. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
O’Mahony, D. & Campbell, C. (2006). Mainstreaming Restorative Justice for Young Offenders through Youth Conferencing: The Experience of Northern Ireland. In International Handbook of Youth Justice. Junger-tas, J. & Decker, S. New York: Springer. 93-116.
Haines, K. & O’Mahony, D. (2006). Restorative Approaches: Young People and Youth Justice. In Youth Crime and Justice. Goldson, B. & Morgan, R. London: Sage Publications. 110-124.
O'Mahony, D. (2002). Juvenile Crime and Justice in Northern Ireland. In Juvenile Justice Systems: An International Comparison of Problems and Solutions. Bala, Nicholas M.C. Hornick, Joseph P., Snyder, Howard N. & Paetsch, Joanne J. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing. 135-152.
Bottoms, A. Haines, K. & O’Mahony, D. (1998). Youth Justice and Crime Prevention in England and Wales. In Confronting Youth in Europe - Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice. Mehlbye, J. & Walgrave, L. Copenhagen, Denmark: AKF Forlaget. 139-216.
Bottoms, A. & O’Mahony, D. (1995). Community Penalties for Young Offenders. In Individual Outcome Study. Bottoms, A London: Department of Health.

Journal papers: academic

O'Mahony, D (2012). Criminal Justice Reform in a Transitional Justice Context: Restorative Youth Conferencing in Northern Ireland. International Criminal Law Review 12(3): 549-572.
O'Mahony, D. (2012). Restorative Justice and Youth Justice in England and Wales: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back. Nottingham Law Journal 21: 86-106.
O'Mahony, D., Doak, J. & Clamp, K. (2012). The Politics of Youth Justice Reform in Post-conflict Societies: Mainstreaming Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland and South Africa. Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 63(2): 267-290.
Doak, J. & O'Mahony, D. (2011). In search of legitimacy: Restorative youth conferencing in Northern Ireland. Legal Studies 31(2): 305-325.
O’Mahony, D. & Doak, J. (2009). Restorative Justice and Police-led Cautioning Practice: Tensions in Theory and Practice. Journal of Police Studies 2(11): 139-158.
Devlin, R. & O’Mahony, D. (2006). Restorative Youth Conferencing: Involving Victims in Criminal Justice. Criminal Justice Matters 64: 27-30.
O'Mahony, D. & Doak, J. (2006). The Enigma of Community and the Exigency of Engagement: Restorative Youth Conferencing in Northern Ireland. British Journal of Community Justice 4(3): 9-24.
Doak, J & O'Mahony, D (2006). The Vengeful Victim? Assessing the Attitudes of Victims Participating in Restorative Youth Conferencing. International Review of Victimology 13(2): 157-177.
O'Mahony, D. & Doak, J. (2004). 'Restorative Justice - Is More Better? The experience of police-led restorative cautioning pilots in Northern Ireland. Howard Journal of Criminal Justice 43(5): 484-505.
O’Mahony, D. (2000). Young People, Crime and Criminal Justice; Patterns and Prospects for the Future. Youth and Society: An International Journal 32(1): 60-80.
O’Mahony, D. & Quinn, K. (1999). Fear of Crime and Locale: The Impact of Community Related Factors upon Fear of Crime. International Review of Victimology 6: 231-251.
O'Mahony, D. (1999). Juvenile Crime and Justice in Northern Ireland, An Overview. Lay Panel Magazine: Northern Ireland Youth and Family Courts Association 42: 4-11.
McEvoy, K. O’Mahony, D. , Horner, C. & Lyner, O. (1999). The Home Front: Families of Politically Motivated Prisoners in Northern Ireland. British Journal of Criminology 39(2): 175-197.
Haines, K. & O’Mahony, D. (1995). The Youth Court: A National Survey of Service Delivery and Management Arrangements. Home Office, Research Bulletin 37: 25-31.
O’Mahony, D. & Haines, K. (1993). Magistrates’ Views on the Proposals for Secure Training Centres. Justice of the Peace 157(46).

Reports: official

Beckett, H. Campbell, C. O’Mahony, D. , Jackson, J. & Doak, J. (2005). Evaluation of the Youth Conference Pilot Scheme. Northern Ireland Office. Belfast, NIO.
Mullan, S. & O’Mahony, D. (2003). A Review of Recent Youth Justice Reforms in England and Wales. Northern Ireland Office. Belfast, NIO.
O’Mahony, D., Chapman, T. & Doak, J. (2002). Restorative Cautioning: A Study of Police Based Restorative Cautioning in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Office. Belfast, NIO.
O’Mahony, D. & Deazley, R. (2000). Juvenile Crime and Justice: Review of the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland. HMSO. London, HMSO.
O’Mahony, D. & Haines, K. (1996). An Evaluation of the Introduction and Operation of the Youth Court In England and Wales. Home Office. London.
Haines, K. & O’Mahony, D. (1995). Providing and Managing Youth Court Services. Home Office. London.

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