Ep61: Policing drugs - instinct or evidence?

Should ‘gut feeling’ be used to make decisions in drugs policing?In this episode, Rob and Penelope are joined by Dr Bisi Akintoye, lecturer at the University of Roehampton, and Professor Alex Stevens, University of Sheffield, to discuss how we police drugs. They cover stop and search, different options for dealing with drugs offences, and the impact of over-policing on community relations.Dr Bisi AkintoyeRead Bisi's work on racialised policing here: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/97098/Dr Alex StevensRead about Alex's research into drugs diversion and reoffending here: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jun/13/drug-diversion-schemes-reoffending-rates-policeFurther resourcesSee more of Transform Justice's work on diversion here: https://www.transformjustice.org.uk/focus-areas/resolving-crime-out-of-court/Transform JusticeTwitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TransformJust1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@transformjustice.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Transform Justice podcast is hosted by Penelope Gibbs and Rob Allen and produced and edited by Alexandra Kimmons.