“Britain’s farmers are almost 18 times more likely to be killed on the job than the average industrial worker, and the fatality rate is increasing. Look through the government’s summary of the 33 fatal farm, forestry and fishing accidents in 2017/18 and there were a number of types of fatalities such as falls, crushes, electrocutions and equipment malfunctions. Most people (but not farmers) might be surprised to learn that work with cows is particularly dangerous – “crushed by a bull” was the single most common cause of death.

So what can be done?” Sallyann Mellor, lecturer in Law and Law Apprenticeships Course Leader at Staffordshire University explains, on The Conversation. Read the full article here.  

“At the referendum, only two of the four component parts of the UK – England and Wales – voted to leave the EU. This was enough to swing an overall UK-wide majority in favour of leave, but it went against the will of the Scottish and Northern Irish electorate…

It is relatively safe to assume that majorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland would vote to remain, were it an option on the ballot [for a second referendum]. And despite its original vote, a recent opinion poll, suggests Wales would now also vote to remain. But there is far less certainty about England.”

Gareth Evans, Lecturer in Law, discusses on The Conversation.

Nurdles: the not-so-cute Mermaid Tears of the ocean

” ‘Nurdles’ are the building blocks for most plastic goods, from single-use water bottles to televison sets. These small pellets – normally between 1mm and 5mm – are classed as a primary microplastic alongside the microbeads used in cosmetic products – they’re small on purpose, as opposed to other microplastics that break off from larger plastic waste in the ocean.”

Associate Professor, Dr Claire Gwinnett explains on The Conversation here.  

“The prospect of a no-deal Brexit has led to some dystopian predictions about what might happen if the UK leaves the EU without a transition plan in place on March 29.

Several newspapers with differing stances on Brexit reported on the potential for military deployment to help maintain public order.

Whether this is rooted in genuine concern or political alarmism, it’s true that the military can legally be called in to help in certain circumstances. And at times of crisis, it’s common for some to call for military deployment.” 

Professor James Treadwell, from Staffordshire University, and John Lamb, from Birmingham City University, explore on The Conversation. 

“Shocking cases [such as David McGreavy – who was sentenced to life in prison in 1973 with a minimum tariff of 20 years, following the murder and mutilation of three children -] prompt questions about whether mandatory life sentences for those who kill are suitable: should we lock up murderers for good and throw away the key? Or would a gentler system of restorative justice, such as in Norway, bring benefits to both the imprisoned and society?”

Tawney Bennett, Law Lecturer, discusses on The Conversation.

“The latest crime figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) offer a grim outlook on the state of criminal justice in England and Wales. Almost as if to head off criticism, the bulletin starts: ‘Over recent decades, we’ve seen continued falls in overall levels of crime but in the last year the trend has been more stable’.

Isn’t that an odd way of introducing a rise in serious violent offences?”

Professor James Treadwell explores whether ‘Knife Crime and Homicide Figures Reveal the Violence of Austerity’ on The Conversation.

“It is clear that Danske Bank has failed to live up to its responsibility in the case of possible money laundering in Estonia.

So said Thomas Borgen, CEO of Denmark’s biggest financial institution, when he resigned after admitting that around €200 billion of questionable money flowed through the Danish bank’s Estonian branch from 2007-15.”

Sean Curley, the Dean of the School of Law, Policing and Forensics at Staffordshire University, discusses Europe’s biggest money laundering scandal on The Conversation. Click here to read the full article.

Sarah Page, Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology, has written an article about the reported Monkey Dust epidemic for The Conversation. “Our ongoing research raises questions about how widespread and localised use of the drug really is.” You can read the full article here. 

You can also watch Sarah discussing this on our YouTube Playlist here. 

As part of the new-style sex education curriculum, school pupils will soon start learning about healthy intimate relationships – which could help to significantly reduce future domestic abuse in the UK. In recent research we did on this issue we spoke to various professionals who work with victims of domestic abuse. One of them told us that they believe healthy relationships education needs to be “taught in schools from a young age”.

Read Sarah Page and Dr Em Temple-Malt’s full article for The Conversation here.