Academic Profile

I joined the Law School as a Lecturer in Criminology in September 2011. For 14 years, I taught social studies, political education and history in Irish prisons. While teaching political education in prison, I developed an interest in political activity among prisoners. In 2006, I was awarded an Ad Astra scholarship to undertake a PhD at the UCD Institute of Criminology. My doctoral research examined the level of civic engagement and political participation among prisoners in Ireland, with a particular focus on the extent to which they have exercised their franchise since legislation enabling prisoners to vote was introduced in 2006. I completed my PhD in 2009 and was the first Ad Astra scholar to graduate from the UCD School of Law. I have lectured at University College Dublin; OSCAIL, the National Distance Education Centre and was a teacher trainer with the Irish Curriculum Development Unit.

Member of the Centre for Criminological Research research cluster.

Qualifications

• PhD, University College Dublin, Ireland
• MA, Adult Education, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
• Higher Diploma, Adult Education, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
• M.Litt., History, Trinity College, Dublin
• BA, History and Politics, University College Dublin

Teaching and Learning

I believe a research-led approach to teaching enhances the educational experience for both students and lecturer. My teaching reflects my areas of interest in criminology and penology. In both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, I encourage students to become reflective learners in order to challenge them to critically consider deeply held assumptions and to locate the criminal justice system in general and the penal system in particular in a wider social, political and cultural context.

I have a keen interest in module and programme development. In my various positions, I have always been interested in designing new courses and exploring innovative ways of presenting established modules, and updating programmes. I am very interested in identifying areas where the provision of courses, materials, and approaches to teaching and learning are in need of revision and development. This inevitably involves a dialogue with students about the ongoing development of modules and creating programmes that meet their needs.

The modules I teach are:

Undergraduate	Postgraduate and MA
Understanding Criminology	Issues in Comparative Penology (Convenor)
Understanding Criminology: Advanced Level Introduction
Punishment and Penal Policy

Research Interests

• Punishment and prison
• The politics of crime and crime control
• Comparative penal politics and policy
• The history of crime and punishment
• The relationship between power and resistance
• Prison education

Key Publications

Behan, C. (forthcoming), Still Entitled to our Say”: Prisoners’ Perspectives on Politics’, The Howard Journal.

Behan, C. (2011) The benefit of personal experience and personal study: Prisoners and the Politics of Enfranchisement. The Prison Journal, 91(1), 7-31.

Behan, C. and O’Donnell, I. (2008) Prisoners, Politics and the Polls: Enfranchisement and the Burden of Responsibility. British Journal of Criminology, 48(3), 319-36.

Behan, C. (2008: 2nd edn), From Outside to Inside: Pedagogy Behind Prison Walls. Wright, R., ed., In the Borderlands: Learning to Teach in Prisons and Alternative Settings. San Bernardino: California State University.

Behan, C. (2007) Context, Creativity and Critical Reflection: Education in Correctional Institutions. Journal of Correctional Education, 58(2), 157-69.

Scholarships and Awards

2006-2007
Ad Astras Scholar
UCD Institute of Criminology, Ireland

2007
Intellectual Life Scholar
Centre for the Study of Correctional Education
California State University, San Bernardino, USA

Professional Activities and Recognition

• Member, British Society of Criminology
• Member, Correctional Education Association
• Member, European Prison Education Association
• Member, European Society of Criminology