Exploring how students with criminal justice experience access higher education, experience university life, and navigate barriers while building support, this book offers rare insight into an often-overlooked dimension of widening participation, equity and justice in UK universities.

Drawing on existing literature, empirical evidence and an analysis of regulatory tools, this book explores how students with criminal justice experience are often positioned within universities and how this framing can shape their engagement with higher education. It presents a complex and layered account that recognises the intersection of external social pressures, sector-wide priorities, institutional dynamics, and everyday interactions and invites readers to reflect critically on what they know, what they assume and how they might work to disrupt the status quo.

This must-read text raises a series of fundamental questions about who the sector recognises as worthy recipients of initiatives to improve access and participation in higher education, as well as how it can modernise attempts to better serve its diverse, global community. It offers practical pathways for change, making it especially valuable to universities, regulators, and practitioners seeking to embed justice-conscious support within everyday higher education practices.

Helena Gosling is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice based at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. Her work is driven by a commitment to exploring how higher education providers can engage more meaningfully with the criminal justice system and with those affected by its operation.

Sarah Maclennan is Programme Leader for Creative Writing based at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. Her research explores creative writing and storytelling as both a method and catalyst for social change, particularly across education, health, and social justice.