Mattie Jones

Overview

Mattie Jones is a doctoral researcher in the Department of Sociology and Criminology. Her funded research examines police performance, oversight, and organisational practice in England and Wales, with particular interest in how it affects responses to violence against women and girls. Using quantitative and comparative analysis, her research seeks to identify patterns across police forces and assess the impact of inspection regimes on policing policy, practice, and reform. Her research aims to contribute to evidence-based policing, transparency, and improvements in both policing practice and regulatory oversight.    Prior to starting her PhD in the UK, Mattie's professional and academic career has been focused on improving policy and practice related to sexual and gender-based violence. Mattie draws on professional experience within policing, serving as a sworn police officer in the US prior to completing her MSc at City St. George's. She has worked in the non-profit sector alongside domestic abuse shelters and response teams as a grant coordinator. Additionally, Mattie has research experience working in quantitative and qualitative methods in her previous rolls on the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant and with the Chiesman Center for Democracy. 

Qualifications

• MSc, City, University of London, United Kingdom, 2024 - September 2025
• BAs, University of South Dakota, United States, August 2019 - December 2022

Employment

• Law Enforcement Officer, City of Sioux Falls, United States, July 2023 - July 2024
• Grant Project Coordinator, South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, United States, January - May 2023
• Research Assistant, University of South Dakota, United States, August - December 2022
• Teaching Assistant, University of South Dakota, United States, August 2020 - December 2022
• Researcher, University of South Dakota, United States, October 2019 - January 2023

Title of thesis: Understanding police performance and oversight in England and Wales: A mixed-method analysis

October 2025 - September 2029

Summary of research

This research critically examines how police oversight bodies in England and Wales measure and shape policing, focusing on publicly available data on oversight, performance, and public sentiment. Combining quantitative analysis of performance, misconduct, and outcomes data with computational text analysis and qualitative insights, the project evaluates whether current oversight frameworks accurately capture policing effectiveness and legitimacy. It investigates the alignment between oversight assessments, operational outcomes, and public trust, while also assessing whether oversight mechanisms drive meaningful organisational change or incentivise compliance-based behaviours. With a particular focus on sexual and gender-based violence, the research aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve performance metrics and contribute to ongoing debates on police reform, offering a more comprehensive and critical understanding of how policing is measured and governed.

Research students

1^stsupervisor

• Professor Vanessa Gash, Professor

2^ndsupervisor

• Dr Darren Cook, Research Fellow in Natural Language Processing
• Dr Ruth Weir, Senior Research Fellow in Criminology

Publications by category