Dr Ian Marder

Law

Lecturer / Assistant Professor

New House
(01) 474 7598

Biography

I joined Maynooth University as Assistant Professor in Criminology in May 2018. In the School of Law and Criminology, I am Director of Outreach and Engagement, Chair of the MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice, Deputy Director of Postgraduate Studies, and Co-Deputy Director of the Centre for Criminology.

I work in the area of in criminal justice reform, particularly in the development of restorative justice and restorative practices in criminal justice. This work explores how to reduce and repair the harm caused by crime and criminal justice, and to implement new ways to meet citizen and professional needs. I mostly write about restorative justice, using restorative practices to change institutional cultures in criminal justice and higher education, and the design and impact of sentencing guidelines. I also write for public and professional audiences to communicate the forms and merits of criminal justice reform.

In 2023-2024, I am collaborating with colleagues from academia, policy and practice on several projects:

  • Embedding a Culture of Interdisciplinary Open Research in Criminal Justice in Ireland (funded by NORF in 2023-2024) aims to establish a new criminal justice research partnership, and to study partnerships internationally. 
  • The research component of Restorative Practices Training for Senior Leaders in the Irish Prison Service (funded by the Irish Prison Service in 2022-2023) is being written up for publication.
  • Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change is a five-year project (2019-2024) in which partners from ten countries collaborate to develop restorative justice in criminal justice settings. This is currently being evaluated.
  • Unlocking Potential seeks to create a fair admissions process to higher education institutions for people with convictions (funded by the Public Service Innovation Fund in 2020-2022).

Previously, my work has been funded by the Irish Research Council, the Irish Department of Justice, the Estonian Ministry of Justice, the European Forum for Restorative Justice and the International Commission of Jurists.

In 2020, I established the Restorative Justice Pedagogy Network, which brings together academics from 40+ countries to discuss teaching restorative justice and restorative practices in universities. I am an active member of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, the Irish Penal Reform Trust and the European Society of Criminology. I am also a Lecturer with the International Institute for Restorative Practices (2021-), an Adjunct Professor with Vermont Law School’s Centre for Justice Reform (2022-), and a Director of Victim Support at Court (2023-).

My PhD (2018) is from the University of Leeds Centre for Criminal Justice Studies (UK) for my research on the institutionalisation of restorative justice in the police. Previously, I was Research Associate at the University of Liverpool working with the N8 Policing Research Partnership's Public Engagement Strand (2018). I was a Visiting Scholar at the University of the West of England in 2022 and at KU Leuven Institute of Criminology in 2015-2016. In 2017-2018, I acted as Scientific Expert to the Council of Europe to support the drafting of a new framework on restorative justice.

I was born in Canada and hold dual Canadian-British citizenship. I am happy to speak to the media about restorative justice, policing, sentencing and criminal justice reform. I am also open to requests to give guest lectures and workshops, or to discuss developing restorative justice and restorative practices.

Edited Book

Year Publication
2024 Maglione, G.; Marder, I.; Pali, B (Ed.). (2024) Restorative justice at a crossroads: Dilemmas of institutionalisation. Abingdon: Routledge,

Edited Journal Issue

Year Publication
2023 Marder, I.; Hamilton, C. (2023) Special Issue: Criminology and Criminal Justice in the Republic of Ireland: Why They Matter for the World. [Edited Journal Issue] [Link]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2024 Marder, I.; Kurz, K.; Ibeanu, I.; O'Neill, D. (2024) 'Restorative circles for police-community dialogue: a facilitation script from the UBUNTU Project in Dublin (in press)'. The Journal of Mediation & Applied Conflict Analysis, .
2024 Marder, I.; Murphy, A.; Rooney, P.; Brennan, F.; Hogan, C. (2024) 'Training new prison officers in restorative practices: The Irish experience (in press)'. Prison Service Journal, .
2024 Marder, I. (2024) 'Teaching for the future: restorative legal practices require restorative education (in press)'. International Journal of Restorative Justice, .
2024 Reed, M.; Merkle, B.; Cook, E.; Hafferty, C.; Hejnowicz, A.; Holliman, R.; Marder, I.; Pool, U.; Raymond, C.; Wallen, K.; Whyte, D.; Ballesteros, M.; Bhanbhro, S.; Borota, S.; Brennan, M.; Carmen, E.; Conway, E.; Everett, R.; Armstrong-Gibbs, F.; Jensen, E.; Koren, G.; Lockett, G.; Obani, P.; O'Connor, S.; Prange, L.; Mason, J.; Robinson, S.; Shukla, P.; Tarrant, A.; Marchetti, A.; Stroobant, M. (2024) 'Reimagining the language of engagement in a post-stakeholder world (in press)'. Sustainability Science, .
2024 Murray, C.; Coyle, B.; Morgan, H.; Marder, I.; Woods, D.; Haughey, T.; Genovesi, F.; Maycock, M.; Meek, R.; Parker, A.; Smith, A.; Kay, C.; Brink, G.; Rovers, H.; Haudenhuyse, R.; Roe, D.; Osorio, F.; Donohue, B.; Bohall, G.; Martinez, N.; Barcia, D.; Whitley, M.; Norman, M.; Demalija, R.; Sherry, E.; Chitsawang, N.; Aderonmu, A.; Breslin, G. (2024) 'International consensus statement on the design, delivery and evaluation of sport-based interventions aimed at promoting social, psychological and physical well-being in prison'. BMJ Open, 14 :1-12.
2023 Marder, I.D.; Banwell-Moore, R.; Hobson, J.; Payne, B. (2023) 'New ideas, enduring cultural barriers? An analysis of recommendations from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Restorative Justice in England and Wales'. Criminology and Criminal Justice, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Marder, I.D.; Kurz, K. (2023) 'Can dialogue help police officers and young Black adults understand each other? Key findings from a restorative process'. Policing and Society, . [Link] [DOI]
2023 Garrihy, J.; Marder, I.; Gilheaney, P. (2023) '‘Cocooning’ in prison during COVID-19: Findings from recent research in Ireland'. European Journal of Criminology, 20 (3). [Link] https://doi-org.may.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/14773708221132888
2023 Marder, I. & Hamilton, C. (2023) 'Doing Criminology and Criminal Justice in Ireland: Perspectives from a Peripheral Nation'. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 39 (1). https://doi.org/10.1177/10439862221138668
2023 Marder, I.; Forde, L. (2023) 'Challenges in the Future of Restorative Youth Justice in Ireland: Minimising Intervention, Maximising Participation'. Youth Justice, 23 (2). [Link] https://doi.org/10.1177/1473225422112256
2022 Marder I.D.; Vaugh T.; Kenny C.; Dempsey S.; Savage E.; Weiner R.; Duffy K.; Hughes G. (2022) 'Enabling Student Participation in Course Review and Redesign: Piloting Restorative Practices and Design Thinking in an Undergraduate Criminology Programme'. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 33 (4):526-547. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2022 Marder I.D. (2022) 'Mapping restorative justice and restorative practices in criminal justice in the Republic of Ireland'. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 70 . [DOI]
2021 Tidmarsh M.; Marder I.D. (2021) 'Beyond marketisation: Towards a relational future of professionalism in probation after transforming rehabilitation'. British Journal of Community Justice, 17 (2):22-45. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2021 Marder, I. Lapouge, M., Garrihy, J. & Brandon, A. (2021) 'Empirical research on the impact and experience of open prisons: state of the field and future directions'. Prison Service Journal, 256 :3-9. [Link] [Full-Text]
2021 Marder, I. & Rossner, M. (2021) 'Restorative justice during and after COVID-19'. International Journal of Restorative Justice, 4 (2):305-314. [Full-Text]
2021 Guilfoyle, E. & Marder, I. (2021) 'Using data to design and monitor sentencing guidelines: The case of Ireland'. Common Law World Review, 50 (2):103-119. [Link] [Full-Text]
2021 Marder, I. & Wexler, D. (2021) 'Mainstreaming restorative justice and therapeutic jurisprudence through higher education'. University of Baltimore Law Review, 50 (3):399-423. [Link] [Full-Text]
2020 Marder I., Pina-Sánchez J. (2020) 'Nudge the judge? Theorizing the interaction between heuristics, sentencing guidelines and sentence clustering'. Criminology and Criminal Justice, 20 (4):399-415. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Marder I.D. (2020) 'Institutionalising restorative justice in the police: key findings from a study of two English police forces'. Contemporary Justice Review, 23 (4):500-526. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) 'The new international restorative justice framework: reviewing three years of progress and efforts to promote access to services and cultural change'. International Journal of Restorative Justice, 3 (3):395-418. [Link] [Full-Text]
2019 Pina-Sánchez J., Gosling J., Chung H., Bourgeois E., Geneletti S., Marder I. (2019) 'Have the England and Wales Guidelines Affected Sentencing Severity? An Empirical Analysis Using a Scale of Severity and Time-Series Analyses'. British Journal of Criminology, 59 (4):979-1001. [DOI] [Full-Text]
2019 Marder, I., O’Dwyer, K, Fernee, U. and Chapman, T (2019) 'Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change – a collective strategy for Ireland, 2019-2023'. The Journal of Mediation & Applied Conflict Analysis, 6 (1):1-12.
2019 Marder, I. (2019) 'Restorative justice as the new default in Irish criminal justice'. Irish Probation Journal, 16 (1):60-82. [Link] [Full-Text]
2018 Roberts, J., Pina-Sanchez, J., Marder, I. (2018) 'Individualisation at sentencing: The effects of guidelines and ‘preferred’ numbers'. Criminal Law Review, (2):123-136. [Full-Text]
2016 Marder, I. (2016) 'Communicating and Collaborating Across Nations, Professions and Disciplines in Restorative Justice'. Restorative Justice: An International Journal, 4 (2):237-246. [Link] [Full-Text]

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2024 Pali, B.; Marder, I. (2024) 'La disciplina organica della giustizia riparativa: una rassegna multidimensionale [The organic discipline of restorative justice: a multi-dimensional review]' In: Riforma Cartabia: Le Modifiche al Sistena Penale (in press). Turin : Giappichelli.
2024 Marder, I. (2024) 'Republic of Ireland' In: Restorative Justice in Penal Matters in Europe (in press). Mönchengladbach : Forum Verlag Godesberg.
2024 Marder, I. (2024) 'Restorative justice - international policy framework' In: Encyclopaedia of Social Justice in Education (in press). New York City : Bloomsbury.
2024 Marder, I.; Maglione, G.; Pali, B. (2024) 'Contextualising the dilemmas of institutionalising restorative justice' In: Restorative justice at a crossroads: Dilemmas of institutionalisation. Abingdon : Routledge.
2024 Maglione, G.; Marder, I.; Pali, B. (2024) 'Crossroads and dilemmas' In: Restorative justice at a crossroads: Dilemmas of institutionalisation. Abingdon : Routledge.

Book Review

Year Publication
2023 Marder, I. & Kurz, K. (2023) The Little Book of Police Youth Dialogue by Micah E. Johnson and Jeffrey Weisberg. [Book Review]
2015 Marder, I. (2015) ’Crimes against Peace’ and International Law by Kirsten Sellars [Book review]. [Book Review] [Link] [Full-Text]
2014 Marder, I. (2014) Waves of Healing: Using Restorative Justice for Street Group Violence by Theo Gavrielides [Book review]. [Book Review] [Link] [Full-Text]

Other Journal

Year Publication
2023 Marder, I. (2023) 'Jaunā starptautiskā atjaunojošā taisnīguma sistēma: pārskats par triju gadu laikā sasniegto [The new inter-national system of restorative justice: a review of what has been achieved in three years]' Jurista Vārds, 37 :13-20.
2020 Marder, I. & Zinsmeyer, C. (2020) 'Taastav õigus ja lähisuhtevägivald [Restorative justice and intimate partner violence]' Sotsiaaltöö, 2020 (4) . [Link]

Newspaper Articles

Year Publication
2024 Daly, P.; Marder, I. (2024) Restorative justice can help reset our justice system, Irish Legal News. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2023 Ó Concubhair, C.; Marder, I.; McGovern, G. (2023) The Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to effect change, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2023 Ruane, L.; Marder, I.; Ó Concubhair, C (2023) The Citizens’ Assembly on Drug Use needs more diversity of speakers and thought, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Wozniak, K.; Marder, I. (2023) Would a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach make Dublin city centre safer? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) How much do you really know about crime and justice? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Keenan, M.; Marder, I. (2023) Restorative inquiry would put survivors at centre of response to schools abuse, Irish Times. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) This week’s policing storm illustrates the differing views on the roles of the Gardaí, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Marder, I.; Garrihy, J. (2023) The Inspection of Places of Detention Bill promises reforms but doesn’t go far enough, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Cian O Concubhair; Ian Marder (2023) Sending Gardaí clubbing will not reduce drug harms, Minister, The Journal. Dublin: [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) Restorative justice helps everyone. Why is it declining in Ireland? The Journal. [Newspaper Articles]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) Enough talk - we need to decriminalise the possession of drugs for personal use, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) Dialogue can help gardaí better understand diverse communities, RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) 5 things a Citizens' Assembly on drug use should consider, RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2022 Ian D. Marder, Ciara Bracken-Roche, Joe Garrihy, Claire Hamilton, Gemma Lynch, Rose Ryan (2022) When people with convictions get degrees, everybody wins, RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) How should Ireland's new sentencing guidelines operate? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2021 Ó Concubhair, C.; Marder, I. (2021) It was wrong to prosecute a 68-year-old Dublin woman for growing cannabis, The Journal. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2021 Marder, I. (2021) Would you meet the person who committed a crime against you? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2020 Marder, I., Garrihy, J. & Gilheaney, P. (2020) How would you cope with cocooning in prison? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) How will Ireland police the pandemic? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. (2019) Five international justice ideas for Ireland to consider, RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. & Maher, A. (2019) How would you cope as a child with a parent in prison? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. (2019) How to create a better Irish criminal justice system, RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. (2019) Would prosecuting 3,500 young people have solved their problems? RTÉ. [Newspaper Articles] [Link]

Published Report

Year Publication
2023 Marder, I. (2023) Submission to the Joint Committee on Justice on the General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill, 2022 - in: Report on pre-legislative scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Inspection of Places of Detention Bill 2022, Joint Committee on Justice. Joint Committee on Justice, . [Link]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) Restorative justice and An Garda Síochána: taking practice to the next level - in: Annual Report, Committee to Monitor the Effectiveness of the Garda Youth Diversion Programme, 2020. An Garda Síochána, . [Link]
2021 Marder, I., O’Dwyer, K, Fernee, U. and Chapman, T. (2021) Restorative justice services in Ireland – briefing for the Criminal Justice Strategic Committee. Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change, . [Link]
2021 Marder, I. (2021) International best practice - in Adoptee voices: Report on survey results carried out by Aitheantas – Adoptee Identity Rights. Aitheantas, . [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) Building Restorative Probation Services. HMI Probation, . [Link]
2020 Gilheaney, P., Garrihy, J. & Marder, I. (2020) Ameliorating the impact of cocooning on people in custody. Office of the Inspector of Prisons, . [Link]
2014 Marder, I. (2014) Opportunities to use Restorative Justice in the Moroccan Criminal Justice Process. Search for Common Ground Maghreb, . [Link]
2013 Marder, I. (2013) Restorative Justice for Young Adults: Factoring in Maturity and Facilitating Desistance. Restorative Justice Council, . [Link]

Blog

Year Publication
2024 Marder, I. (2024) New criminal justice research partnership for Ireland launches in Maynooth, National Open Research Forum. [Blog] [Link]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) Ireland’s restorative justice providers agree to collaborate to strengthen provision, Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog] [Link]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) New Private Members’ Bill seeks to promote referrals to restorative justice, Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog] [Link]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) The Department of Justice commits to new restorative justice funding, but gaps will likely remain, Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) What is restorative justice pedagogy? A summary of resources, British Journal of Criminology Learning and Teaching Network. [Blog]
2023 Marder, I. (2023) New data suggests fewer restorative justice referrals in 2022 than in 2019, Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) Building understanding between Gardaí and young Black adults in Blanchardstown: a briefing on the UBUNTU Project following Phase 2 (the dialogue process), Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) An analysis of restorative justice in the Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform 2022-2024, Restorative Justice: Strategies for Change. [Blog] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. (2022) Restorative approaches to teaching and learning in higher education, Irish Universities Association. [Blog] [Link]
2022 Marder, I. & Šachová, P. (2022) How the Venice Declaration Contributes to the International Restorative Justice Framework, European Forum for Restorative Justice. [Blog] [Link]
2021 Marder, I. & Guilfoyle, E. (2021) Developing smart principles for sentencing guidelines in Ireland, Irish Penal Reform Trust. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) Who wants to meet me? Restorative Teaching Tools. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. & O'Brien, W. (2020) E4J collaborates with Maynooth University to host Justice Dialogue on restorative approaches to teaching criminal justice, UNODC. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) What does justice look like during and after COVID-19? European Forum for Restorative Justice. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) A restorative transition to the post-lockdown world, European Forum for Restorative Justice. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I., O'Brien, W., Lee, J., Sweeney, R. (2020) Restorative justice pedagogy for higher education, UNODC. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) Justice and healing during the pandemic, European Forum for Restorative Justice. [Blog] [Link]
2020 Marder, I. (2020) Restorative justice and COVID-19: responding restoratively during/to the crisis, European Forum for Restorative Justice. [Blog] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. (2019) Developing restorative justice in law, policy and practice: Learning from around the world, Penal Reform International. [Blog] [Link]
2018 Marder, I. and Chapman, T. (2018) Developing restorative justice across Europe, Confederation of European Probation. [Blog]
2016 Marder, I. (2016) We must not confuse explanations with excuses, TransConflict. [Blog]
2016 Marder, I. (2016) Funding restorative justice in England and Wales, The Justice Gap. [Blog]
2016 Marder, I. (2016) Police involvement in delivering restorative justice in England and Wales, N8 Policing Research Partnership. [Blog]
2015 Marder, I. (2015) The need for a national association of volunteer restorative practitioners in the UK, Restorative Works. [Blog]

Magazine Article

Year Publication
2019 Marder, I. (2019) Restorative policing: a subject for public deliberation? N8 Policing Research Partnership. [Magazine Article] [Link]
2019 Marder, I. (2019) Building restorative probation services, Probation Quarterly. [Magazine Article] [Link]
2018 Marder, I. (2018) What's new in restorative justice research? (Vol. 4), Resolution - Restorative Justice Council. [Magazine Article] [Link]
2018 Marder, I. (2018) What's new in restorative justice research? (Vol. 3), Resolution - Restorative Justice Council. [Magazine Article]
2018 Marder, I. (2018) Restorative justice and the Council of Europe: an opportunity for progress, European Forum for Restorative Justice Quarterly Newsletter. [Magazine Article]
2017 Marder, I. (2017) What’s new in restorative justice research? (Vol. 1), Resolution - Restorative Justice Council. [Magazine Article]
2013 Marder, I. (2013) Restorative justice and young adults: the benefits of a fresh approach, Criminal Law and Justice Weekly. [Magazine Article]
2013 Marder, I. (2013) Pre-sentence restorative justice: an international perspective, Magistrate Magazine. [Magazine Article]

Web Page

Year Publication
2021 Marder, I. (2021) www.restorativejustice.ie. [Web Page] [Link]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Teaching Interests

I coordinate three modules across the BA, BCL and MA programmes: LW269 Policing, LW380 Victimology and LW687 Restorative Justice. Since 2019, I am Director of the MA in Comparative Criminology and Criminal Justice. I also supervise students on LW458 Research Project, LW653 Placement and LW690 Dissertation.

I supervise three PhD students:

  • Catherine O'Connell (with Dr. Treasa Kenny), whose research explores the use of restorative approaches in organisational change. 
  • Damola Adeniran (with Dr. Joe Garrihy), whose research focuses on the implementation of restorative justice in Nigeria. 
  • Triona Kenny (with Dr. Avril Brandon), whose research focuses on secondary victimisation and therapeutic jurisprudence.
I have a keen interest in the teaching of restorative justice and the use of restorative practices in teaching and learning. I established the Restorative Justice Pedagogy Network in 2020. In 2019/20, I won a Team Teaching and Learning Fellowship for a project that used restorative practices to involve students in reviewing and redesigning a final-year module. In 2021/22, I won the Maynooth Teaching Award for my work using restorative practices to build community within the MA programme. In 2023, I won the British Society of Criminology Outstanding Contribution to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Criminology. In 2021, I was funded by the Estonian Ministry of Justice to support the University of Tartu to integrate restorative justice into its law curriculum.

I am open to requests for guest lecturing and community-based teaching. I have delivered guest lectures at over twenty universities in Belgium, Czech Republic, Belarus, Albania, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Argentina, the US and the UK. I have also taught restorative justice to criminal justice, legal and social work professionals in England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Estonia. In 2020, I organised and delivered a short course on victimology for victim advocates.

On Maynooth's criminology and law programmes, I have contributed to PO224 Researching Criminology, LW631 Criminology and Criminal Justice, LW696 Research Methods in Criminology, LW398 Punishment, Penal Policies and Prisons, LW691 Professional Development, LW164 Introduction to Criminological Theory, LW165 Introduction to Criminal Justice and LW156 Introduction to Law II. I led LW454 Introduction to Criminology from 2018 to 2022. I have taught on Maynooth's BA in Community Studies, Certificate in Restorative Practice and Mediation, Diploma in Addiction Studies, Diploma in Mediation, Negotiation and Conflict, Master's in Social Work, and Communiversity programme.

At the University of Leeds (2013-2018), I taught a range of subjects, including penology, research methods, youth justice, victimology, transnational crime and justice, foundations of social science, and introductory crime and justice courses.