'You can always make a change in politics' Duwayne Brooks OBE advises students
- Wednesday, June 8, 2016
In an event to mark the beginning of the Department of Social Sciences student-led Criminology Society, Duwayne Brooks OBE addressed students and staff in an engaging discussion on the criminal justice system.
A former Councillor for the London Borough of Lewisham and key witness in the Stephen Lawrence case, Duwayne Brooks OBE, has championed for safer and fairer policies within the police force and criminal justice system.
He said ‘You can always make a change in politics. To do this, we need to be responsible in our everyday lives for the change that we want to see. By becoming councillor, I was able to influence policy changes to help make a fairer society for others.’
He talked about his own experiences with the police and provided examples on how change can be made in the system. His advice to students was to ensure they had read many books and understand policies and procedures within the criminal justice system. He also advocated that even with checks and balances in place, when injustice occurs people need to take action to find out why this happens and look at how it can be prevented.
The Criminology Society was started by third year student Natasha Boatswain, who had worked within the criminal justice system in the private prison industry for twelve years.
She said “I came to the University of Roehampton to gain a better understanding of how the criminal justice system worked. When I was working as prisoner custody officer I had questions that I wanted to find answers to and by setting up this society, it enables all of us to ask questions and possibly find better solutions.”
The aim of the Criminology Society is to provide students with opportunities to learn and debate about the criminal justice system and look at ways to make a positive impact in society. The Criminology course offered by the Department of Social Sciences is ranked best in London (Guardian University Guide 2017).