Emma Alleyne is a forensic psychologist whose research focuses on forms of aggressive behavior, street gang dynamics, interpersonal violence, animal cruelty, human-animal relations, and sexual misconduct, among others.[1]
Alleyne serves as a Reader in Forensic Psychology at the University of Kent's School of Psychology in the United Kingdom. She has contributed over 50 publications to the Kent Academic Repository, including articles, conference and workshop presentations, book chapters, edited journals, and research reports.[2]
Alleyne's research is primarily focused on understanding the psychological and behavioral factors associated with various forms of criminal behavior, particularly in contexts such as animal abuse, fire-setting, and gang dynamics. Collectively, her research contributes to the understanding of criminal behaviors, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention and intervention strategies.
Education
In 2005, Alleyne earned her Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology[3] from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.[4] She earned a Master of Science in 2006 and a Doctorate in Forensic Psychology from the University of Kent in 2011.[4] Her postgraduate education at the University of Kent [5] provided a framework for her present work.
Career
Adult-Perpetrated Animal Abuse: A Systematic Literature Review (2017): This study was conducted by Alleyne, and Parfitt, C. This systematic review evaluates the literature on adult-perpetrated animal abuse, identifying key etiological factors related to this offending. Twenty-three studies were analyzed, focusing on characteristics of adult perpetrators and victims of intimate partner violence who experienced animal abuse. Findings revealed that developmental, behavioral, and psychological factors, such as maladaptive parenting and empathy deficits, contribute to perpetration, while in cases of intimate partner violence, animals are often abused as a means of control and intimidation. The review highlights the need for targeted treatment approaches and calls for further empirical and theoretical research in this area.[6]
Female Fire-Setters: Gender-Associated Psychological and Psychopathological Features (2016): This study was conducted by Emma Alleyne, Gannon, T.A., Mozova, K., Page, T.E., and Ó Ciardha, C. This study compares incarcerated female fire-setters with male fire-setters and female offender controls to identify psychopathological and psychological features relevant for therapeutic interventions. A total of 65 female fire-setters, 128 male fire-setters, and 63 female offenders were recruited. It is the first study to highlight differences in traits between these groups. The findings emphasize the need for gender- and offense-specific considerations in clinical programs for female fire-setters.[7]
Psychological and behavioural characteristics that distinguish street gang members in custody (2016): This study was conducted by Alleyne, E., Wood, J.L., Mozova, K., and James, M. This study examines the psychological and behavioral characteristics that differentiate street gang members from non-gang offenders in custody, using social dominance theory. Participants were recruited from a young offender institution in the United Kingdom. The findings underscore key psychological factors that influence status-driven hierarchies, suggesting implications for treatment development in custodial settings.[8]
Taking it out on the dog: Psychological and behavioral correlates of animal abuse proclivity (2016): This study was conducted by Parfitt, C. and Alleyne, E. This study investigates criminogenic factors related to adult animal abuse as it is limited, despite its high prevalence. It distinguishes between two motivations for animal cruelty: direct, where the target is the perceived provocateur, and indirect, where the target is an alternative outlet for aggression. The hypotheses are that childhood animal abuse, empathy, and human-directed aggression will significantly relate to adult animal abuse proclivity in both forms.[9]
Adult-perpetrated animal abuse: development of a proclivity scale (2015): This study was conducted by Alleyne, E. Tilston, L., Parfitt, C., and Butcher, R. This paper highlights the significant underreporting of animal cruelty cases and the absence of a validated tool to assess the propensity for animal abuse among the general public. It introduces the Animal Abuse Proclivity Scale (AAPS), presenting preliminary findings that demonstrate its high reliability, its correlation with offense-supportive attitudes, and its cross-national validity. The AAPS is positioned as a valuable tool for researching factors related to animal abuse propensity and advancing both theory and practice in the field.[10]
Any of them will do: In-group identification, out-group entitativity, and gang membership as predictors of group-based retribution (2015): This study was conducted by Vasquez, E.A., Wenborne, L., Peers, M., Alleyne, E., and Ellis, K. This study investigates the relationship between in-group identification, perceptions of out-group entitativity, and willingness to retaliate among juvenile gang and non-gang members in London. Findings indicate that for gang members, a stronger identification with their gang and a perception of rival groups as unified significantly increased their likelihood of retaliating against rivals. The results support socio-psychological theories of group-based aggression, suggesting they are relevant for understanding gang-related violence.[11]
In 2012, Alleyne was awarded £774 by the Faculty Research Committee for a project focusing on the psychological, social, and behavioral characteristics of vulnerable women and girls in a local community.[1] Earlier, in 2014, she received £3,449 from the Faculty Research Committee for her study on adulthood animal abuse,[12] as well as £2,049 from the School of Psychology Seed Fund to investigate the psychological impact of cybercrime.[1] In 2017, she secured a grant of £10,000 from the Petplan Charitable Trust[13] for a project exploring the same topic. Additionally, from 2017 to 2019, she served as a co-investigator on a project funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria, evaluating the use of polygraphs in managing sexual offenders across five police areas,[14] which received £331,260 in funding. In 2019, she was awarded an International Academic Fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust,[15] amounting to £22,239, for her research on understanding why adults abuse animals: Theory and evidence-based practice.[1]
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