Yvonne Shell

Contact

About
Teaching and learning
Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact
Image gallery

About

I am a dually qualified clinical and forensic practitioner psychologist, as well as an Associate Professor  of Forensic Psychology at KU. In my academic role I work as course director for the  MSc in Forensic  Psychology, and I act as  Module Leader on the 'Antisocial Behaviour across the Lifespan' element of this programme. 

I have worked as a practitioner psychologist  for over  three decades, holding positions across  a broad range of forensic  service provision, which has included prisons, high security psychiatric services (e.g., Broadmoor Hospital) as well as working in medium, low security services, and in the community.  I currently work  with the Metropolitan Police Service and HMPPS in developing  a criminal justice  understanding and response to the Chemsex context and crime within it. I research within  the Chemsex context and have provided the first  international research  into  Chemsex and crime. My other areas of research interest are in the role of shame and moral injury in offender populations, intimate partner violence, and sexual offending.

I received an award from the British Psychological Society for textbook of the  year in 2018, with a book entitled 'Forensic Psychology: Theory, Research, Policy and Practice', completed with two co-authors. My most recent book publication in 2023 was a book on Rape, 'Revealing Rape's many Voices: Differing Roles, Reactions and Reflections'.

Academic responsibilities

Associate Professor

Teaching and learning

I have held several  academic positions over the last  thirty years, either in the area  of Forensic Psychology or Clinical Psychology. During this time I have worked predominantly  on postgraduate and doctorate level programmes of study. I am currently a Course Director  for an MSc in Forensic Psychology at KU. I also hold a position as an External Examiner for  a Masters in Forensic Psychology programme in a fellow institution. 

I have twice received awards through  the Students Union  for  my  contribution to  support for students on the programmes I taught upon. 

Postgraduate courses taught

Professional practice, knowledge exchange and impact

I currently work in a partnership team between the  Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and HMPPS probation services. In this role I act as academic lead, a role  aimed at developing  an understanding of crime within the Chemsex context. I have been principal investigator in a number of  research projects in the Chemsex area, including  a research  project funded through HMPPS looking at convicted  men from within the Chemsex context. I have been invited on numerous occasions to  speak at  external conferences  to share the  findings  from this  research, resulting in dissemination of essential information  helping in the  identification   and management  of those that offend within the Chemsex context across the criminal justice pathway.  I provide clinical forensic  consultation  to those working in the risk management of Chemsex cases, with the focus on supporting  proactive clinical practice around high risk, complex case management.

The Chemsex context research has  led to my contribution to the first Interpol notice being written and distributed to over 150 countries, alerting and offering guidance to   criminal justice services across the world to the recognition and management of  those that  offend in this  unique context.

Professional and scholarly affiliations

  • Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPS)
  • HCPC Practitioner Psychologist status for both Clinical and Forensic Psychology