'Serious and organised crime' is a socially constructed category which refers to offenders handled (in the UK) by the National Crime Agency, Police Scotland, and Regional Organised Crime Units, but also some sectors of individual police forces in the UK. It is a flexible construct historically focused on drugs and human traffickers, and to some extent increasingly 'organised fraud' and other 'economic criminals', and this in turn depends on what the police have focused on and what their intelligence sources are. Central to possible developments is a recognition of the role that management of offenders by police and criminal justice agencies can play in the reproduction of criminal networks and the associated organisation of serious crimes. There have been several stages of Serious and Organised Crime opportunity reduction and other components of the Four Ps (In Scotland, Four Ds!) deriving from counter-terrorism policies. However, there has also been a focus on post-imprisonment Serious Crime Prevention Orders – most sensationally in the case of Curtis ‘Cocky’ Warren in 2023/4 – to restrict the business and social/geographical activities of those subjected to orders; on Company Director Disqualification Orders, following company insolvency; and on a Joint Intelligence Project, begun in Wales, to monitor the within-prison relationships of those deemed at risk of becoming ‘SOC’ offenders. It is too early to discuss the details and impacts of the latter, but this involves collaboration between police, probation and prisons. The presentation places these developments in a broader context of lifetime risk management.

This paper investigates the enduring relevance of Sir Robert Peel's principles of policing in the context of modern law enforcement. Peel's principles, established in the 19th century, form the bedrock of policing ideologies worldwide. This research aims to unravel the intricate connections between Peel's principles and the crucial pillars of trust, confidence, and legitimacy in contemporary policing.

Using an interdisciplinary lens, this study will analyse historical foundations and contemporary applications, examining how adherence to Peelian principles influences public perceptions and relationships with law enforcement. In particular, the relationship between these principles and the development and maintenance of trust across diverse communities will be considered.

This research is poised to contribute valuable insights to policing strategies, guiding law enforcement agencies in fostering positive relationships with the communities they serve. Ultimately, understanding the dynamic interplay between Peel's principles and modern policing dynamics will enhance the effectiveness of law enforcement practices and contribute to the evolution of policing in the 21st century.

This paper explores how criminal justice actors narrate digital trace ‘evidence’ extracted from mobile phones during homicide investigations and trials. Drawing on the work of MacKenzie (1990) on ‘inventing accuracy’ in the field of nuclear missile guidance, I examine how police, digital and legal experts debate the meaning of digital trace evidence, illuminating key moments of narrative framing. In an effort to manage the inherent uncertainties and limitations of digital traces gathered from mobile phones, criminal justice actors lean towards narratives of precision, or imprecision, depending upon their expertise and vantage point. The paper concludes by considering the implications of these findings for criminal justice.