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Staff profile

Overview

David Adlington-Rivers

Research Postgraduate

MSc, BSc (Hons), DipHE, CertHE, Cert Soc Sci, FMBPsS, ACMI

Affiliations
Affiliation
Research Postgraduate in the Department of Psychology

Biography

 

David Adlington-Rivers is an emerging figure in UK forensic psychology, renowned for his pioneering research into the lived experience of hope among individuals in prison and those transitioning back into society. His current research explores how hope can be cultivated and sustained in post-release contexts, drawing on established hope theory to examine its role in supporting crime desistance and reintegration. This work is among the first in the UK to apply hope theory in a forensic setting with a focus on lived experience, and is contributing to the development of hope-based interventions for use in prisons and probation services.

Currently a Doctoral Researcher at Durham University, David’s research was previously supervised by Professor Graham Towl, former Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice. His current supervisory team includes Professor Tammi Walker, Principal of St Cuthbert’s Society and Professor of Forensic Psychology at Durham University; Assistant Professor Leanne Trick; and Associate Professor Jake Phillips, an external supervisor from the University of Cambridge. Professor Walker is a Chartered Psychologist, Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and Registered Senior Fellow with Advance HE. She leads the Health and Justice Forensic Research Lab, focusing on improving health outcomes for women in prison and forensic mental health services, and has held expert advisory roles with the Ministry of Justice and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation and Prisons.

In addition to his academic research, David is an Associate Lecturer in Forensic Psychology and Hope and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University, where he also teaches on the British Psychological Society-accredited MSc programme in Forensic Psychology. His teaching and scholarship are reshaping how hope is understood and applied within forensic settings, particularly in prison reform and probation services.

David is the author of Freedom is in the Mind, a widely distributed self-help book available in prison libraries across the UK, including Broadmoor Hospital. He has also contributed thought-provoking articles on hope theory to respected publications such as The Probation Institute and the Prison Service Journal.

David is currently working to develop hope-based interventions grounded in his research, with the aim of supporting individuals both in custody and post-release. He also provides consultancy services to organisations seeking to integrate hope theory into rehabilitation, policy, and practice.

A Full Member of the British Psychological Society, an Associate Member of the Chartered Management Institute, and an Academic Member of the Criminal Justice Alliance, David Adlington-Rivers continues to make a significant impact on the criminal justice system through innovative research, education, and advocacy.

Conferences

David has presented his work at key academic and professional events, including the Narrative Criminology Conference hosted by KU Leuven in Antwerp (July 2023), the Durham University Postgraduate Research Conference (2023), and the Buckinghamshire New University Prison Reform Conference (2024), contributing to national and international conversations on rehabilitation and justice reform.

Services to Education and Skills

David was nominated for his services to education and skills, and attended a Royal Garden Party hosted by His Majesty King Charles in May 2025.

 

 

Research interests

  • Hope theory in forensic applications
  • Transpersonal psychology
  • Positive psychology
  • Prisons and probation

Publications

Journal Article