Richmond, London
Simon is Director of Criminology Services Limited, undertaking expert witness commissions, specialising in gangs, modern slavery, exploitation, and drugs.
Simon has over 40 years of practitioner/professional experience in criminology, crime reduction and community safety with careers at the Home Office, Hackney council, Islington council and as Crime Reduction Director in Lambeth. He has worked on over 2,500 UK social housing estates, authored numerous reports and in 1999 invented Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).
Now Director of the National Centre for Gang Research Ltd, Simon advises the Home Office, MPS, NCA and HMICFRS on youth violence, gangs, knives and county lines.
He is a skilled and experienced qualitative interviewer and research director. He liaises regularly with young people who are gang-affiliated or gang active and actively participates in fieldwork and research with young people.
His book, The Street Casino: Survival in violent street gangs (2014) won the Frederick Thrasher Award for 2014 for Superior Gang Research.
His new book published by Bristol University Press is County Lines: exploitation and drug dealing amongst urban street gangs.
His book, Unleashed (2014), examines the motivations of those who own, breed, and fight pitbulls and 'bully' breeds, often for status and to generate income.
His co-authored book, Global Perspectives on Youth Gang Behavior, Violence, and Weapons Use (2016), is an edited collection of academic essays, offering insight on gangs and violence from around the world.
Current research includes:- Moped Crime, Drill music, Acid Attacks, Knife Crime, County Lines, Cannabis, Stop and Search, Modern Day Slavery, Local Drug Markets.
Dr Harding is a regular public speaker and conference keynote speaker. He is also a regular contributor to national debates on TV, radio and print media.
Expert Witness
Dr Harding acts as an Expert Witness for both Defence and the Crown
Consultancy
Simon has extensive knowledge in all aspects of consultancy
Research
Dr Harding has over 40 years of professional experience working in research