Dr Liam Wrigley (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Criminology and Social Policy (Research and Education). He has taught on a range of undergraduate and post-graduate courses. Liam has worked across several HE institutions across the Northwest of England, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and the Midlands, since 2013. 

Liam has most recently worked in the School of Social Sciences at Leeds Trinity University (2023-2025), where he was Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Sociology and Programme Leader for Undergraduate Studies (BA Criminology and Sociology). Liam also held the role of work based learning and professional placements (2023-25) and RKE Lead (2024-25). Prior to this, Liam was employed by Keele University (2022-23) as a Lecturer in Criminology (Research and Education). Liam has also worked within the Department of Criminology at University of Manchester (2018-2022). 

Liam's PhD was funded by the ESRC (2018-21) and explored the narratives of young people who were Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). He also explored the dimensions of social support from the third sector - including youth workers, informal education and the local labour market, utilising Qualitative Social Network Analysis (QSNA) during the COVID-19 related national lockdowns (95k - ESRC/WRDTP). Liam is currently producing a monograph with Emerald Publishing (Wiley) based on this work.

Follow up work and publications have been funded by a competitive University of Sheffield writing support grant (4k, 2022). 

Whilst at Keele University, Dr Wrigley was successful in gaining a QR Policy Support Grant (12k) to explore dimensions of public policy making to tackle loneliness and social isolation (May 2023). Liam's project was selected out of 22 proposed projects/bids across the University. 

Liam is also co-convener of the British Sociological Association flagship youth studies group. 

Liam was elected by open vote to the editorial board of Social Policy and Society and is due to serve from January 2026. 

Liam now serves as Peer Review College (PRC) board member and reviewer for UKRI Future Leaders Scheme after successful application.

Liam’s current research interests include: 

• NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training)
• Loneliness and Crime
• Work with the Campaign to End Loneliness
• Young People, Crime and Exclusion
• Social Inclusion
• Poverty and Social Inequality