Dr Ian Marder

It brings together partners from the Criminal justice Open Research Dialogue (CORD) Partnership, launched in January 2024, to oversee the implementation of the project’s newly-launched agenda for 2025-26.

Dr Ian Marder, associate professor in criminology at Maynooth University, has been appointed as chair of the 20-person implementation group, which includes academics from Ireland’s top universities as well as representatives of An Garda Síochána, the Probation Service, the Irish Prison Service and other State bodies and NGOs.

The CORD Partnership aims to embed a culture of interdisciplinary open research in criminal justice in Ireland. It has 135 partners representing 59 organisations working across research, criminal justice policy, agencies and oversight, non-state justice services, civil society, and research infrastructure.

Its 2025-26 agenda has five action areas which relate to sharing research findings, understanding each other, collaborating on events, piloting ‘areas of research interest’ and building infrastructure for partnership research.

The new implementation group will oversee the delivery of this agenda as well as providing direction on CORD’s development more broadly.

“CORD partners have built strong, positive relationships and hold a wealth of knowledge about research, policy and practice,” Dr Marder said.

“This agenda gives us an opportunity to take advantage of the momentum we’ve gained in recent years to make positive change happen in Irish criminal justice.”