Ester Ragonese
School of Justice Studies
Faculty of Arts Professional and Social Studies
Email: E.L.Ragonese@ljmu.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 231 3941
Ester is the PQiP (Professional Qualification in Probation Training) Academic Lead and is based within the School of Justice Studies. Through her lengthy career at LJMU she has held a variety of different roles including the Associate Dean (Education) for APSS. and a Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice. Ester is research active, and with experience of working in the criminal justice system as a probation officer for a number of years she has a wide and varying range of research interests; however in the main these focus on the issue of social exclusion, particularly with regard to the homeless population and the management and treatment of people within the criminal justice system. Ester has a keen interest in the resettlement experiences of those who are incarcerated and works closely with local prisons and community organisations in a research and consultancy capacity to develop 'best practice' in this area. Ester has presented papers and been invited to speak at conferences in Britain, Europe and North America.
Ester is a National Teaching Fellow and as part of her responsibilities at LJMU she teaches on the PGcert working with staff to encourage them to focus on their teaching practice. Developing the student experience and understanding the process of higher education for the development of policy and practice is also a key research interest.
Languages
Italian
Certifications
2018, Advance HE, National Teaching Fellow
2015, Higher Education Academy, Senior Fellow
2012, The Higher Education Academy, Fellow
2012, Institute of Leadership and Management, United Kingdom, Award in First Line Management Level 3
2001, University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom, Certificate in Education (post complusory)
Academic appointments
PQiP Academic Lead, Liverpool John Moores University, 2022 - present
Associate Dean Education, APSS, LJMU, 2016 - 2021
Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice, Law, Liverpool John Moores University, 2004 - present
University Teacher, Social Policy and Social Work, University of Liverpool, 2001 - 2004
Postgraduate training
Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, United Kingdom, Nottigham Polytechnic, 1990 - present
Highlighted publications
Buck G, Lawrence A, Ragonese EL. 2017. Exploring peer mentoring as a form of innovative practice with young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. British Journal of Social Work, 47 :1745-1763 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Books (authored)
Ragonese E, Rees A, Ives J, Dray T, Marriott-Smith G. 2025. The Routledge Guide to Working in Criminal Justice: Employability Skills and Careers in the Criminal Justice Sector :1-325 DOI Publisher Url
Ragonese E, Rees A, Ives J, Dray T. 2014. The routledge guide to working in criminal justice: Employability skills and careers in the criminal justice sector :1-318 DOI Publisher Url
Report
Moorhead J, Ragonese E, Marriott-Smith G, Atkins H, Aspinall K. 2024. Action on Abuse
Ragonese EL, Burke L, Owen PB, Marriott-Smith G. 2023. Evaluation of the Beyond the Gate Magazine pilot at HMP Liverpool Evaluation of the Beyond the Gate Magazine pilot at HMP Liverpool Public Url
Murray E, Moorhead J, Ragonese E, Currin H. 2022. Ex- Armed Service Personnel: Journeys to harmful behaviour.
Taylor S, Burke L, Millings MN, Ragonese EL. 2018. Through the Gate: the implementation, management and delivery of resettlement service provision for short term prisoners. Final Briefing Report. DOI Public Url
Taylor S, Burke L, Millings MN, Ragonese EL. 2018. Through the Gate: the implementation, management and delivery of resettlement service provision for short term prisoners. Executive Summary. Public Url
Ragonese E, OKeffe H. 2018. ‘A quantative needs analysis report of a Resettlement Services Survey’
Steele R, Murray E, Ragonese E, Moorhead J. 2018. Evaluation of EFAN Report
Ragonese EL, Murray E. 2017. Armed forces communities and social isolation: A needs analysis for service providers in Cheshire East
Ragonese EL, Askew R, Cross N. 2014. Evaluation of the Resettlement Practices and Procedures in HMP Altcourse
Ragonese EL, Hopkins J, Luxton A. 2012. Options outreach service: exploring and understanding the service user experience and impacts on health and wellbeing Publisher Url Public Url
Ragonese EL. 2009. AN EVALUATION OF THE SUPPORTING OFFENDERS ADVICE SERVICE IN NORTH LIVERPOOL (SOAS)
Journal article
Ragonese E, Marriott-Smith G, Owen PB, Burke L. 2023. ‘Beyond the Gate’: A resource for release planning Probation Quarterly, :45-49 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Burke L, Millings MN, Taylor S, Ragonese EL. 2020. Transforming rehabilitation, emotional labour and contract delivery: A case study of a voluntary sector provider in an English resettlement prison International Journal of Law ,Crime and Justice, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Millings MN, Taylor S, Burke L, Ragonese EL. 2018. Through the Gate: the implementation, management and delivery of resettlement service provision for short-term prisoners. Probation Journal: the journal of community and criminal justice, 66 :77-95 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Buck G, Lawrence A, Ragonese EL. 2017. Exploring peer mentoring as a form of innovative practice with young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. British Journal of Social Work, 47 :1745-1763 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Burke L, Taylor S, Millings MN, Ragonese EL. 2017. Transforming Rehabilitation during a penal crisis: a case study of Through the Gate services in a Resettlement Prison in England and Wales European Journal of Probation, 9 :115-131 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Burke L, Mair G, Ragonese E. 2006. An evaluation of service provision for short-term and remand prisoners with drug problems Probation Journal, 53 :109-123 DOI Publisher Url
Internet publication
Marshall D, Ragonese E, Altham S. 2022. Enterprising students: a values-driven, competency-based framework for embedding enterprise in the HE curriculum Publisher Url Public Url
Ragonese E, Marshall D, Altham S. 2022. Employability, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship: Solving Wicked Problems Publisher Url
Chapters
Ragonese E, Altham S. 2019. Increasing Employability Beyond Getting a Job: Engaging Criminal Justice Students in Their Own Professional Development Diver A. Employability via Higher Education: Sustainability as Scholarship :513-523 Springer Nature 9783030263423 DOI Publisher Url
Other Professional Activity:
Member of the High Sheriff and Merseyside Police Fund Panel. 2022
Board Member of Genie in the Gutter.
Steering Group member SOVA.
Research Grants Awarded:
Grant value (£): 2000, LJMU Quality Research Funding, Phil Carey, Amplifying the Student Voice. 2022
Duration of research project: six months, Grant value (£): 2000, LJMU Quality Research Funding, Paul Owen and Lawrence Burke, Beyond the Gate: An evaluation of a magazine designed to support desistance from reoffending.. 2021
Duration of research project: 5 months, Grant value (£): 2,000, Liverpool John Moores University QR Funding, Bleddyn Davies, Understanding the Retention Continuum. 2019
Duration of research project: 2 months, Grant value (£): 2,500, HMP Altcourse, HMP Altcourse - Quantative Needs Analysis. 2017
Duration of research project: 12 months, Grant value (£): 15,000, Interserve Justice, Rachael Steele, Emma Murray, Evaluation of the EFAN Project. 2017
Grant value (£): 14,500, Liverpool John Moores Univeristy Quality Research Fund, Stuart Taylor, Lol Burke, Matthew Millings, Ester Ragonese (all LJMU), A study of the extent to which the Transforming Rehabilitation agenda-led emphasis on resettlement is consumed by prisoners and embedded into the organizational working culture of the staff.. 2016
Duration of research project: nine months, Grant value (£): 10,000, HMP Altcourse, Rebecca Askew, Evaluation of the Resettlement Practices and Procedures in HMP Altcourse.. 2013
Grant value (£): 5,000, The Citizens Advice Bureau, An Evaluation of The Supporting Offenders Advice Service in North Liverpool. 2009
Conference presentation:
Oral presentation, Virtual, Advance HE Teacbing and Learning Conference: Teaching in the Spotlight, Will you miss me when I am gone?: Learning from student voices in Higher education. 2020
Oral presentation, Oxford University, Redesigning Justice: Promoting civil rights, trust and fairness: Howard League for Penal reform, Building a resettlement culture within a local prison: A case study of partnership working between practitioners, researchers and educators. 2018
Oral presentation, Cardiff, European Society of Criminology, "The missing piece of the jigsaw? : The role and value of prison education in the resettlement journey". 2017
Oral presentation, Porto Portugal, EAIR, What Makes Students Stay. 2017
Oral presentation, USA/New Orleans, American Society of Criminology, Re-evaluating resettlement: best practice and challenges to the reintegration of offenders. 2016
Oral presentation, Liverpool, LJMU Teaching and Learning Conference, What Makes Students Stay. 2016
Oral presentation, Keble College Oxford, Justice and Penal Reform: Re-shaping the penal landscape, Re-evaluating resettlement: best practice and challenges to the reintegration of offenders. 2016
Oral presentation, Portugal/Porto, European Society of Criminology, Re- evaluating Resettlement: Best Practice and Challenges to the Re-integration of Offenders. 2015
Other invited event:
HMP Altcourse, Interviewed on HMP Altcourse Prison Radio by a prison officer. Broadcast across the prison., Interview on Prison Radio HMP Altcourse. 2019
Remotely, External Expert on Re-Validation Panel., Blackpool and the Fylde Colleger (Lancaster): Criminology Re-Validation. 2018
Newcastle, Invited to speak at the above event organised by The Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research. Talk focused on Needs Analysis conducted in Cheshire East., Shaping the Future: Veterans Substance Misuse: Integration of Health and Social Care. 2017
Blackburn College/Lancaster University, Invited external advisor to the re-validation of FdA and BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice Programmes, External Revalidation of FdA and BA (Hons) Criminology and Criminal Justice. 2016
External committees:
LIPA, Committee member, LIPA Assessment Group. 2018
National probation Service/CRC/HMP Liverpool, Member, Top 20 HMP Liverpool Task and Finish Group. 2018
Chaired by Community Director/ Head of Operations Merseyside Community Rehabilitation Company Ltd, Group member - Academic Representative, Reducing Re offending Group. 2018
Fellowships:
Advance HE, National Teaching Fellowship. 2018
Higher Education Academy, Senior Fellow. 2015
Membership of professional bodies:
The Howard League for Penal reform, Professional Member, https://howardleague.org/. 2018
SEDA: Supporting and Leading Educational Change, Member, https://www.seda.ac.uk/. 2018
External collaboration:
Jonathan Eaton, Teeside University, https://www.tees.ac.uk/. 2017
Kathy Brown - Law School, University of the West of England, http://www.uwe.ac.uk/. 2017
Award:
LJMU, Vice Chancellors Individual Teaching Award. 2014