Dr Hannah Wishart

I am a Criminal Lawyer who sits within youth justice, criminal justice, social justice, criminology, and neurolaw.

My research uses neuroscience and psychology to inform changes in criminal law doctrine and legal practice for developmentally immature children. My main focus is the engagement of these scientific insights with the law to challenge/reform practices and legislation for developmentally immature children who kill.

I completed my PhD at the University of Manchester in 2023. My PhD focused on developmentally immature children, neuroscience, and the defence of diminished responsibility.

I have published peer-reviewed journal articles and books on the relevancy of neuroscience in youth justice, the abolition of the doctrine of doli incapax, and the unfair treatment of developmentally immature children in the English criminal justice system. In 2024, I received a British Academy/Leverhulme grant to fund a project on the police's charging decisions for young offenders. I have been awarded funding from the SLSA and UKRI policy fund.

I also hold an PhD, LLM, LLB, and FHEA recognition.