Organisation profile
Organisation profile
The mission of the Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics is to improve the delivery of justice through the analysis of language.
Our research is always Excellent. It is often Collaborative, in terms of working with beneficiaries, research and higher education institutions and across disciplinary boundaries. It is always Impactful with a view to creating real insight within the broader justice system, often leading to change of policy and practice. Additionally, through the creation of the University Research Institute our research will become more Sustainable – we have ambitious targets to win further research funds to expand forensic linguistic capability for the UK and the international community. We aim to build a globally significant hub for forensic linguistics research.
The Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics (AIFL) was founded in 2019. It is a substantial expansion of the former Aston Centre for Forensic Linguistics that was founded in 2008 and in the autumn of 2019 we appointed a total of 15 new staff to establish the Institute. This expansion was funded via a £6M investment including a £5.4M award from Research England’s Expanding Excellence in England (E3) fund.
Further details about our research and structure can be found at our main website: https://www.aston.ac.uk/research/forensic-linguistics
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Profiles
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Sarah Atkins
- Aston University
- Aston University Archives Centre
- Centre for Health and Society
- Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics - Senior Lecturer
- Communication and Culture
Person: Teaching & Research
Research output
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Addendum to: A response to EA-4/23 INF:2025 “The Assessment and Accreditation of Opinions and Interpretations using ISO/IEC 17025:2017”
Morrison, G. S., Biedermann, A., Tart, M., Meuwly, D., Berger , C. E. H. & Guiness, J., Apr 2026, In: Forensic Science International. 381, 2 p., 112857.Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter, comment/opinion or interview
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Corpus Linguistics and the Language of Impoliteness and Hate Speech
Tayebi, T., 24 Jun 2026, International Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Nesi, H. & Milin, P. (eds.). 3rd ed. Elsevier, Vol. 14.Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
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Data-Dependent Goal Modeling for ML-Enabled Law Enforcement Systems
Alrajeh, D., Nowack, V., Benjamin, P., Thomas, K., Hobson, W., Muñoz, C. G., Hamilton-Giachritsis, C., Kloess, J. A., Woodhams, J., Butler, D., Law, M., Morton, R., Costello, B., Burrell, A., Grant, T., Shah, P., de Leon, F. L. & Lee, M., 9 Jan 2026, 12 p.Research output: Preprint or Working paper › Preprint
Open Access
Student theses
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Anonymity and Imitation in Linguistic Identity Disguise
Kelcher, F. (Author), Grant, T. (Supervisor) & Boucher, A. (Supervisor), Aug 2021Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
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Bilingual practices in Ghanaian primary schools: implications for curriculum design and educational practice
Yevudey, E. (Author), Reershemius, G. K. (Supervisor) & Grieve, J. W. (Supervisor), 13 May 2017Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
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Collective Identity and Careers in a White Nationalist Forum
Booth, A. E. (Author), Grant, T. (Supervisor), Hayes, G. (Supervisor) & Newsome, H. (Supervisor), 2023Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy
File
Prizes
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Aston University Chancellors Medal
Grant, T. (Recipient), 2025
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Lifetime Achievement Award, Germanic Society for Forensic Linguistics
Haworth, K. (Recipient), Sept 2019
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Ethnic disproportionality in criminal prosecution case files
MacLeod, N. (Speaker), Love, R. (Speaker), Heini, A. (Speaker), Morton, R. (Speaker), Lim, J. (Speaker) & Petyko, M. (Speaker)
1 Jul 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Ethnic disproportionality in criminal prosecution case files
MacLeod, N. (Speaker), Love, R. (Speaker), Heini, A. (Speaker), Lim, J. (Speaker) & Petyko, M. (Speaker)
30 Jun 2025 → 4 Jul 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
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Understanding behavioural and ideological escalation in harmful online communities
MacLeod, N. (Speaker), Chiang, E. (Speaker) & Morton, R. (Speaker)
30 Jun 2025 → 4 Jul 2025Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Press/Media
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Writing Wrongs Podcast
10/03/25 → 11/03/25
1 item of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Other
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Aston University research helps inform CPS’ launch of Action Plan to tackle disproportionality in charging decisions
2/12/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research
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CPS to apply ‘unconscious bias’ test in order to be ‘anti-racist’
28/11/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research