Victoria University of Wellington

Faculty Member, School of Social and Cultural Studies

Associate Professor/Programme Director

Institute of Criminology

Thesis Title: Investigating the Social Context of Problem Drug Use

About

Born in Liverpool, England, Julian Buchanan has over 25 years experience in the drugs field as a practitioner, lecturer and researcher. In the mid-1980s, as a drugs specialist with the Merseyside Probation Service, he developed a ‘risk reduction’ approach, and was instrumental in establishing one of the largest multi-agency community drugs teams in the UK.

His research interests include problem drug use, drug policy and practice, criminal justice, social exclusion, discrimination and marginalised people. He has published in a wide range of journals including: Research, Policy & Planning; Social Work Education; Child & Family Social Work; Practice; Journal of Social Work in Mental Health; Drugs: Education, Prevention, Policy; Probation Journal; British Journal of Community Justice and Criminal Justice Studies. He has written numerous book chapters and his co-edited book Effective Practice in Health, Social Care & Criminal Justice: A Partnership Approach was a best seller. He is a regular speaker at academic and policy/practice orientated conferences.

After working for Liverpool Social Services and the Merseyside Probation Service as a probation officer for 15 years he began an academic career. He has worked in Liverpool University, University of Central Lancashire (England) and Glyndwr University (Wales) before recently joining Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand) in January 2011.

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