Callan Robert Dray
Department, Institution: School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Greenwich
UBEL Pathway: Multilingual Practices
Supervisor: Professor Maria Arche
Contact details: callan-dray@hotmail.com
About Me
I am a professional with experience spanning financial crime, risk management, and healthcare. Most recently, I worked as a Financial Crime Risk Analyst at Stenn, leading trade verification and fraud investigations, and previously as a Senior Risk Specialist at Kriya Finance, where I contributed to risk models, compliance policies, and operational strategy. Earlier, I spent five years in healthcare administration, developing strong interpersonal and organisational skills. Academically, I hold a 1st Class BSc in Criminology & Criminal Psychology and a Distinction MSc in Psychology, with my MSc project published in Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics and recognised with The University of Greenwich Merit Award for Outstanding Achievements. Outside of work, I enjoy music, travel, and supporting West Ham. I bring a mix of leadership, critical thinking, and technical expertise, and I’m always keen to connect and exchange ideas.
My Research
My PhD examines how language and communication shape access to justice for young people and young adults who are non-native speakers of the official language used in criminal proceedings. I focus on England, Spain, and Norway, three countries with contrasting justice systems, approaches to multilingualism, and provisions for education within prisons. The project investigates how and when language proficiency is assessed, the professionals involved in this process, and the lived experiences of both practitioners and service users navigating these procedures. Particular attention is paid to compounded vulnerabilities, such as the impact of second language anxiety and the frequent misrecognition or late identification of speech, language, and communication needs. These factors can have serious consequences during high-stakes interactions like police interviews, court hearings, or rehabilitative programmes. By combining qualitative interviews and focus groups with secondary data analysis, I aim to build a cross-national comparative picture of how language-related disadvantages are addressed, overlooked, or mismanaged in criminal justice systems.
Impact of My Research
The broader impact of my research lies in uncovering how linguistic disadvantage directly affects fairness, rehabilitation, and equality within criminal justice systems. Despite international recognition that understanding legal language is fundamental to the right to a fair trial, implementation remains inconsistent and poorly regulated. By identifying when and how language needs are overlooked, and how this contributes to systemic disadvantage, my research will produce evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice. These recommendations will be valuable for training justice practitioners, designing effective assessment protocols, and ensuring that multilingual and linguistically vulnerable individuals are not excluded from rehabilitation and education opportunities. Beyond the academic contribution, I hope this work will influence policy debates across Europe, strengthen existing legal safeguards, and provide a clearer framework for professionals working with vulnerable populations. In this way, the project contributes not only to fairer access to justice but also to broader goals of reducing discrimination, advancing equality, and promoting the rehabilitative aims of criminal justice.
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