Rate My Professor Jacqueline Allen

Dr. Jacqueline Allen is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University. She earned her PhD in Psychology from the Australian National University in 2010, with her dissertation examining the risk posed by school bullying for physical aggression and violence in young adulthood, particularly the exacerbating role of alcohol use. Prior to joining Griffith University, she held a postdoctoral position in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria, Canada, from July 2011 to September 2014, and served as a Research Associate at the Australian Institute of Family Studies from October 2014 to March 2016, where she worked on the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.

Allen's research centers on the development of antisocial behaviour, mental health problems, violence, and substance use from childhood to young adulthood, utilizing longitudinal studies to identify risk and protective factors. Key areas include the impacts of family support, enriched preschool programs, school bullying, and pandemic-related disruptions on child well-being and youth offending. She has made significant contributions to the Pathways to Prevention Project, including analyses of its long-term effects and return on investment in preventing serious youth crime. Notable publications include 'Family support, enriched preschool and serious youth offending' (2024, Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, Australian Institute of Criminology), 'Child well-being before and after the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns' (2023, Australian Journal of Social Issues), and 'Return on investment of the Pathways to Prevention project' (2025, Children and Youth Services Review). Forthcoming works feature 'It’s Not Just a Matter of Chance When No One Dies: Characteristics of Offenders, Victims, and Situations in Lethal Versus Non-Lethal Violence' (2026). For her Pathways to Prevention research, Allen co-received the Silver Award at the 2024 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards and the ANZSOC 2024 Adam Sutton Award for best publication in crime prevention. She collaborates with the Griffith Criminology Institute and Griffith Centre for Mental Health, teaches criminology courses, and supervises research students.