Our research investigates when, where, and for whom trespass has become a criminal offence.
Since 2022, there have been significant changes in the laws around trespass and property in England. We are primarily interested in the impacts of the Police, Crimes, Sentencing, and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023.
These recent changes are part of a historical and transcolonial process. Together, these laws are squeezing already marginalised groups into the Narrow Margins.
Find out more about:
“That’s the new one. The one where you can lose everything.”
— Anne-Louise, an Irish Traveller on the Police, Crimes, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Anonymised quote, July 2023
This project has been co-developed with our research partners Leeds GATE and Streets Kitchen.
It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and housed at Birmingham City University.
Project outputs
Initial Project Findings for Advisory Board (open access PDF)
December 2023
Perpetual Stew alt-conference exploring knowledge and land justice
House of Annetta — August 2023
Evidence for Judicial Review of the Police Act (open access PDF)
FFT — August 2023
Research on the Police Act 2022 parliamentary consultation (open access journal article)
EPA C: Politics and Space — January 2022
The policing bill will criminalise Gypsy and Traveller families – there is a better approach
The Conversation — January 2022
We find that the Police Act 2022 and Public Order 2023 increase the discretion of landowners and police to determine who is a trespasser — how property can or cannot be used.
People who are subject to their authority, including our participants, understand how this is enacted.
Under the bridges, are these public or private spaces, do you know?
They’re public.
Do you ever get people trying to move you along from these spaces?
The council comes along to clear the whole lot sometimes. There’s too many people there. When the big fella from the council comes — I don’t know what his post is — when he sees it, when he’s aware of it, he just clears it. […] They’ll just come and say ‘Look, you’re not supposed to be here, this is a public footpath,’ and they just clear all the things. And if they don’t, they’ll bring the council wagon around and take all the stuff, like sleeping bags. Some people have got a simple backpack, some people have got quite a lot of stuff.
Basically, the choice is, either you move or you…
Or you’re going to lose all your property.
Get in touch
We are public scholars keen to communicate our research findings to the public, lawyers, policymakers, and other researchers.
Do reach out with speaking, writing, or organising opportunities, which help us to disseminate experiences of social and spatial marginalisation.
Narrow Margins 