Dr. Leigh Harkins
PhD
Professor
Forensic Psychology
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
Contact information
2 Simcoe Street
- Room 624
Downtown Oshawa
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5
905.721.8668 ext. 5991
Research Areas
- aggression in groups
- offender rehabilitation
- sexual aggression
Supervision Areas
- group aggression
- perceptions of sexual aggression
- sex offender treatment effectiveness
Research Biography
Dr. Leigh Harkins is a forensic psychologist with experience in both research and the field. She has experience in a variety of forensic practices in the United Kingdom and Canada, such as working with sex offender groups at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Correctional Service of Canada. Her research is a reflection of her field work, which is characterized by an expertise and research interest in sexual aggression, offender rehabilitation, and aggression in groups. Some fo her publications include “‘An adventure that went wrong”: Reasons given by convicted perpetrators of multiple perpetrator sexual offending for their involvement in the offense,” “Examining the good lives model and antisocial behaviour,” “The experience of deniers on a community sex offender group programme,” and more.Dr. Harkins also works with undergraduate students to assist them in the research process, covering supervision areas such as group aggression, perceptions of sexual aggression, and sex offender treatment effectiveness.
Education
- MA Counselling Psychology University of Toronto
- PhD Forensic Psychology University of Birmingham
Involvement
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Publications
Dixon, L., Harkins, L, & Wegerhoff, D. (2019). Incorporating sociocultural and situational factors into explanations of interpersonal violent crime. Psychology, Crime, and Law.
Da Silva, T. Woodhams, J. & Harkins, L. (2018). ‘An adventure that went wrong”: Reasons given by convicted perpetrators of multiple perpetrator sexual offending for their involvement in the offense. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 47, 443–456.
Loney, D.M. & Harkins, L. (2018). Examining the good lives model and antisocial behavior. Psychology, Crime & Law, 24, 38-51.
Watson, S, Harkins, L, & Palmer, M. (2016). The experience of deniers on a community sex offender group programme. Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 16. 374-392.
Jones, E., Harkins, L., & Beech, A.R (2015). The development of a new risk model: The Threat Matrix. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 20, 165-175.
Tew, J., Harkins, L., & Dixon, L. (2015). Assessing the validity of the Self Report Psychopathy Scale in a UK offender population. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology, 26, 166-184.
Harkins, L., Howard, P., Barnett, G., Wakeling, H., & Miles, C. (2015). Relationships between denial, risk, and recidivism in sexual offenders. Archives of Sexual Behaviour, 44, 157-166.
Da Silva, T., Woodhams, J. & Harkins, L. (2014). Heterogeneity within multiple perpetrator rapes: A national comparison of lone, duo and 3+ perpetrator rapes. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 26, 503-522.
Harkins, L., Flak, V. E., & Beech, A.R., & Woodhams, J. (2012). Evaluation of a community-based sex offender treatment program using a Good Lives Model approach. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 24, 519-543.
Harkins, L., Beech, A.R., & Goodwill, A.M. (2010). Examining the influence of denial, motivation, and risk in sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 22, 78-94.
Harkins, L. & Dixon, L. (2010). Sexual offending in groups: An examination. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15, 87-99.
Harkins, L., & Beech, A.R. (2007). A review of the factors that can influence the effectiveness of sexual offender treatment: Risk, need, responsivity, and process issues. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, 616-627.
Harkins, L. & Beech, A.R. (2007). Measurement of the effectiveness of sex offender treatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 12, 36-44.