Dr Megan Coghlan

Law

Assistant Professor

Biography

Dr Megan Coghlan is an Assistant Professor in Criminology at the School of Law and Criminology at Maynooth University.

Megan was awarded her PhD in 2022 at the University of Portsmouth and that research examined people’s reasons for returning to or persisting with crime. The research applied a qualitative approach to explore men and women’s offending experiences in Ireland and utilised a desistance theoretical framework to make sense of reoffending.

Published Report

Year Publication
2022 Megan Coghlan and Dennis Gough (2022) Understanding Reoffending: Push factors and preventative responses. Department of Justice, .

Book Chapter

Year Publication
2024 Megan Coghlan (2024) 'Irish Traveller Men: Structural and Cultural Barriers, and Reoffending' In: Marginalised Voices in Criminology. Abingdon-on-Thames : Routledge. [DOI]

Conference Contribution

Year Publication
2023 Megan Coghlan (2023) European Society of Criminology Conference Continuing with and returning to crime: Gendered experiences of coping through substance misuse and reoffending University of Florence, .
2023 Megan Coghlan (2023) North South Criminology Conference Insulation from Loss: Exploring the Role of Social Bonds at the Reoffending and Desistance Stages of the Offending Cycle Dublin City University, .

Blog

Year Publication
2023 Megan Coghlan (2023) What's needed to reduce the high level of criminal reoffending in Ireland?. [Blog] [Link]

Peer Reviewed Journal

Year Publication
2024 Megan Coghlan (2024) 'Insulation from loss: Exploring the impact of changing relationships in the liminal period between reoffending and desistance, and substance misuse and recovery'. Criminology and Criminal Justice, . [DOI]
Certain data included herein are derived from the © Web of Science (2024) of Clarivate. All rights reserved.

Teaching Interests

Dr Coghlan coordinates four undergraduate modules:
Sentencing and Non-Custodial Alternatives
A Way Out? Desistance from Crime
Exploring Criminology
Introduction to Criminal Justice