Dr Rachel McPherson

  • Lecturer (School of Law)

telephone: 0141 330 1777
email: Rachel.Mcpherson@glasgow.ac.uk

Room 316, Stair Building, University of Glasgow

Biography

Rachel’s expertise lies in Criminal Law and Evidence and Family Law. She is particularly interested in legal responses to domestic abuse and intimate partner homicide.

She sits on the steering board of the Scottish Institute for Policing Research and is a member of the Law Society of Scotland's Criminal Law Committee.

She has worked across a range of socio-legal research projects including those funded by the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service, Economic and Social Research Council, Scottish Government, and Scottish Institute for Policing Research. She has worked on issues such as hate crime, police officers’ understanding of medico-legal intervention in the processing of sexual assault cases, rape attrition, the pilot scheme initiatives of ‘Clare’s Law’ and a range of sentencing issues (sentencing discounts, death by driving cases, sexual offences and the sentencing of young people).

Rachel is also the deputy chief adviser of studies. 

Research interests

  • Access to justice
  • Criminal law
  • Criminal justice
  • Family law
  • Gender and the law
  • Intimate partner homicide
  • Law of evidence
  • Legal responses to domestic abuse
  • Sentencing
  • Socio-legal research methodologies

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012
Number of items: 28.

2023

McPherson, R. (2023) Reflecting on legal responses to intimate partner femicide in Scotland. Violence Against Women, 29(3-4), pp. 686-704. (doi: 10.1177/10778012221094068) (PMID:35989666)

2022

McPherson, R. (2022) Fit for purpose in today’s society? Reflecting on provocation pleas in modern Scotland. Journal of Criminal Law, (Accepted for Publication)

McPherson, R. (2022) Women accused of killing with others: experiences of the Scottish criminal justice system. Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 61(4), pp. 484-501. (doi: 10.1111/hojo.12490)

McPherson, R. (2022) Women and self-defence: an empirical and doctrinal analysis. International Journal of Law in Context, 18(4), pp. 461-475. (doi: 10.1017/S1744552322000131)

McPherson, R. (2022) Unintended consequences of non-harassment orders: child contact decision-making. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 44(4), pp. 495-511. (doi: 10.1080/09649069.2022.2136714)

McPherson, R., Gormley, J. and Wheate, R. (2022) The sentencing of offences involving domestic abuse in Scotland. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

McPherson, R. (2022) An empirical study of criminal defences. Criminal Law Review, 2022(4), pp. 307-318.

McPherson, R. (2022) S. Cowan, C. Kennedy and V. Munro (eds), Scottish Feminist Judgments: (Re)Creating Law from the Outside In, Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2020, 472pp, hb £95.00. Modern Law Review, 85(2), pp. 563-566. (doi: 10.1111/1468-2230.12660)[Book Review]

2021

Biggs, H., Reid, S., Attygalle, K., Vosnaki, K., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2021) Public Perceptions of Sentencing in Scotland: Qualitative research exploring sexual offences. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh, UK.

Creutzfeldt, N., Gill, C., Cornelis, M. and McPherson, R. (2021) Access to Justice for Vulnerable and Energy-Poor Consumers: Just Energy? Hart Publishing. ISBN 9781509939435

McPherson, R. (2021) Legal change and legal inertia: understanding and contextualising Scottish cases in which women kill their abusers. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 5(2), pp. 289-306. (doi: 10.1332/239868021X16099485271900)

McPherson, R. (2021) The Sentencing Process Guideline Analysis of Consultation Responses. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council.

McPherson, R. (2021) Diminished responsibility post codification: lost opportunities, tensions and gendered applications. Edinburgh Law Review, 25(2), pp. 173-191. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2021.0693)

McPherson, R., Burgess, N., Gormely, J. and Tata, C. (2021) Sexual offences involving rape literature review. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

McPherson, R., Gormely, J., Burgess, N. and Tata, C. (2021) Sexual offences involving sexual assault literature review. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

Reid, S., Biggs, H., Attygalle, K., Vosnaki, K., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2021) Public Perceptions of Sentencing in Scotland: Qualitative research exploring causing death by driving offences. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

2020

Gormley, J., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2020) Sentence Discounting: Sentencing and Plea Decision-Making. Documentation. Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

McPherson, R. (2020) Sutherland v HM Advocate: the right to privacy, evidence gathering and the integrity of justice in a digital age. Juridical Review, 2020(2), pp. 104-109.

Creutzfeldt, N., Gill, C., McPherson, R. and Cornelis, M. (2020) The social and local dimensions of governance of energy poverty: adaptive responses to state remoteness. Journal of Consumer Policy, 43, pp. 635-658. (doi: 10.1007/s10603-019-09442-z)

2019

McPherson, R. (2019) Battered Woman Syndrome, diminished responsibility and women who kill: insights from Scottish case law. Journal of Criminal Law, 83(5), pp. 381-393. (doi: 10.1177/0022018319858506)

McPherson, R. (2019) Donegan v HM Advocate: a step in the right direction for female complainers in sexual offences? Edinburgh Law Review, 23(3), pp. 406-411. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2019.0577)

McPherson, R. (2019) Entrapment and the road to fraud. Juridical Review, 2019(3), pp. 277-281.

2018

McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2018) Causing Death by Driving Offences: Literature Review. Other. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh, UK.

2017

McPherson, R. (2017) Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation: Analysis of Questionnaire Responses. Other. Scottish Government, Edinburgh, UK.

2015

McPherson, R. (2015) Pamela R Ferguson and Claire McDiarmid, 'Scots Criminal Law: A Critical Analysis'. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (www.euppublishing.com), 2014. lxv + 701 pp. ISBN 9781845861308. £40. Edinburgh Law Review, 19(2), pp. 297-298. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2015.0290)[Book Review]

2013

McPherson, R. (2013) The procedure of agreed narratives: Procedural efficiency or a concern for justice? Juridical Review, 141,

2012

McPherson, R. (2012) Fatal self-defence against rape: A call for clarification in Scots Law. Juridical Review, 111,

McPherson, R. (2012) Domestic abuse and partner homicide. SCOLAG Legal Journal, 411(4),

This list was generated on Sun Mar 19 11:40:02 2023 GMT.
Number of items: 28.

Articles

McPherson, R. (2023) Reflecting on legal responses to intimate partner femicide in Scotland. Violence Against Women, 29(3-4), pp. 686-704. (doi: 10.1177/10778012221094068) (PMID:35989666)

McPherson, R. (2022) Fit for purpose in today’s society? Reflecting on provocation pleas in modern Scotland. Journal of Criminal Law, (Accepted for Publication)

McPherson, R. (2022) Women accused of killing with others: experiences of the Scottish criminal justice system. Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 61(4), pp. 484-501. (doi: 10.1111/hojo.12490)

McPherson, R. (2022) Women and self-defence: an empirical and doctrinal analysis. International Journal of Law in Context, 18(4), pp. 461-475. (doi: 10.1017/S1744552322000131)

McPherson, R. (2022) Unintended consequences of non-harassment orders: child contact decision-making. Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 44(4), pp. 495-511. (doi: 10.1080/09649069.2022.2136714)

McPherson, R. (2022) An empirical study of criminal defences. Criminal Law Review, 2022(4), pp. 307-318.

McPherson, R. (2021) Legal change and legal inertia: understanding and contextualising Scottish cases in which women kill their abusers. Journal of Gender-Based Violence, 5(2), pp. 289-306. (doi: 10.1332/239868021X16099485271900)

McPherson, R. (2021) Diminished responsibility post codification: lost opportunities, tensions and gendered applications. Edinburgh Law Review, 25(2), pp. 173-191. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2021.0693)

McPherson, R. (2020) Sutherland v HM Advocate: the right to privacy, evidence gathering and the integrity of justice in a digital age. Juridical Review, 2020(2), pp. 104-109.

Creutzfeldt, N., Gill, C., McPherson, R. and Cornelis, M. (2020) The social and local dimensions of governance of energy poverty: adaptive responses to state remoteness. Journal of Consumer Policy, 43, pp. 635-658. (doi: 10.1007/s10603-019-09442-z)

McPherson, R. (2019) Battered Woman Syndrome, diminished responsibility and women who kill: insights from Scottish case law. Journal of Criminal Law, 83(5), pp. 381-393. (doi: 10.1177/0022018319858506)

McPherson, R. (2019) Donegan v HM Advocate: a step in the right direction for female complainers in sexual offences? Edinburgh Law Review, 23(3), pp. 406-411. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2019.0577)

McPherson, R. (2019) Entrapment and the road to fraud. Juridical Review, 2019(3), pp. 277-281.

McPherson, R. (2013) The procedure of agreed narratives: Procedural efficiency or a concern for justice? Juridical Review, 141,

McPherson, R. (2012) Fatal self-defence against rape: A call for clarification in Scots Law. Juridical Review, 111,

McPherson, R. (2012) Domestic abuse and partner homicide. SCOLAG Legal Journal, 411(4),

Books

Creutzfeldt, N., Gill, C., Cornelis, M. and McPherson, R. (2021) Access to Justice for Vulnerable and Energy-Poor Consumers: Just Energy? Hart Publishing. ISBN 9781509939435

Book Reviews

McPherson, R. (2022) S. Cowan, C. Kennedy and V. Munro (eds), Scottish Feminist Judgments: (Re)Creating Law from the Outside In, Oxford: Hart Publishing, 2020, 472pp, hb £95.00. Modern Law Review, 85(2), pp. 563-566. (doi: 10.1111/1468-2230.12660)[Book Review]

McPherson, R. (2015) Pamela R Ferguson and Claire McDiarmid, 'Scots Criminal Law: A Critical Analysis'. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (www.euppublishing.com), 2014. lxv + 701 pp. ISBN 9781845861308. £40. Edinburgh Law Review, 19(2), pp. 297-298. (doi: 10.3366/elr.2015.0290)[Book Review]

Research Reports or Papers

McPherson, R., Gormley, J. and Wheate, R. (2022) The sentencing of offences involving domestic abuse in Scotland. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

Biggs, H., Reid, S., Attygalle, K., Vosnaki, K., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2021) Public Perceptions of Sentencing in Scotland: Qualitative research exploring sexual offences. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh, UK.

McPherson, R. (2021) The Sentencing Process Guideline Analysis of Consultation Responses. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council.

McPherson, R., Burgess, N., Gormely, J. and Tata, C. (2021) Sexual offences involving rape literature review. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

McPherson, R., Gormely, J., Burgess, N. and Tata, C. (2021) Sexual offences involving sexual assault literature review. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

Reid, S., Biggs, H., Attygalle, K., Vosnaki, K., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2021) Public Perceptions of Sentencing in Scotland: Qualitative research exploring causing death by driving offences. Documentation. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

Gormley, J., McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2020) Sentence Discounting: Sentencing and Plea Decision-Making. Documentation. Sentencing Council, Edinburgh.

McPherson, R. and Tata, C. (2018) Causing Death by Driving Offences: Literature Review. Other. Scottish Sentencing Council, Edinburgh, UK.

McPherson, R. (2017) Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation: Analysis of Questionnaire Responses. Other. Scottish Government, Edinburgh, UK.

This list was generated on Sun Mar 19 11:40:02 2023 GMT.

Grants

  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2021) Sentencing in cases involving domestic abuse
  • Royal Society of Edinburgh (2021) Understanding and translating cases in which women kill following domestic abuse
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2020) Sentencing in cases involving rape in Scotland and other jurisdictions
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2020) Sentencing in cases involving sexual assault in Scotland and other jurisdictions
  • Carnegie Trust (2020) Scottish homicides: bridging the gap between the empirical and theoretical
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2019) Analysis of Judicial Consultations on Sentencing 
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2019) Sentencing Discount, tendered in association with University of Strathclyde
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2019) Public Perceptions of Sentencing Survey, tendered in association with Ipsos MORI
  • Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (2019) Public Perceptions of Sentencing in the Scottish Courts, tendered in associated with ScotCen
  • Scottish Sentencing Council (2018) Death by Driving Literature Review, tendered in association with University of Strathclyde
  • Scottish Government (2017) Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation 
  • Glasgow City Council (2017) Hate Crime Service Provision 

Supervision

Rachel is interested in supervising students with an interest in any aspect of criminal law and criminal justice; the law of evidence; family law and gender and the law. 

Current supervision:

  • Marsh, Clare   The introduction a specific defence in the context of the law of homicide where an accused has been a victim of domestic abuse, and how this defence should operate.
  • McKenna, Holly   Jury selection in rape trials

Teaching

  • Criminal Law and Evidence
  • Criminal Law: Theory and Doctrine
  • Family Law
  • Issues of Family Law

Additional information

Affiliations

Gender-Based Violence Research Forum

Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research

Law Reform and Public Policy Research Group 

Socio-Legal Research Group

 

Blog Posts

What do we know about sentencing sexual offences in Scotland?

Sentencing discounting: sentencing and plea-decision making

Just Energy World Cafe Institute for Advanced Legal Studies