University of Manchester criminologist wins European Young Criminologist Award 2026
Dr David Buil-Gil, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Criminology, has been awarded for his work examining the relationship between unstructured spare time and crime.
Dr David Buil-Gil, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Criminology in the Department of Criminology, was recognised for his article, The Structure of Unstructured Time and Crime: A Spare Time Model, published in The British Journal of Criminology in 2025.
The award will be presented at the ESC Conference in Warsaw, Poland, in September 2026.
Research on spare time and crime
The award-winning article examines the relationship between unstructured spare time and crime and considers the implications for crime prevention.
In its citation, the judging panel highlighted the article's combination of theoretical development and statistical analysis, noting that the research offers a new perspective on how spare time may influence criminal behaviour and crime trends.
The panel also pointed to the study's relevance for policies and interventions that encourage structured activities and positive social engagement among groups at higher risk of offending.
Award for innovative criminology research
The judging committee said: "Dr Buil-Gil's article offers an original contribution to criminological research and demonstrates a high standard of scholarship.
"The committee was impressed by both the conceptual development of the work and its careful empirical analysis. It makes an important contribution to current debates about crime prevention and criminological theory."
I am delighted to receive the ESC Young Criminologist Award and grateful to the colleagues who nominated me.
The research explores how the ways people spend their spare time can shape behaviour and, ultimately, patterns of crime. I hope the work contributes to ongoing discussions about how evidence can help inform effective and practical approaches to crime prevention.
I would also like to thank my colleagues, collaborators and mentors for their support throughout this research.
About the award
The ESC Young Criminologist Award recognises an outstanding article by a European criminologist who was 35 years old or younger when the article was published. The nominee must be the sole author of an article on a criminological topic published in a peer-reviewed journal in a European language within the three calendar years preceding the year of the proposed award.
The jury consists of two current or past at-large members of the Executive Board of the ESC and the Past-President. Each year, one member of the jury will be replaced by a new member. The ESC Executive Board is responsible for constituting the jury.
The article was nominated by Thiago R. Oliveira (The University of Manchester), Iain Brennan (University of Hull) and Fernando Mir贸-Llinares (Universidad Miguel Hern谩ndez de Elche).
About Dr David Buil-Gil
Dr David Buil-Gil is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Criminology and Research Director in the Department of Criminology at The University of Manchester. His research focuses on crime measurement, quantitative methods, cybercrime, crime prevention and comparative criminology. He works with policymakers, statistical agencies and criminal justice organisations in the UK and internationally to improve understanding of crime and its causes.
Further information about David's research is available on his University research profile:
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