I am a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Bath and have previously taught at the University of Oxford and the University of Westminster. My work explores the deep entanglements between criminal justice and coloniality.

Before moving to academia, I spent five years at HM Prison Service, followed by more than a decade working across international criminal justice systems, where I led complex, multi-partner projects and evaluated programmes for UN departments and donor agencies. That experience informs my current research, where I aim to expose and explain the colonial-era logics that underpin justice and reform thinking.

The Podcast:

Omar researches, hosts, and produces ‘Justice Focus’, a criminology podcast amplifying the voices shaping justice.

Each episode features in-depth conversations with people doing the work—whether through academic research, NGO projects, or frontline practice. Together, we not only shine a spotlight on the ideas and innovations transforming criminal justice across the world, but also challenge traditional ways of thinking about justice and explore what lies beyond them.