Ms Carole F. Willis (Mathematics 1973, MSc Management Science 1974)

Provided by Paul Wiles

A pioneer of encouraging lawyers and government to value social research, Carole Willis, has died tragically young of melanoma. Carole graduated in Mathematics from Imperial College in 1973 and went on to complete an MSc in Statistics and Sociology. She then joined the Home Office as a social researcher.

During this first period at the Home Office she worked on some of the key analyses of the day. She was involved in statistical analysis of the British Crime Survey, the data on race, crime and arrests and on public disorder incidents. She was also involved in research studies into many of the most controversial issues of the time, such as the effects of tape recording of police interviews with suspects, the police use of stop and search powers and racially motivated incidents.

In 1988 she was appointed to the newly created job of Director of Research and Policy Planning at the Law Society. At this time a small group of researchers was trying to develop socio-legal studies in Britain but the legal profession was not easily persuaded of the value of empirical research into law. The appointment of Carole Willis at the Law Society was a significant breakthrough.

In 2000 she returned to the Home Office but this time as Assistant Director of Research, Development and Statistics with responsibility for work ranging from policing to counter-terrorism. Now she took on one of the most difficult social research roles. On the one hand, she had to support a large group of social researchers and statisticians and ensure that the standard of their work and their training was of the highest quality. On the other hand, she had to persuade a (sometimes) sceptical group of senior policy colleagues and ministers that social research was not only worthwhile but actually essential to what they were trying to achieve. Carole excelled in both these roles.

She was a born manager and leader. Her colleagues were managed through care - a style of management not always common in days of fashionable macho target chasing. Her colleagues loved her for it and, of course, as a result delivered excellence in research, analysis and advice. Her ability to persuade sceptical colleagues and ministers of the need to support their activity with social research and analysis was uncanny. Watching her it seemed effortless, and yet very effective. The key was that Carole realised that the scepticism often came from uncertainty and worry about getting a decision wrong. Carole gave others the confidence to make the right decision and that was why her influence looked so effortless. This combination of research skills combined with a natural ability to manage and lead is a rare combination and her death is a great loss to the Home Office and the wider research community.

Carole's success in her job sprang from much deeper personal attributes. At her funeral service some of her fiends and colleagues spoke about their experience of Carole and through all their comments ran a common thread. Carole treated everyone she came into contact with as a unique human being. She responded to their needs and concerns and as a result was trusted. That ability to love others was combined with a scientist's ability to fearlessly use and analyse evidence. During the last few months of her life those two attributes were thrown into sharp relief. Her friends who tried to comfort her found that strangely she was comforting them: it was as if she didn't want to burden them but still wanted to support them. Yet she was clear sighted about her sickness and the prognosis. With her doctors she insisted on discussing their current trials even though she knew it would not benefit her and couldn't resist offering advice on statistical analysis. To one of her closest friends she said that her latest prognosis "- - - gives a whole new meaning to deadlines". These two sides of Carole meant that she had to display enormous courage in dealing with her sickness. It is difficult to sum up Carole but speakers at her funeral all did so by saying she was 'special'.

Research was not Carole's only interest and her involvement in music was reflected in a musical tribute at her funeral from the Tallis Chamber Orchestra.

Carole was married to Bill Saulsbury, who is an influential police researcher and together they were a formidable research team. Carole is survived by Bill and their daughter Faye.