Administrative data as a tool for advancing criminological research: Innovations and new frontiers – A Special Issue Gedenkschrift in honour of the late Emeritus Professor Anna Stewart

This Special Issue pays tribute to our dear friend and mentor Anna Stewart, Emeritus Professor at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia, who passed away in April of 2021. Anna was a pioneer in the construction and use of large-scale, linked administrative datasets for criminological research, especially in Australia. She recognised the potential of administrative data to help close critical knowledge gaps and promote evidence-informed government responses. Anna was also deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars and moulding “young” minds – graduating 17 scholars with PhDs and laying the foundation for another three, as well as graduating 28 Honours and Master’s scholars. Many of the guest editors of this Special Issue were these young minds. Anna's enduring commitment to social justice drove her research, bringing together and inspiring others to form cross-disciplinary teams and use their expertise to advance more equitable outcomes across society. We are honoured to continue her work. Our goal in this Special Issue is to highlight Anna's enduring contributions. We begin with a synopsis of her research journey from her PhD through to her final works, highlighting the foundations she laid and visions she had for ongoing work in this area. We then introduce our contributors to this Special Issue, celebrating their collaborations, innovations, and new frontiers that extend beyond Anna's legacy.