Reflections from research - David Best

David Best is the world’s first Professor of Addiction Recovery and Director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research (CARR) at Leeds Trinity University. He has worked in the area of addiction research, policy and practice for around 25 years with a specific focus on pathways to stable recovery. He holds various other senior academic posts internationally, and is a founding member of the College of Lived Experience Recovery Organisations (LEROs) in the UK and of the Inclusive Recovery Cities movement. The focus of David’s research is on social factors that are applicable to desistance and resettlement, including the importance of social and community capital and the central role that social identity change plays in sustaining recovery and desistance. He has authored or co-edited seven books on addiction recovery and desistance from offending, and has written 250 peer-reviewed journal publications and around 70 book chapters and technical reports.