David Wilson (criminologist)

David Wilson (born 23 April 1957) is a Scottish professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University. A former prison governor, he is known for his work as a criminologist specialising in serial killers through his work with various British police forces, academic publications, books, and media appearances.

Born in Sauchie, Clackmannanshire, Scotland, he was raised on a dairy farm outside Carluke, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Wilson studied at the University of Glasgow (1975–79), Selwyn College, Cambridge, and at the Cambridge Institute of Criminology, where he gained a PhD in 1983. He was awarded the St Andrew's Scholarship of New York, 1979–80. and became a National Teaching Fellow in 2012.

Recruited direct from Cambridge, he joined Her Majesty's Prison Service as an Assistant Governor at HMP Wormwood Scrubs in 1984. It is said by some that at the age of 29 he became the youngest governor in the country,. In fact he was the Assistant Governor in charge of Finnamore Wood camp, a small annexe to HM YOI Huntercombe. He then worked at HMP Grendon where he ran the sex offenders' treatment programme, HMP Woodhill, and HMYOI Finnamore Wood.

Whilst at HMP Woodhill, Wilson helped to design and managed the two units for the twelve most disruptive prisoners in the country. This experience brought him into contact with some of the most notorious offenders of the last 30 years, including Charles Bronson and Dennis Nilsen.