Crime and Criminal Justice: Comparative Criminal Justice

Comparative Criminal Justice explores contemporary criminal justice developments and challenges from legal and criminological perspectives. It's unique in its cross-national & multidisciplinary scope.
Students will thoroughly study the concept of criminal justice: the system of principles, rules, practices and institutions through which the state administers sanctions against socially undesirable behaviour. The programme addresses key institutions, processes and cross-national issues on crime and crime prevention, law and policy. It distinguishes itself by its international comparative perspective, analysing criminal justice systems, legislation and policies in common law and civil law countries. 

Students will explore the social and legal dilemmas that political and legal institutions face while governing security, guaranteeing safety and handling (inter)national crises. While the course devotes attention to all traditional actors in the criminal justice process, it also considers how crime control is shaped by other (non-state) actors and outside the criminal justice process. Our programme is taught by academic staff as well as by professionals working in the criminal justice sector. Apart from following lectures, you will also participate in field-trips to Dutch and international institutions such as the Netherlands' Council of State, Europol and the European Parliament.