Research project
Criminal law - criteria for criminalisation
One of the recurring points of discussion within the Criminal Justice research programme is the question of what behaviour should or should not fall within the scope of criminal law. This research theme is examined from a legal-dogmatic and social-scientific perspective.
- Contact
- Jeroen ten Voorde
From the early days of the Criminal Justice research group, an interest was already kindled in the legitimacy of criminal law. Since 2009, much work has been published focusing on this specific theme. Initial publications included the report Towards an integral evaluation of anti-terrorism measures (2009) which was co-authored with Professor Tineke Cleiren, and the dissertation defended by Maartje van der Woude, Legislation in a Safety Culture, Establishment of anti-terrorism legislation from a social and (legal) political context about legislation in a security culture.
In 2011, the research group organised an inspiring conference entitled "Criteria for criminalization in a new dynamic". Legal professionals and social scientists examined the interaction between the traditional criteria that determined criminal law (or seemed to determine it) and the environment in which criminal law was operating at that time. The resulting publication, Criteria for Criminalization, Symbolic Legitimacy versus Social Reality (2012), contained contributions from researchers in the research group and reflected the interdisciplinary nature of this field of research.
As a follow-up to these results, research was continued and expanded in the area of substantive criminal law and criteria for criminalisation. One internal PhD student worked on the effect of the European principle of legality on national offences and case law (Altena, 2016 dissertation). Three external PhD students (Esser, Ten Klooster and Bakker) studied the structure of criminal law from the perspective of the criteria for criminalisation and the legal interests involved. A more recently appointed PhD candidate, Jelle Cnossen, is examining the complex relationship between criminalisation in general and specific criminal law and its effects. A fourth external PhD candidate (Tamara Buruma) is conducting research on the criminalisation of sedition and the legal interest of public order.
Projects have continued to be established within this research theme. In 2015, a new PhD position was acquired in the field of criteria for criminalisation, in particular the concept of damages and partly from an interdisciplinary perspective (neuro law, Jozef Coppelmans). In the coming years, Emeritus professor Tineke Cleiren, Jeroen ten Voorde, and four PhD students (both internal and external) will focus on substantive criminal law and the criteria and legal interests involved. Professor Cleiren's research recently received a significant boost with a grant from LUF. The research aims to answer the question of whether the guarantees of legitimacy and accountability, which were embedded in and provided by the underlying philosophy, structure, consistency and coherence, can still be sufficiently realised with the current Criminal Code. Jannemieke Ouwerkerk, appointed Professor of European Criminal Law on 1 August 2016, will continue to conduct research that focuses on criminalisation criteria in European law.
Current research projects
J.W. Ouwerkerk – Symbol or substance? Towards a systematic application of criminalisation criteria in EU Law (veni): The European Union can require Member States to criminalise certain behaviours in national legislation. This project examines on what grounds (i.e. the criteria for criminalisation) the European Union can do so. In addition, an instrument will be developed to facilitate and realise a systematic application of these criteria.
M.A.H. van der Woude, J.M. ten Voorde, P. Boekhoorn & A. Jonker – Evaluatie Nederlandse contraterrorismewetgeving 2001-2021 (WODC).
T.M.B. Buruma Opruiing (art. 131 Sr.) in een veranderde samenleving
J.P. Cnossen - De invloed van bijzonder strafrecht op fundamentele uitgangspunten van het strafrecht (PhD research)
L.B. Esser - Strafbaarstelling van mensenhandel in de context van internationalisering en europeanisering (PhD research)
J.N. Coppelmans (formerly J.N. Faassen) - Strafbaarstelling, Moraliteit en de Neurowetenschappen: een nieuw perspectief op schade (PhD research)
S.J. Lopik - Strafrecht en klimaatverandering (PhD research)
N.G.H. Verschaeren - Diversiteit in handhavingsstelsels (PhD research)
Key publications
Ouwerkerk J.W. (2020), Fundamental Rights-Oriented Repression in the EU? Exploring the Potential and Limits of an Impunity Rationale to Justify Criminalisation in the EU Legal Order. In: Marin, L.; Montaldo, S. (red.) The Fight Against Impunity in EU Law. Hart Studies in European Criminal Law Oxford: Hart Publishing. 47-61.
Ouwerkerk J.W. (2019), Evidence-Based Criminalisation in EU Law: Evidence of What Exactly?. In: Ouwerkerk J.W., Altena J., Öberg J., Miettinen S. (red.) The Future of EU Criminal Justice Policy and Practice. Legal and Criminological Perspectives. European Criminal Justice Series nr. 1 Leiden, Boston: Brill Nijhoff. 37-65.
Cleiren C.P.M. & Voorde J.M. ten (2019), Harmonising Legal Interests. Legal Interests under Criminal Law in a Multilevel Legal Order. In: Ouwerkerk J., Altena J., Öberg J., Miettinen S. (red.) The Future of EU Criminal Justice Policy and Practice. Legal and Criminological Perspectives. European Criminal Justice Series nr. 1 Leiden: Brill/Nijhoff. 121-142.
Voorde J.M. ten (2019), Enkele reflecties op toezicht in het Nederlands strafrechtelijk sanctiestelsel, Justitiële Verkenningen 45(3): 11-23.
Ouwerkerk J.W. (2018), Balancing Mutual Trust and Fundamental Rights Protection in the Context of the European Arrest Warrant: What Role for the Gravity of the Underlying Offence in CJEU Case Law? (Editorial), European journal of crime, criminal law and criminal justice 26(2): 103-109.
Contact
If you would like to find out more about the research being conducted within the Criminal Justice research programme's focus on criminalisation, please contact Jeroen ten Voorde.