On-site PhD conferral Jan Willem van Manen

Key words: video reconstruction, crime re-enactment, verifiable expertise, strengthening the position of the defence

"De videoreconstructie in het strafproces: van verbeelding naar juridische werkelijkheid" [in Dutch]

From the start of a criminal investigation various reconstruction methods are applied to get clarity about 'the true facts' of the investigated event. One of these methods is video reconstruction, whereby the event is re-enacted at the original location and under as many identical circumstances as possible by and at the direction of suspects and witnesses. The course of this reconstruction is recorded audiovisually and the result is then used by the judge, the prosecution and/or the defence.

The central question in The Video Reconstruction in Criminal Proceedings is what contribution the video reconstruction makes to finding the truth in the criminal procedure and how this contribution can be optimised. The focus is on the legitimacy and reliability of the video reconstruction.

Click here for the full dissertation.

Click here for the live stream.