MICS Projects

Title

Aanpak georganiseerde criminaliteit vraagt nadere koersbepaling

Researchers

Hans Nelen

Type of project

Rapport

Duration

Dec 2020 – Jan 2023

Short Description

De afgelopen jaren zijn met extra financiële middelen van het kabinet verschillende lokale, regionale en landelijke projecten gestart om ondermijnende criminaliteit aan te pakken en in de kiem te smoren. Daardoor is in Nederland meer bewustwording ontstaan over de ernst van die problematiek en de noodzaak om deze gezamenlijk het hoofd te bieden. Of die aanpak op de juiste fundamenten en veronderstellingen is gebaseerd, staat echter nauwelijks ter discussie. Het is daarom hoog tijd voor een nadere koersbepaling, blijkt uit onderzoek van de Universiteit Maastricht en de Erasmus School of Law (Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam).
More information

Klik hier voor meer informatie.

 

Title

Political crime(s) – between concepts and applications of politically motivated criminal conducts

Researchers

Renata Barbosa

Type of project

PhD-project

Duration

Aug 2018 – Sep 2020

Short Description

The project aims to investigate the existence of a concept of political crime emerged from extradition and applicable to amnesty; as well as which are the criminal conducts that, despite presenting political elements, cannot be understood in the bulk of the protection granted by political crime concept. By analyzing the theoretical framework in comparison to court cases in Brazil and South Africa, it will provide standards to define which conducts withholding a political element can be considered political crime.

 

Title

Speciale behoeften van slachtoffers van hate crime ten aanzien van het strafproces en de slachtofferhulp (Special needs of hate crime victims regarding the criminal procedure and victim support)

Researchers

Suzan van der Aa, Jacques Claessen, Robin Hofmann

Funding Institution

WODC commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of

Duration

2018-2019

Short Description

This project tried to map the (special) procedural needs of hate crime victims in criminal proceedings and the extent to which the Dutch criminal procedure and victim support services are currently living up to those needs. In order to do this, three research methods were employed: 1) a structured literature review of quantitative victimization studies on the impact of hate crime victimization and procedural needs; 2) semi-structured interviews with representatives of victim support organizations and other experts dealing with hate crime victims (e.g., police, public prosecution service, victims support the Netherlands); and 3) an EU-wide comparative survey-study into the rights and services provided to hate crime victims in other EU Member States.

More Information

The final report can be found via www.wodc.nl

 

Title

Procesevaluatie en actieonderzoek EURIEC

Researchers

Hans Nelen en Robin Hofmann

Partner Institution

EURIEC Limburg, KU Leuven, Hochschule für Polizei und öffentliche Verwaltung NRW

Funding Institution

Europese Commissie en ministerie van J&V

Duration

Oct 2019 – Sep 2021

Short Description

In het plan van aanpak van het Euregionaal Informatie- en Expertise Centrum (EURIEC) worden de contouren ontvouwd van de ambities, taken, beoogde werkwijze en organisatie van deze netwerkorganisatie in oprichting. Het EURIEC beoogt een belangrijke bijdrage te leveren aan de grensoverschrijdende bestuurlijke aanpak van zware criminaliteit in België, Duitsland en Nederland.

De implementatie van het EURIEC zal begeleid worden door onderzoek dat ondersteunend van karakter is en daardoor als ‘actieonderzoek’ kan worden aangemerkt. Het uitgangspunt van dat type onderzoek is om het beleidsproces te optimaliseren en de kinderziekten waarmee de invoering van nieuw beleid vaak gepaard gaat, te verhelpen. De betrokkenen bij het EURIEC  krijgen nog tijdens het onderzoek van de wetenschappers rechtstreeks feedback en kunnen hun inspanningen en handelwijzen dan in de gewenste richting bijstellen.   

More Information

www.euriec.nl

 

Title

EmpRiSe – Right to silence and related rights in pre-trail suspects interrogations in the EU: legal and empirical study and related best practice

Researchers

Anna Pivaty, Hans Nelen, Dorris de Vocht, Melanie Sauerland, Miet Vanderhallen, Rebecca Heemskerk, Robert Horselenberg and Peggy ter Vrugt

Partner Institution

Dublin City University, Antwerp University and University of Leuven

Funding Institution

European Commission – DG Justice and Consumers

Duration

Apr 2018 – Apr 2020

Short Description

This research deals with the right to silence in the context of pre-trial suspect interrogation. This is considered to be one of the most controversial procedural rights and a number of issues arise with regard to its precise scope, rationales, limitations as well as its practical implementation. This project examines, legally and empirically, the issues surrounding the implementation of the right to silence and other relevant rights, such as the right of access to a lawyer and to information, in the context of pre-trial suspect interrogation in four jurisdictions: Belgium, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands.

 

Title

Evaluatie Versterking Aanpak Ondermijnende Criminaliteit (EVAOC)

Researchers

Hans Nelen, Roland Moerland en Kim Geurtjens

Partner Institution

Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

Funding Institution

WODC (ministerie van Justititie & Veiligheid

Duration

Mei 2019-Mei 2022

Short Description

Actiegericht onderzoek c.q. procesevaluatie die draait om de volgende onderzoeksvraag:

Wat zijn de ervaringen (good en bad practices) met en de ervaren impact van de in 2019 met behulp van de toegekende extra financiële middelen (Ondermijningsgelden en structurele middelen) ingezette versterking van de aanpak van georganiseerde, ondermijnende criminaliteit door regionale en landelijke partijen in de periode van 2019 tot en met 2021? Welke leerervaringen en lessen uit deze brede versterkingsbeweging kunnen al tijdens de implementatieperiode worden geformuleerd ten behoeve van de ketenpartners en het ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid?

More Information

Diverse publicaties en bijeenkomsten met het veld

 

Title

Examining the legitimisation activities adopted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) in order to further its mandate.

Researchers

Claire Boost

Type of project

PhD project

Duration

September 2017 – August 2021

Short Description

This research examines the role of legitimacy in transitional justice, specifically focusing on the response - the legitimisation activities - of the ICTR, when its own legitimacy was called into question. These legitimisation activities in turn provide information regarding the Tribunal’s priorities over the years, and how they relate to its (long-term and short-term) mandate.

 

Title

Legal representation before and during police interrogations

Researchers

Alexandra de Jong, Hans Nelen, Taru Spronken & Miet Vanderhallen,

 

Funding Institution

Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek- en Documentatiecentrum van het Ministerie van Veiligheid en Justitie (WODC; Research and Documentation Centre of the Ministry of Justice and Safety)

Duration

2012-2013

Short Description

The research aimed at exploring the degree to which and manner in which the presence of a lawyer before/during the police interview can affect the dynamics, results and significance of the police interview in the criminal investigation.To answer this question an international literature review was conducted, completed with focus group interview with lawyers and police officers in three countries: Belgium, England & Wales and the Netherlands.

More Information

Publication: Vanderhallen, M., de Jong, A., Nelen, H. & Spronken, T. (2014). Toga’s in de verhoorkamer. De invloed van rechtsbijstand op het politieverhoor [Togas in the interview room.  The impact of legal representation on police interrogations]. Den Haag: Boom lemma Uitgevers.

URL: https://english.wodc.nl

 

Title

Protecting young suspects in interrogation: a study on safeguards and best practices

Researchers

Dorris de Vocht, Michele Panzavolta, Miet Vanderhallen & Marc van Oosterhout

Partner Institution

Antwerp University, University of Warwick, University of Marcerata, Jagiellonian University of Kraków

Funding Institution

Criminal Justice Action Grant of the European Commission (JUST/2011/JPEN/AG2909)

Duration

2013-2015

Short Description

The research consisted of a comparative legal part and an empirical part conducted in five countries: Belgium, England & Wales, Italy, Poland and the Netherlands. The aim was to identify legal and empirical patterns in the procedural protection of juvenile suspects during pre-trial interrogation. The legal study consisted of comparative research into existing procedural safeguards for juvenile suspects during the interrogation. The empirical research consisted of focus group interviews, desk research and observations.

The findings of both the legal and empirical study resulted in a proposal for European minim rules and best practice on the protection of juvenile suspects during interrogation.

More Information

Publications:

De Vocht, D., Panzavolta, M., Vanderhallen, M. & van Oosterhout, M. (2014). Procedural safeguards for juvenile suspects in interrogations: a look at the commission proposal in light of a comparative study, New Journal of European Criminal Law, 5(4), 480-506.

Vocht, D.L.F. de, Panzavolta, M., Vanderhallen, M. & Oosterhout, M. van (Eds.).  (2015). Interrogating young suspects: procedural safeguards from a legal perspective (Maastricht Centre for Human Rights). Antwerp: Intersentia. (428 p.)

Vanderhallen, M., van Oosterhout, M., Panzavolta, M. & de Vocht, D.L.F. (Eds.) (2016). Interrogating young suspects: procedural safeguards from an empirical perspective. (Maastricht Centre for Human Rights). Antwerp: Intersentia. (458 p.)

De Vocht, D., Vanderhallen, M., & Panzavolta, M. (2017). Kinderen in de knel: verhoorbijstand aan minderjarige verdachten in het licht van de Europese richtlijn (EU)2016/800 inzake procedurele waarborgen voor kinderen. Tijdschrift voor Jeugd en Kinderrechten, 4, 287-306.

De Vocht D.L.F., Panzavolta M., Vanderhallen, M. & van oosterhout, M. (2014). Procedural Safeguards for Juvenile Suspects in Interrogations: A Look at the Commission Proposal in Light of an EU Comparative Study, New journal of European criminal law, 480-506.

 

Title

Recherchesamenwerking in de Euregio Maas-Rijn [Police collaboration in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion]

Researchers

Hans Nelen, Maaike Peters & Miet Vanderhallen

Funding Institution

Politie & Wetenschap [Police & Science]

 

Duration

2011-2012

Short Description

The research aimed at exploring police cooperation in the Euregion Meuse-Rhine.  The research consisted of i) an international literature and ii) focus group interviews with police from the three countries: Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.  The findings of both parts resulted in recommendations for cross-border police cooperation.

More Information

Publications:

Nelen, H., Peters, M. & Vanderhallen, M. (2013). Recherchesamenwerking in de Euregio Maas-Rijn: Knooppunten, knelpunten en kansen [Police collaboration in the Meuse-Rhine Euregion: intersections, bottlenecks and opportunities]. Politie & Wetenschap.

Peters, M., Vanderhallen, M. & Nelen, H. (2016). Cross-Border Criminal Investigation in the Meuse-Rhine Euroregion: International Policing and the Theory of (inter-) Organisational Conflict. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research, 22(1), 41-60.

 

Title

Preventing torture in the People’s Republic of China

Researchers

Hans Nelen, Taru Spronken, Gerard de Jonge, Miet Vanderhallen

Partner Institution

The Great Britain China Centre (coordinator), Renmin University of China Law School, The Rights Practice

Funding Institution

European Commission EIDHR/2008/148-024

Duration

2009-2012

Short Description

This project aimed at improving mutual understanding of China’s legal system, particularly the new evidence rules and the management of detention centres as well as the EU legal system, particularly the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture. The research resulted in a lay visitor scheme. Besides the research, three police training workshops on EU best practice regarding suspect interviews were held in Belgium and China.

More Information

Publications:

Weidong, C. & Sproinken, T. (Eds.) (2012). Three approaches to Combating torture in China (Maastricht Centre for Human Rights). Antwerp: Intersentia.

 

Title

Effective police station legal advice

Researchers

Enide Maegherman & Miet Vanderhallen

Partner Institution

University of Nottingham (coordinator)

Funding Institution

British Academy /Leverhulme

Duration

2017

Short Description

The study is a comparative study into police station legal advice consisting of national literature reviews completed with individual interviews with lawyers and/or police officers in six countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, England & Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland & Scotland). 

More Information

Publications:

Maegherman, E. & Vanderhallen, M. (2018). Effective police station legal advice - country report: Belgium.

Maegherman, E. & Vanderhallen, M. (2018). Effective police station legal advice - country report: Belgium.