15th World Congress of the International Society for Criminology
(Barcelona, Spain - July 20/25, 2008)
CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY: RESEARCH AND ACTION
This general theme of the congress will be developed within three significant areas of crime and its control in the main regions of the world.(the selected areas are: transnational crime, urban crime, victims and restorative justice)
A – Transnational Crime
Taking stock of and evaluating dominant trends in crime will be put in an economic and socio-cultural context of globalization with special attention for the social phenomena related with migratory movements of populations.
à Organized crime, economic crime, cyber crime, terrorism, traffic in human beings, drug dealing Crime.
à The need of transnational and transcontinental cooperation
à The development of supranational policies to embrace national legislation and crime policies.
à The specific role of criminology as an academic discipline in this area : education research and crime control policies
B – Urban Crime
The development of fast growing mega conurbations in different regions of the world challenges the imagination of criminologists to renewed reflections and answers to crime related with these phenomena.
à Mega cities and increasing levels of crime and violence against persons, institutions, laws and public order.
à Insecurity of populations
à The influence of cultural diversity and the fear of crime
à In search of new strategies of policing and prevention
à The desirable role of criminology as a participant in the design of urban policies and city planning.
C – Victims and Restorative Justice
Crime, not only has increased in numbers of victims, but has at the same time brought to life a new interest for victims and the way their problems and needs should be met and answered in the context of institutions for assistance and justice.
à Crime and victimization
à Criminology and victimology
à Criminal justice and victim rights
à Procedures of reparation, compensation, mediation, reconciliation, conferencing and sentencing circles
à Mass victimization and special procedures as e.g. commissions of truth
à The development of national and international victim associations and pressure groups
à Restorative justice : concepts, education, research , policy developments and international networks
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The foregoing list of problematic situations, on the basis of which the overall theme of the congress will be discussed and developed, has to be confronted with the following questions:
a) What is the future of academic criminology given the new challenges the discipline is facing in fast changing socio-economic and political contexts?
b) How will and has criminology to find it’s most creative and useful expressions in research and action?
c) What is the value of answers to crime already made available in the areas selected for the congress discussions? How successful are preventive social action and crime control?