Securing a Seat at the Policy Table: Advancing Criminology’s Impact on Decision-Making

Session Submission Type: Pre-arranged Panel

Abstract

Criminology offers vital evidence-based insights for designing effective policies on crime prevention, justice, and rehabilitation. Yet, the integration of criminological expertise into policy frameworks remains inconsistent, often overshadowed by political agendas, institutional inertia, and public perceptions. This panel brings together leading academics who have played a direct role in drafting national and European policies aimed at tackling violence and crime. It explores the critical challenges and opportunities in securing criminology’s rightful place at the policy table.
Through real-world examples—including Greece’s National Strategy on the Prevention of Violence Against Children and Juvenile Delinquency, the Policy on the digitalisation of criminal justice system, and the European Policy on Victims' Rights—this discussion will highlight how empirical research can be translated into impactful policy decisions. Panelists will share firsthand experiences of navigating political complexities, advocating for evidence-based reforms, and ensuring that criminological insights inform legislative and strategic frameworks.
The session will address key questions:
• How can criminologists effectively communicate their research to policymakers and the public?
• What are the institutional and political barriers to integrating scientific knowledge into policy?
• How can interdisciplinary collaboration enhance the implementation of evidence-based policies?
• What lessons can be learned from successful policy initiatives in crime prevention, rehabilitation, and victim protection?
By fostering a dialogue between academics, policymakers, and practitioners, this panel aims to move beyond theoretical discussions and provide actionable recommendations for embedding criminological research into governance. The session will advocate for a proactive, interdisciplinary, and solutions-driven approach to policymaking—ensuring that criminologists are not only contributors but key architects of effective, evidence-driven crime and justice policies.

Subtopic

• Topic 5: Social Control and Criminal Justice / Criminal Justice Policy (Crime, Science and Politics WG )

Chair

• Vasiliki Artinopoulou, PANTEION UNIVERSITY of Athens

Individual Presentations

• From Research to Policy: Drafting Greece’s National Strategy on the Prevention of Violence Against Children and Juvenile Delinquency - Vasiliki Artinopoulou, PANTEION UNIVERSITY of Athens

• Advancing Child-Friendly Justice in Greece’s Strategy for Preventing and Addressing Juvenile Delinquency - Paris Zagoura, PANTEION UNIVERSITY, Sociology Department

• Advancing Victims’ Rights policy in the EU: Insights from the ViSAR Project on Domestic Violence and Cross-Border Protection - Konstantinos Panagos, NATIONAL KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS, LAW SCHOOL

• Reframing Child Removal in Greece: A Proposal for a Trauma-Informed Protocol - Stefanos Alevizos, PANTEION UNIVERSITY, Sociology Department, Restorative Justice & Mediation Lab, Athens, Greece