Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law
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| Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law | |
|---|---|
| Name | Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law |
| Established | 2019 |
| Type | Research Institute |
| City | Freiburg |
| Country | Germany |
| Parent | Max Planck Society |
Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law is a German research institute focusing on legal, sociological, and criminological dimensions of crime, security, and law. The institute operates within the Max Planck Society framework and engages with comparative, empirical, and normative scholarship to inform policy debates across Europe and beyond. It hosts interdisciplinary teams that interface with institutions such as European Court of Human Rights, Bundesverfassungsgericht, United Nations, European Commission, and Council of Europe.
History
The institute was founded in 2019 under the auspices of the Max Planck Society and emerged amid reforms following debates involving German Research Foundation, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany), Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Freiburg, and regional stakeholders. Its creation paralleled institutional developments at Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy, and reflected priorities articulated in reports by Deutscher Bundestag committees and advisory input from scholars tied to European University Institute, Oxford University, Harvard University, Yale University, and Stanford University.
Research Focus and Departments
Research at the institute spans criminal law, security studies, and legal theory, organized into departments that echo themes seen at Institute for Security and Development Policy, Hertie School, and faculties at University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Chicago, and Columbia University. Departments intersect with projects familiar to researchers from Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Criminal Law, and Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. Key thematic nodes include comparative criminal procedure relating to European Court of Justice, policing reforms inspired by cases like G20 Hamburg summit 2017, surveillance studies connected to debates from Edward Snowden disclosures, and algorithmic governance reflecting research by teams at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of California, Berkeley.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
The institute's governance follows the Max Planck Society model with a Scientific Advisory Board including academics from London School of Economics, Sciences Po, Leiden University, University of Copenhagen, and Technische Universität München. Directors are senior scholars with profiles comparable to leaders at Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition, Max Planck Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict, and Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology. Administrative oversight coordinates with municipal bodies such as City of Freiburg im Breisgau and state ministries of Baden-Württemberg. The institute convenes colloquia tied to networks including European Consortium for Political Research, International Association of Penal Law, International Association of Criminology, and partnerships with judges from Bundesgerichtshof and prosecutors from Europol.
Research Projects and Publications
Major projects examine transnational crime frameworks akin to studies by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, regulatory responses comparable to analyses in World Bank reports, and technology-law interactions addressed in publications from IEEE venues and ACM. The institute publishes working papers, monographs, and journal special issues in venues such as Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, European Journal of International Law, Criminology, Law & Society Review, and collaborates on edited volumes with presses like Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Routledge, and Springer. Research outputs address cases and doctrines from European Court of Human Rights, International Criminal Court, German Criminal Code, and policy instruments such as the Schengen Agreement and General Data Protection Regulation.
Collaborations and Partnerships
The institute maintains formal collaborations with universities and research centers including University of Freiburg, University of Oxford, Université PSL, University of Amsterdam, Free University of Berlin, King's College London, Princeton University, Duke University, National University of Singapore, and international organizations such as Council of Europe, European Commission, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Interpol. It participates in EU-funded consortia under Horizon Europe and Horizon 2020-like frameworks alongside partners like Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition and European University Institute.
Education, Training, and Outreach
The institute offers postdoctoral fellowships, doctoral supervision in cooperation with institutions such as University of Freiburg and Humboldt University of Berlin, and runs executive training for professionals from Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, Bundespolizei, Europol, and judicial actors. Outreach activities include public lectures, policy briefings for bodies like the European Parliament, summer schools modeled on programs at Central European University, and collaborative seminars with NGOs such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Facilities and Locations
Located in Freiburg im Breisgau, the institute occupies premises near research neighbors including University of Freiburg faculties and institutes affiliated with Black Forest. Facilities include research offices, seminar rooms used for conferences similar to those hosted by Leibniz Association centers, and library resources interoperable with catalogues of Max Planck Society, German National Library, and university libraries. The institute's location supports exchanges with regional courts, legal clinics, and cross-border initiatives involving neighboring countries like Switzerland and France.