In my previous presidential message, I argued the need for criminologists to engage in a scientific and societal dialogue and work towards an interdisciplinary and open criminology. It is my conviction that both our field and our European Society should be seen as an environment in which to participate in the exchange of ideas and to foster collaboration across the borders of our discipline, regardless of very narrowly-defined schools of thoughts, ontological stances and methodological preferences.
The ESC will hold its 19th annual conference in Ghent, Belgium, on 18-21 September 2019. The Institute of International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP) at the Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law (Ghent University) is this year’s local organising committee.
Since our last report at the start of 2018, the EUROC working group has further strengthened its international presence with major participation at the ESC Annual Conferences alongside formal ties emerging with our colleagues in the US at the Division of White-Collar Crime within the American Society of Criminology.
The Eurogang Working Group consists of researchers in the field of gangs and troublesome youth groups, and is linked to a network of around 200 European and non-European researchers with a broad interest in the subject of gang research.
The topics of this research group continue to be high on the political agendas in most European countries. This situation creates both challenges and opportunities for criminological research.
In September this year, the ESC Prison Working Group celebrates its 10th anniversary. Starting as a small group, the working group has grown into a group of 90 members representing 21 different countries. The Prison Working Group aims to encourage prison research in Europe and to enhance networking and international collaborations between European researchers involved in prison research.
Last year, in Sarajevo, 23 papers were presented in six highly attended Space, Place and Crime (WG-PLACE) thematic panels. Presenters came from all parts of Europe.