Criminal Justice Forum

The aim of the Forum is to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on the criminal law and the criminal justice system. Its members and affiliates (mainly from LSE Law School but also other LSE Departments and institutions) conduct research on various aspects of criminal law and criminal justice from a variety of methodological standpoints (moral, political and social theory, criminology, anthropology, epistemology etc.).

The Forum organises an annual seminar series on criminal law and criminal justice theory. The aim of the series is to facilitate scholars and students coming together to discuss cutting edge research and share their views in a rigorous but friendly environment. We see our seminars as a vital break from the ‘solitary confinement’ of academic rumination: an occasion to meet new people working or studying in the field and to strengthen the community of scholars interested in the criminal justice system.

We have had the pleasure to host some of the most established scholars worldwide in criminal law and criminal justice studies, but also younger scholars producing exciting new work. See the posters in the right-hand column for the names of colleagues who presented their work in the Forum. The seminars consistently attract a numerous and active audience of people from various backgrounds and areas of expertise, including philosophers, sociologists, criminologists, and lawyers. The range of topics has been impressively wide. This interdisciplinarity – which is a defining trait of the Forum and the LSE Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Group – has always enriched the experience of both speakers and attendees. We regularly host book launches celebrating the publication of important new work (and putting it to close scrutiny!). Some of our seminars are organised in co-operation with the LSE Mannheim Centre for Criminology.

The forum was greatly enriched by the participation of Prof. Mike Redmayne, who passed away in June 2015.

Should you be interested in receiving details regarding the Forum or individual events do not hesitate to contact the Forum co-ordinator.

2026/27 Seminars and events

Autumn Term 2026

29 September 2026
Professors Saskia Hufnagel and Colin King (Law School, University of Sydney)
Using a Sledgehammer to Crack a Nut? An Empirical Study on the Impact of Anti-Money Laundering Regulation on the UK Art Market

20 October 2026 – Venue TBC
Ekow Yankah (University of Michigan)
Inaugural Annual Criminal Law Lecture - Taking Victims Seriously: Abolitionism, Minimalism and Punishment as Equality Affirming

10 November 2026
Heli Korkka-Knutts (University of Helsinki)
From Moral Agency to Criminal Answerability: A Practice-Based Account of Corporate Criminal Responsibility

1 December 2026
Ailbhe O'Loughlin (University of York)
Law and Personality Disorder: Human Rights, Human Risks, and Rehabilitation

Winter Term 2027

19 January 2027
Giulia Lasagni (University of Bologna)
The Impact of AI on Miscarriages of Justice: A Risk or a Mitigating Factor?

9 February 2027
Christian Dahlman (Lund University)
The Obligation of Legal Fact-Finders to Consider Alternative Explanations Ex Officio to Avoid the Fallacy of False Dichotomy

9 March 2027
Jacopo Della Torre (University of Genova)
Decision Noise and Criminal Standards of Proof

All seminars will be held in the Moot Court Room, 7th Floor, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE London, unless otherwise indicated. All seminars begin at 6:05 pm. WC2A 3LJ A Zoom link will be circulated in advance of each seminar for those wishing to attend remotely. For further information, please contact f.picinali@lse.ac.uk.