Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Theory Forum

The aim of the Forum is to provide a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on the criminal law and the criminal justice system.

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.

2022/23 Seminars and events

Michaelmas Term 2022

4 October 2022
Lewis Ross (LSE): 'Criminal Proof: Fixed or Flexible?’

15 November 2022
Ruth Coffey (Yale): 'Fight, Flight, Freeze ... or Lie? Rethinking the Principles of Res Gestae Evidence in Light of Its Revival'

6 December 2022
Sarah Summers (Zurich): 'Doing Justice to Expectations of Being Heard'

Lent Term 2023

17 January 2023
Laura Lammasniemi (Warwick): 'The Making of Sexual Consent - Narratives of Consent and Resistance in Early 20th Century Criminal Courts'

15 March 2023

Intermediate verdicts in criminal justice and beyond - a workshop

The binary verdict system, that is, a decision-making arrangement comprising a single standard of proof and two possible verdicts, is often taken for granted by those operating in jurisdictions that feature this system. England and Wales are such a jurisdiction. There appears to be a widespread view that the reasons for endorsing the binary system are self-evident, such that there is no need for articulating them. The study of intermediate verdicts (the Scottish ‘not proven’, in primis), and of the debates surrounding them, is a healthy reminder that alternatives to the binary system do exist and that, therefore, a justification for such a system should be given, instead of being merely assumed. By addressing the question whether intermediate verdicts can be justified, we aim to overcome the current dogmatism concerning the binary verdict system, that is, we aim to encourage an open discussion about the reasons in favour or against binary verdicts. The workshop will feature leading academics who are currently working on the topic of intermediate verdicts in the contexts of criminal and of civil justice, both in the UK and abroad.

click here to download the full programme and abstracts for this workshop

Please note that space for this workshop is limited. If you wish to attend, please contact the Forum coordinator: f.picinali@lse.ac.uk

Please note, due to unforeseen circumstances, the workshop will now be held in the Vera Anstey Room, Old Building, LSE, where step-free access is not available. See Campus Accessibility Map.

28 March 2023
Giovanni Tuzet (Bocconi): 'Inevitably Ignorant. On Excusable Ignorance and Mistakes about the Criminal Law'

Events take please in the Vera Anstey Room (Old Building, LSE), 6pm. A Zoom link will be circulated in advance of each seminar for those wishing to attend remotely. For further information, contact f.picinali@lse.ac.uk