معرفی
Diete Humblet is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Criminology at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, affiliated with the 'Crime and Society' (CriS) research group. She maintains partial affiliation with the centre of expertise on older adult care (EXP-O) at Odisee, focusing on interdisciplinary research at the criminology-gerontology intersection, particularly elderly prisoners' experiences in correctional systems.
Her educational background includes a Master's in Law from the University of Antwerp (2010) and a Master’s in Criminological Sciences from Ghent University (2012). She earned her Ph.D. on 'The Meaning of Imprisonment in Later Life' under Prof. S. Snacken's supervision, funded by the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO).
Humblet's research integrates legal, ethical, medical, and social perspectives to examine institutional dependency dynamics and human rights in extreme dependency situations. She investigates ageism in prison, carceral ageing existential dimensions, and gerontological applications in penology, employing methodologies like photovoice to capture prisoner lived experiences and advocate for human rights-based reforms.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals consistent focus on bridging gerontology with criminology to address prison system deficiencies for ageing populations. Her work identifies critical gaps in elder care within correctional facilities and proposes interdisciplinary solutions emphasizing dignity, specialized healthcare, and policy reforms for elderly inmates across European jurisdictions.
She has secured multiple FWO-funded projects as principal investigator, including 'Ageism in Prison' (2021-2025) and 'GEROCRIM' (2025-2029), demonstrating sustained grant acquisition capability. Her research translation extends beyond academia through 25+ activities including conference presentations and media engagements to influence correctional policy and practice.
Within CriS and EXP-O, Humblet collaborates on developing innovative detention policies and professionalizing prison elder care. Her teams work directly with correctional institutions, healthcare providers, and policymakers to implement age-sensitive practices and improve quality of life for ageing prisoners through evidence-based interventions.
