Evelyne Bonis

Evelyne Bonis is a Professor of Private Law and Criminal Sciences at the University of Bordeaux, where she also serves as Director of the Institute of Criminal Sciences and Justice. Her work bridges academic research and practical legal reform in criminal justice, with a strong focus on sentencing, criminal procedure, and prison conditions.

• PhD in Private Law, University of Bordeaux (2000)
• Professor, University of Bordeaux (since 2000)
• Director, Institute of Criminal Sciences and Justice, University of Bordeaux

Her research centers on sentencing law, criminal procedure, and the enforcement and adjustment of sentences. She explores issues such as prison overcrowding, restorative justice, victim-offender mediation, and the impact of public health crises like Covid-19 on penal standards. Trained in restorative justice, she has evaluated experimental programs in convict-victim meetings in Bordeaux.

Her recent publications reflect a consistent engagement with contemporary legal challenges, including constitutional issues in criminal procedure (QPC), sentencing reform, probation systems, and long-term incarceration. The articles show a trajectory of policy-oriented scholarship aimed at improving fairness, dignity, and legal coherence in the criminal justice system.

Scientific contributions and publications include:

• Covid-19, prison and penal standards (2024)
• Sentencing Law (4th ed., 2023)
• Law of December 22, 2021: (re)establishing confidence in the execution of sentences? (2022)
• Long sentences research and recommendations reports (2020)
• For an overhaul of sentencing law (2016)

She supervises Master 2 and doctoral students in criminal law and sentencing. She has led 24-month collective research projects and contributes to national legal debates on justice reform. Her work is closely tied to public policy, particularly through reports for the GIP Research Mission on Law and Justice and publications with Lexisnexis. While no formal lab is mentioned, her leadership of the Institute of Criminal Sciences and Justice suggests she oversees a research team focused on criminal justice innovation and evaluation.