Jean-Louis van Gelder

Jean-Louis van Gelder is a Director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (Freiburg, Germany) and a Full Professor at the Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University (Netherlands). His work bridges criminology, psychology, and technology to study offender decision-making and develop behavioral interventions.

• Education:
  • PhD (Psychology, VU University Amsterdam)
  • PhD (Law, University of Amsterdam)
  • M.A. (Law, University of Amsterdam)
  • M.A. (Psychology, University of Amsterdam)

Research Focus: Van Gelder explores how short-term mindsets, peer dynamics, and harsh environments influence criminal behavior. He pioneers the use of virtual reality (VR) and 360º immersive scenarios to simulate real-world crime contexts and test interventions.

Projects: He leads initiatives like the 360º Virtual Scenario Method, Virtual Burglary Project, and FutureU—a VR-based intervention to enhance future self-connection in offenders. His collaborations span Leiden University, University of Portsmouth, and Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development (University of Zurich).

• Affiliations:
  • External Research Associate, University of Portsmouth
  • Research Collaborator, Jacobs Center for Productive Youth Development

Publications: His recent work examines VR's role in criminology, the link between childhood adversity and cognitive processes, and digital interventions for mental health and delinquency reduction.

Contact: sek-kriminologie@csl.mpg.de | +49 761 7081-701