معرفی
Laura Peters is an Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology at the Faculty of Law, University of Groningen. She specializes in Dutch criminal law and criminal procedure, human rights (ECHR), comparative criminal law, and subversive crime. Her research primarily focuses on studying criminal law and criminal procedure in the Netherlands and abroad, with particular interest in increasing the effectiveness of criminal proceedings, especially regarding subversive crime.
Dr. Peters obtained her law degree (cum laude) from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2005, with a specialization in Criminal Law and Comparative Criminal Law. During her studies, she spent a year at Libera Università degli Studi Sociali Guido Carlo in Rome (2002-2003, cum laude) through the European Union's Socrates program and completed the Sommerhochschule at the University of Vienna in 2004 (cum laude). She earned her PhD from Radboud University Nijmegen in 2012 with research on negotiated justice in criminal cases across Italy, Germany, and France.
Dr. Peters' research interests center on comparative criminal justice systems, with particular focus on how the Netherlands can learn from Italy's approach to fighting organized crime, especially the Mafia. She has conducted extensive research on Italian anti-Mafia legislation and how it could be adapted to better combat organized crime in the Netherlands. Her work also explores innovations in criminal procedure, including negotiated justice, plea bargaining, and the potential use of AI in criminal justice processes. She is particularly interested in methods to increase the effectiveness of criminal proceedings while maintaining respect for human rights and fundamental principles of justice.
Dr. Peters' publications reveal a consistent trajectory examining comparative criminal justice systems, with a growing focus on Italian approaches to organized crime. Her recent work shows increasing emphasis on practical applications of foreign legal concepts to the Dutch context, particularly regarding Mafia crime and witness testimony. She has also expanded into technology applications in criminal justice, reflecting broader trends in legal scholarship.
Her scientific contributions have been recognized with several awards, including:
- Ben Feringa Impact Award runner up (2023)
- Docent van het Jaar 2022 (Teacher of the Year 2022)
- Knight in the Order of the Star of Italy (2025)
Dr. Peters actively advises governmental bodies and has worked with the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Safety on developing legal innovations to more effectively combat serious organized crime. She has conducted numerous interviews with foreign judges, prosecutors, and lawyers from Germany, France, and Italy on criminal procedure topics. Her teaching spans both Dutch and international bachelor's and master's programs, and she has also taught master's courses to Italian law students at the University of Bologna.
Dr. Peters is actively involved in research projects examining the role of law in shaping approaches to organized crime, particularly through comparative analysis of international legal systems. She is one of the initiators of the AIWitness project, exploring how AI can support the taking of witness statements in criminal cases through a partnership between the University of Groningen, Capgemini, and ScottyAI, and continues to explore how innovations from foreign penal systems can improve the Dutch criminal justice system.
