Criminalistics/Criminal investigation in Europe
State of the Art and Challenges for the Future

Ljubljana, Slovenia
September 22-23, 2011

Why this Conference?

A need for a more effective and efficient detection and investigation of terrorism and serious economic, organized, transnational and other new forms of crime exists. Effective and efficient criminalistics/criminal investigation and forensic sciences can help to achieve this goal.

Differences regarding the role and status of criminalistics/criminal investigation as a science or a discipline, terminology , quality and quantity of research and training and availability of scientific literature make communication among professionals in criminal investigation/criminalistics difficult.

Not many scientific international conferences in Europe focused on criminal investigation and forensic sciences, so there is a need for a conference that would give academics and practitioners an opportunity to gather and exchange views, experiences and problems regarding criminal investigation and evidence gathering.

Development and discoveries in natural and social sciences offer new techniques and methods of criminal investigation and evidence in the future and lead to a more efficient investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses but can pose a threat to human rights and personal freedom.

Why Slovenia?

Slovenia is located in Central Europe, and has been in the past exposed to knowledge of criminal investigation both from the East and West. Hans Gross, the "father" of "Kriminalistik", was born in Graz (Austria) and had great influence to development of criminalistics in Slovenia at a university level. Faculty of Criminal Justice has developed criminalistics and related disciplines for decades and is becoming a centre of excellence in fields of criminal justice studies and criminology.