The concept of vulnerability in criminal justice

How vulnerable people are to be protected in criminal justice systems. Event abstract: In this workshop the speakers will explore the role that vulnerability plays, as well as the role it could potentially play as an object of protection in criminal law. Vulnerability within the criminal justice system is a complex and multidimensional concept that raises fundamental questions concerning equality, non-discrimination, access to justice and the protection of individuals through criminal law. Protecting vulnerable individuals is essential, as they may face heightened risks of disadvantage in criminal and civil proceedings. The speakers will examine the explicit and implicit references to vulnerability in the current EU criminal law framework and will contrast it with the understanding of the concept that emerges from a broader interdisciplinary perspective. The recognition and protection of vulnerability within the criminal justice system raises important questions about how the legal systems identify vulnerable individuals and the extent to which differentiated legal treatment can be justified. Furthermore, the increased digitalisation of our society and criminal justice system introduces new dimensions of vulnerability, often referred to as “digital vulnerability” which may disproportionately affect the vulnerable population and raise questions as to the adequacy of the criminal justice system in addressing these emerging challenges. The workshop will conclude by providing a basis for reflections on a possible de lege ferenda definition of “vulnerability” in criminal law. Dr. Eliza Kompatsiari Dr. Eliza Kompatsiari is a postdoctoral researcher at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and Principal Investigator of the "Criminal Protection of Vulnerability" research project, that is implemented in the framework of H.F.R.I call “4th Call for H.F.R.I.’s Research Projects to Support Postdoctoral Researchers” (H.F.R.I. Project Number: 28398). Her doctoral dissertation focused on Labour Criminal Law, was funded by the Academy of Athens, and was unanimously awarded the grade of Excellent. It is now the only monograph in Greece providing the first systematic analysis of the main aspects of the criminal protection of workers. Alongside her research activities, she has undertaken teaching duties in Criminal Law and practises as a criminal lawyer in Greece. Dr. Ashlee Beazley Dr. Ashlee Beazley is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Luxembourg and a Research Associate at KU Leuven. Her current research project explores the application of Critical Race and Intersectional Theories to procedural rights in criminal proceedings. Prior to joining Uni.lu, she was a Postdoctoral Research Associate, Teaching Assistant and Assistant Project Coordinator at the Faculty of Law and Criminology, KU Leuven. Her research centres around comparative criminal law and procedure, including that of defence rights (especially the right to legal assistance), critical legal theory, and remote (criminal) proceedings and the role of technology therein.