Experts and policymakers gather to improve criminology education

Scholars, law enforcement professionals and policymakers from across Asia and beyond attended the 15th Annual Conference of the Asian Criminological Society (ACS) to explore strategies for improving criminology education.

Participants at the 15th Annual Conference of the Asian Criminological Society (ACS)

This year’s conference, held earlier this month, had the theme: “Criminology, Criminal Justice, Technology and Public Safety.”

The event featured discussions, research presentations and workshops addressing contemporary challenges in criminology.

The 15th Annual Conference of the Asian Criminological Society was a major event that addressed the challenges and opportunities in criminology and criminal justice across Asia, while paving the way for future innovations in the field.

This year’s conference was brought to the Philippines by the Professional Criminologists Association of the Philippines (PCAP), co-presented by the Philippine College of Criminology (PCCR), in collaboration with the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) Board of Criminology and Wiseman’s Books Trading.

Role of technology in criminology

This year’s theme emphasized the role of technology in modern criminological practices and policies.

Speakers at the plenary discussed a wide range of topics, including the role of technology in criminology education, strategies for preventing and prosecuting cybercrime, character- and competency-based approaches to policing, human rights issues in Asia, public safety management within democratic systems, and the recognition of professional qualifications in criminology.

During parallel sessions, scholars and law enforcement professionals shared their research findings on a variety of topics, including criminological theories, human rights, juvenile delinquency and justice, forensic science, digital science, cybercrime, artificial intelligence, gender-based crime, law enforcement, crime prevention, restorative justice and transnational crime.

“We are proud to bring this international gathering to Manila again,” said PCAP President Dr. Gerry Cano.

ACS President Ramasubbu Thilagaraj of the University of Madras stressed the importance of “collaboration and knowledge sharing among criminologists across Asia.”

He noted that this would help “address region-specific crime problems and develop policies to improve justice and public safety in the Asian context.”

Future of criminology education

PCCR President Angelica Lei Bautista also stressed the need to strengthen criminology education.

“Future criminologists should be equipped with the knowledge needed to tackle contemporary problems such as cybercrime, digital forensics and AI, so effective and relevant training should already be available now,” she said.

PRC Board of Criminology Chairman Raul Gabao, on the other hand, noted that the meeting provided a “platform to explore the latest research and trends in crime prevention, law enforcement and public safety.”

“The government can develop well-considered policies that address these emerging challenges, enhance public safety and ensure effective administration of justice,” he added.

At the end of the three-day conference, it was announced that next year’s conference would be held in Queensland, Australia.