Law professor lectures in Turkey, Japan, Australia and India on victims’ rights issues

Professor Doug Beloof, who specializes in Criminal Law and Victims’ Rights, has taken his sabbatical during the summer and fall of 2011 to travel the world lecturing and researching victims’ rights issues on a global scale. His travel plan includes cities in Turkey, Australia, Japan, India and more.

In July, Professor Beloof began his journey in Turkey.  He spoke at two law schools—one in Istanbul and the other in Ankara. During his trip, Professor Beloof was invited to publish an article on domestic violence law reform in the initial volume and edition of the first English language law journal to be published in Turkey. Interest in domestic violence law reform in Turkey is very strong, particularly because as recently as 30 years ago the situation in the U.S. was very similar. The Turkish legislature seems willing to draft the reforms. However, as in the U.S., the real challenge is changing the prosecutorial and judicial cultures so that domestic violence is seen as a crime. Professor Beloof has been involved in such law culture reform in the United States and the Turks are centrally interested in how to bring about that culture shift.

In August, Professor Beloof spoke at the 16^th World Congress of the International Society of Victimology in Kobe, Japan. He was invited to speak about victims’ rights in America and comment on victims’ rights and participation in the Japanese and Korean criminal justice systems. Professor Beloof’s presentation will be printed in the publication of the Japanese Society of Victimology. The half-day session examined comparative victims’ rights laws using Germany as a continental example, America as a common law example, and Japan and South Korea as Asian examples.

Professor Beloof has much more in store in the coming months including visits to Australia and the National Law School of India University at Bangalore as a Fulbright Scholar. Watch for updates in the weeks and months to come.