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Modderman Prize 2022 awarded to Hannah Brodersen and Lucas Noyon

The Modderman Prize is awarded once every two years to advance research in the field of criminal law science.

Modderman was Professor of Criminal Law in Leiden at the end of the 19th century

Hannah Brodersen, currently working as a PhD researcher at the Université de Neuchâtel (Switzerland), was awarded the Prize for her Doctoral thesis ‘Longer than life: How the ICTY strengthened the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia’, which she wrote at the University of Maastricht under the supervision of Professor A.H. Klip and Professor E. Versluis.

Lucas Noyon, currently working at the research bureau of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, was awarded the prize for his Doctoral thesis ‘Criminal justice and public opinion. An inquiry into the relationship between the criminal justice system and the public, with special concern for the Public Prosecution Service), which he wrote at Leiden University under the supervision of Professor J.H. Crijns and Professor J.W. de Keijser.

Scientific quality

The Modderman Prize is awarded by the Professor A.E.J. Modderman Foundation which is affiliated with Leiden University. It aims to advance research in the field of criminal law science. The prize is awarded once every two years to a person who defended a doctoral thesis at a Dutch University in the previous two years on a topic about criminal law and other related science, insofar as relevant for a good understanding of criminal law, and demonstrating particular scientific qualities.

The Selection Committee found that the doctoral thesis of Brodersen and Noyon more than met these criteria and in equal measure. Therefore, the prize was awarded twice this year.

Honourable mention

In addition to awarding the Modderman Prize to Hannah Brodersen and Lucas Noyon, the selection committee awarded an honourable mention to Sara Arendse's doctoral thesis, entitled 'The Concept of “Outward Appearance” in criminal law. An analysis of the case law of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands’. She wrote this doctoral thesis at Leiden University under the supervision of Professor C.P.M. Cleiren and Professor J.M. ten Voorde.

This year, the selection committee was composed of Professor A.H. Klip (Maastricht University), Professor K.K. Lindenberg (University of Groningen), Professor C.P.M. Cleiren (Leiden University) and Professor M.J.F. van der Wolf (Leiden University/University of Groningen).

The awards will be motivated by the selection committee during the presentation ceremony on Friday 18 November 2022 at Leiden University’s Kamerlingh Onnes Building. The prize consists of a bronze medal designed by sculptor F. Letterie as well as a sum of money.

The medal

The front of the medal shows the head of Professor A.E.J. Modderman (1838-1885), Professor of  Criminal Law in Leiden from 1870-1879 and later Dutch Minister of Justice. On the back, the motto of Leiden University is displayed as an artistic image.

A.E.J. Modderman studied law in Leiden was awarded a doctorate there in 1863 for his doctoral thesis entitled ‘The reform of our criminal legislation’. In 1864 he became a professor at the predecessor to the University of Amsterdam. This was followed by a professorship in Leiden in 1870. From 1870, he was also a member of the Government Committee for the compilation of a Penal Code. As Minister of Justice (1879-1883), among other things, he brought about a new Penal Code.

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