How will COVID-19 affect prosecution services?

The implications are far-reaching, but disruptions caused by the pandemic could spur prosecutorial reform and innovation.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, many countries have experienced significant changes in crime patterns, and criminal justice resources have been reallocated to deal with lockdown-related public order issues. Although the pandemic’s long-term consequences are difficult to predict, the implications for prosecution services will be far-reaching.

This seminar discusses the impact of COVID-19 on prosecutors and prosecution services. Speakers will consider: how prosecution services have tried to mitigate negative effects; the changing social, political and economic environments in which prosecutors work; and how the pandemic’s disruptions could accelerate prosecutorial reform and innovation.

Chair: Dr Martin Schönteich, Senior Advisor, Innovation & Policy Support Office, National Prosecuting Authority, SA

Speakers:

Bola Akinsete, Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Lagos State, Nigeria

Dr Marco Fabri, Research Director, National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

Daniela Cavallini, Associate Professor, Department of Political & Social Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy

Dr Rasmus Wandall, Research Fellow, University of Lund, and previous General Counsel, International Association of Prosecutors

Development partners
The ISS is grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union, the Open Society Foundations and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
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