Een herinnering aan Louk Hulsman

Please note that this event is in Dutch.

For decades, Louk Hulsman (1923-2009) was a major influence in the Dutch debate around the prison system, through his scientific work, participation in government committees, and interviews for national radio, television and newspapers. From its foundation in the 1960s, he was associated with the Faculty of Law at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. In 1986, he withdrew from the University and published his impassioned book ‘Afscheid van het strafrecht’ (Farewell to Criminal Law: A Plea for Self-regulation), in which he combined a fierce critique of the penal system with a concrete plan for its abolition. Yet the book came too late. A right-wing conservative turn, which still dominates criminal justice policy today, was already underway. Hulsman’s plea was forgotten.

At this event, a group of individuals who know the criminal justice system from the inside will perform sections of ‘Farewell to Criminal Law’. Prof. Jolande van Beijerse, a former student of Hulsman, will give an introduction about his work, while lawyer Mr. Jehanne Hulsman will share personal memories.

The special setting for this event is the monumental modernist auditorium of the Erasmus University. The Wichmann society is named after lawyer and activist Clara Meijer-Wichmann, who had already campaigned for a total reform of criminal law in 1912.

The event will be filmed by Robert Glas, as part of a new film work that will be exhibited at TENT Rotterdam early 2024. This event takes place at Campus Woudestein, Erasmus University Rotterdam.