The Institute for International Research on Criminal Policy (IRCP) has a decades-long tradition of conducting high-quality independent scientific research. It provides advice to policy and practice and participates in societal debates. The Institute is integrated into the Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law of the Faculty of Law and Criminology at Ghent University and consists of thirteen professors and many post-doctoral and pre-doctoral researchers. The IRCP has grown out of a group of lawyers and criminologists, but now houses scientists with a very diverse scientific background and education.