The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law is a leading European center for research in criminal law, criminology, and public security. The research conducted in our three departments (Criminal Law, Criminology, and Public Law) is comparative, international, and interdisciplinary.
The Institute is part of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science—one of the world’s most distinguished and successful research organizations. The high caliber of its basic research is reflected not least in the 29 Nobel Prizes awarded to Max Planck scientists since the Society was founded in 1948.
The Institute is located in Freiburg im Breisgau, a vibrant and green university city with a 900-year history. The city is situated in a tri-national border region (Germany, Switzerland, and France) and is renowned for its high quality of life and international atmosphere. Freiburg ranks third on Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2022” list of the top ten cities to visit.