PASAY CITY, Philippines – The Philippine College of Criminology (PCCR) co-hosted the 15th Annual Conference of the Asian Criminological Society (ACS) from August 8 to 10, 2024 at the Midas Hotel and Casino. The event brought together scholars, law enforcement practitioners, and policymakers from across Asia and beyond to explore topics in criminology, criminal justice, technology, and public safety. This year’s theme, “Criminology, Criminal Justice, Technology, and Public Safety,” highlighted the growing role of technology in modern criminological practices and policies.
The Asian Criminological Society (ACS) is an academic organization dedicated to the study, research, and advancement of criminology in Asia. Founded in 2009, ACS fosters collaboration among scholars, researchers, and practitioners in criminology, criminal justice, and related fields.
The conference featured discussions, research presentations, and workshops addressing contemporary challenges in criminology, such as criminology education, cybercrime prevention and prosecution, competency-based policing, public safety management in democratic governments, juvenile delinquency and justice, forensic science, digital forensics, artificial intelligence, gender-based crimes, law enforcement strategies, crime prevention, restorative justice, transnational crimes, and human rights in Asia.
The Professional Criminologists Association of the Philippines (PCAP) led efforts to bring this year’s conference to the Philippines. “We are proud to bring this international gathering to Manila again,” said PCAP President Dr. Gerry Cano. ACS President Prof. Ramasubbu Thilagaraj from the University of Madras emphasized that collaboration and knowledge-sharing among criminologists across Asia are crucial in addressing region-specific crime issues and developing policies that enhance justice and public safety.
Discussing the future of criminology education, PCCR President Ms. Ma Angelica Lei Bautista stressed the importance of equipping future criminologists with expertise in cybercrime, digital forensics, and artificial intelligence (AI), ensuring that education remains relevant and effective.
“This gathering offers a platform to explore the latest research and trends in crime prevention, law enforcement, and public safety. Through this, governments can develop informed policies to address emerging challenges, improve public safety, and ensure the effective administration of justice,” said PRC Board of Criminology Chairperson Atty. Raul Gabao.
At the end of the three-day conference, it was announced that the host city for the next year’s conference would be Queensland, Australia.