Current state and future of Comparative Criminal Law

Abstract

Comparative criminal law is currently facing the new challenges posed by the globalisation and internationalisation of law on the one hand and novel threats such as terrorism and cybercrime on the other. Thus, the question arises whether it is actually possible for comparative criminal law to make a meaningful contribution to improving citizens’ security? Some fundamental issues need to be clarified before this question can be answered: the concept and history of comparative criminal law (see A.), its significance and function (B.), its aims and methods as well as its normative foundation (C.), and the current state of research and teaching in the field (D.). All of these points merit further attention in their own right, and to this end references to additional literature on each topic are provided in the footnotes. The outlook for and future practical significance of comparative criminal law (E.) will depend on how the field responds to the abovementioned challenges.