Title: Criminology in Greece Today
Edition in Honour of: Stergios Alexiadis
Editing: Stratos Georgoulas
Publicated: ΚΨΜ

HISTORY

The establishment and organization of the Laboratory of Sociology of Youth, Leisure and Sports, which was formalized by the Government Gazette 264/31 Oct.2002, was inspired by the need for the creation of an appropriate infrastructure regarding the development of social research into a broad spectrum of topics and specializations.

The operation of the laboratory actually started in 2006 under the direction of the Assistant Professor Stratos Georgoulas and its’ personnel includes members of the Teaching and Research Academic Staff, young scientists and researchers, as well as external associates with special knowledge on its’ subjects. The head office of the Lab is situated on the  “Binio” building, at Harilaou Trikoupi & Faonos Street, in Mytilene. 

According to the chartering Presidential Decree, the mission of the Lab comprises among others, the cover of the teaching needs of the Department of Sociology as regards its’ areas of knowledge, not only in relation to the undergraduate curriculum but also with regards to the postgraduate curriculum, the implementation of research programmes, the organization of scientific lectures, seminars, day-conferences, meetings, and cooperation with other academic institutions, state or non-state agencies and research centers. Within the frame of these targets, the following have taken place till now:

• As regards the cover of the teaching and research needs of the Department of Sociology both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, the courses “Sociology of Leisure”, “Sociology of Sports”, “Sociology of Deviance and Special issues of the Sociology of Deviance”, “Delinquency and Crime Policy” have been added to the curriculum, while lectures have been given on equivalent issues in the postgraduate courses.

• Regarding the documentation, research and study as far as issues of the Section of Sociology of Youth, Sports and Recreation are concerned, researches for educational purposes are carried out by students under the supervision of their tutors and their conclusions are presented to the public.

• Regarding the organization of day-conferences, seminars, symposiums and meetings the following events, aiming at scientific in-depth analyses and dissemination of the results of the entire research have taken place: 

• The First Meeting of Greek Criminologists has been organized

• A day-conference has been held in cooperation with the Municipality of Istiea on the subject:  “Sensitizing the local community of Istiea to the problems confronting young people nowadays”

• Weekly seminars have been taking place, which are attended by undergraduate and postgraduate students, working on their dissertation under the supervision of the Director of EKNEXA.
• Preparations for a day-conference are underway. The subject of this conference will be the announcement of the results of a research on alcohol abuse by the students of Lesvos, funded by EPEP and supervised by the Director of the Lab, Stratos Georgoulas and his associates, Ass. professor K. Rontos and lecturer S. Papanis. 

• Regarding the implementation of research programmes with equivalent content,

the research programme EPEP is close to completion  The INTERREG Programme Greece-Cyprus regarding the recording of and policy design against child abuse is about to start.